Holocaust
By: Mike • Essay • 811 Words • December 24, 2009 • 967 Views
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What does the term "propaganda" say, what does one think of, when approached with this term? Would one think it was of a positive of negative connotation? What about the association it had with the holocaust, would it then be considered negative? Did the Nazis use the role of propaganda overtly?
Propaganda played an extremely crucial part in the Nazi's rise of power, the brainwashing of the Germans to hating and ultimately killing the Jews. What is being discussed is the power of persuasion and how it is used through various forms of media to gain a stronger anti-Semitic than they had already had.
The anti-Semitism that was already apparent was that of the nineteenth century. The Germans naturally hated Jews. They blamed them for the declining of the German economy and whatever was going wrong in Germany, the Jews were held responsible. From this basis set, the Germans branched out a new form of anti-Semitism. It was the use of propaganda to rid Germany and the rest of the world of Jews and what they represented. They would take any measure to execute this task.
To execute this task, the Nazi's used new forms of publicity to receive the recognition that they thought would be beneficial. The Nazi's held Mass meetings usually associated with brainwashing the Germans of anti-Semitic views. They distributed various visual aids such as flyers, posters, and eventually the use of radio and cinema would be used as well.
The common effort of Hitler was to speak to the masses. He wasn't looking for smart and intelligent people to accept what he was saying; he was looking solely for the masses. By getting into a large amount of people's heads, ideas were easier, and more effective to spread. The messages given were repeated constantly. If one hears a message a number of times, they will start to believe it. The messages were repeated so that every last person understood and believed the anti-Semitic slogans.
Hitler desired to aim his propaganda crusade exclusively toward the masses. Propaganda had to be popular and geared to the most simple-minded persons.
In the last paragraph or so the same message was being presented. By reading, a person would believe and accept the information on propaganda given.
The Nazis utilized propaganda to spread the Nazi ideology, philosophy, and mentality into the German population. The hope of the Nazis was the ideas and mentality expressed were going to be part of the Germans everyday regime, and their everyday lives. The thought of the evil Jews was to consume the Germans minds, bodies, and their souls. The thought of other enemies was not to be permitted; the Jews were the only enemy. They were to be the "enemy of the common people."
The propaganda established the enemy: the Jew. Such sections were of media, films, radio, theatre, organization, press, and education.
The last section: education was to be aimed at children; the Nazis combined both anti-Semitic mentality and encouraged children to join the Hitler youth. These children were not aware of what was going on. They were children.