Donald Trump has ideas that are akin to those held by Adolf Hitler. The question Americans have is “What outcome will these similarities have in the United States, under his leadership?”

Hitler believed Germany should be a world leader and this could happen, if only Aryans and Germans were allowed to live in the country. Under the guise of “Americans First,” Trump wants to build a Great Wall that will keep out illegal immigrants and deport all illegal aliens. He has stated he would only allow those who embrace the American way-of-life into the country. He intends to have his boundary funded by Mexico.

Hitler stated that those who were not German should not be allowed to speak on matters of the country. He believed Communism was a threat to his nation and should be abolished. He also stated democracy and rights for workers would upset civilization. Trump has said, on his first day in office, he will ban White House officials from lobbying for foreign governments and prevent foreign representatives of special interest groups from raising money for U.S. elections. Again, wanting outsiders to remain on the outskirts of the nation but to what outcome?

The German dictator fought in the German army during World War I, before returning to Munich, as a corporal. The loss of WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles angered Hitler. The corporal believed Germany was powerful and lost the war because the country was betrayed. He blamed the Jewish people and the communists.

The Treaty of Versailles:
Re-determined German boundaries – Eupean-Malm[eacute]dy went to Belgium, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, eastern districts went to Poland, Memel was given to Lithuania, and the majority of Schleswig went to Denmark
Colonies that belonged to the country were all taken away
Required Germany to make financial amends for damages caused by WWI
The country’s military was severely reduced and disarmed from specific classes of weapons
Germany accepted their responsibility and that of their allies for the damages
Created the Covenant of the New League of Nations in 1919, which Germany was prevented from joining until 1926
A demilitarized zone was established
The Saar was banned from Germany for 15 years
The German government signed the Treaty of Versailles under protest. Many politicians were assassinated for their part in the agreement.

Trump blames immigrants for the loss of American jobs and the Democrats for the state of the country. He wants to dismantle radical Islāmic terrorist groups and to stop paying ransoms to ISIS for the release of Americans. He also intends to put an end to the Iran nuclear deal. The Iran Deal deferred the Middle Eastern country from building a weapon of mass destruction by 9 months.

TrumpHitler’s views fell in-line with those of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, which later became the Nazi Party. He joined the small group in 1920. He was a charismatic speaker and thus, gained support as a leader from right-wing extremists.

Trump speaks plainly on topics concerning the U.S. He does not believe political correctness and this approach has gained him a significant following. There are Americans looking for a leader they can relate to on a cognitive level. The working-class believe Trump will lead the country out of a poor economic state.

The German economy worsened and the country feared communism. The people wanted a strong leader with a solution. Hitler’s goal was to return a strong order of tradition to Germany. After WWI, citizens were impoverished and lived for themselves, as if “they had nothing to lose.” Citizens were without a leader once Commander-in-Chief Kaiser Wilhelm was forced out of the country.

Germany was left in political and economic chaos, without leadership, and an enormous national debt to pay. While political groups fought over changing the government to a democracy or communism, the people were without food. Lack of resources caused rioting in the streets.

Hitler gained power through his engaging speeches. He gave the country a leader and he blamed the Jews for the economic situation in Germany. Hitler also spoke of extreme nationalism.

Trump wants to “Make America Great Again.” The economy, as he purposes, is the best way to start this process. He wants to put “Americans First” concerning job creation and industry. He stated that China will cease in stealing intellectual property from the U.S. During a speech in Pennsylvania, Trump stated, “I am going to instruct my Treasury secretary to label China a currency manipulator, which should have been done years ago.”

He is reaching out to a country that is tired of politicians and has a strong desire for a different kind of leadership. Citizens are hungry for change and Trump supporters believe he is the farthest option from a politician. Hitler was also not regarded as a politician. He slid into office when Germany was hungry and lost with no one to lead them and enforced his policies and extreme ideas. Under President-elect Trump, will Americans suffer similar outcomes under his leadership?

The Republican candidate insists that “the TPP [Trans-Pacific Partnership] creates a new international commission that makes decisions the American people can’t veto.” He believes he can negotiate better trade deals, one-on-one, than with a round-table-discussion of countries.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership:
Created to level the playing field for American workers and businesses
More Made-in-America exports
More higher-paying jobs
Cuts over 18,000 taxes other countries put on Made-in-America products
Ensures American ranchers, farmers, service suppliers, and small businesses can compete
Will expand Made-in-America exports and support jobs through trade remedy laws, safeguards, countervailing duties, and anti-dumping laws
Ensure American exporters are allowed procedural due process and the rules used by all countries part of Trans-Pacific Partnership are transparent
TrumpTrump wants to renegotiate trade agreements to make it is easier to invest, hire, build, produce, and manufacture in the U.S. He believes this will make America the best country to conduct business. Trump intends to carry out this goal without allowing immigrants into the country.

There will not be any more jobs lost to Mexico, immigrants, or globalism. Jobs and wealth will stay in the U.S. – extreme nationalism. His “Make America Great Again” and “Americans First” slogans, along with his off-the-cuff, violence-inciting speeches, have won him the title, president-elect. This is also in-line with Hitler’s idea that Germany could rule the world, but only as a single race.

These similarities could lead to a frightening outcome in America. Neither Hitler nor Trump had many policies, nevertheless, they offered an alternative type of leadership in struggling countries. Will the outcome, under President-elect Trump be similar to the experience suffered by Germany under Hitler’s leadership?

Update: In April 2015, Ivana Trump told her lawyer, Michael Kennedy, that Donald Trump keeps Hitler’s book, “My New Order,” in his bedside cabinet. This book contains the speeches Hitler made, through 1939.

This book demonstrates his abilities as a “master propagandist,” stated Marie Brenner of Vanity Fair. It was through his charismatic speeches that Hitler built the Nazi regime that willingly attempted to abolish the Jewish population.

Professor Bruce Loebs, from Idaho University, has taught the Rhetoric of Hitler and Churchill for 47 years. He said that Hitler’s following was due to the theory he had the answers for a nation in economic and political upheaval. This is similar to the current state of the America.

When Trump was questioned about the book, Brenner stated he hesitated before asking her where she obtained the information. After saying he did not remember how he acquired the book, Trump stated “Mein Kampf” was a gift from a Jewish friend at Paramount. Marty Davis, from Paramount, told Brenner that he had given “My New Order” to Trump, not “Mein Kampf” and added that he is not Jewish.

Toward the end of his interview with Brenner, Trump said, “If I had these speeches, and I am not saying that I do, I would never read them.”

Ivana contests that not only did he read the book, often, his cousin would greet him with a heel click and “Heil Hitler,” when entering Trump’s office.

By Jeanette Smith

Sources:

The White House: The Historic Deal that Will Prevent Iran from Acquiring a Nuclear Weapon
The Holocaust Explained: Who Was Adolf Hitler?
Google: Donald Trump Policies
History: TREATY OF VERSAILLES
Office of the United States Trade Representative: The Trans-Pacific Partnership
Business Insider: Donald Trump’s ex-wife once said Trump kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bed

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