Adolph Hitler?

Question

Can anyone with any sense compare any living figure today to Hitler? Have any of the people who have actually read history really think that Saddam, Bush or Senator Clinton compares to a man who was responsible for the exploitation, torture and slaughter of millions? Is this anything short of an insult to the loved ones of those who died at his hands, as well as the few blessed survivors?

I ask this because inane Hitler comparison questions continue to pop up on here.

To set the record straight:
Amongst the over 15 million to die at the hands of this madman were Jews, Slavs, communists, the physically disabled, gypsy's, the mentally unbalanced and others. Hating one race is unfortunately mild by comparison.

Answer 1

Actually the difference is one of DEGREE not KIND.
Although Hilter is one, if not the most evil man, in history and did terrible things to millions upon million, and a few hundred thousand is mild by comparision, still there were human beings in those few hundred thousand who were murdered and opressed. Also a few hundred thousand is no small number.
What people really mean when they compare other scum to Hitler is that Hitler is a prime bad example and this is the nearest thing they have or is convenient to compare to .
In reality comparing these others to Hitler is like comparing plonk(a cheap cask wine) to champagne. Or comparing apprentice to master. Both are wine, both are involved in an art, both are butchers. This is not to say they are worse, equal or even very near to the butcher master, but that they fit into the same cateogory by their tyranny and crimes.
Perhaps it is more accurate to compare these other bastards to each other, however, when one compares them to Hitler then the general idea is universally understood and the basic condemnation is deserved.
However over and above this people compare all types to Hitler. Many of this are not justified. Whatever you think of Bush or Clinton, they are not in the same vein as Hitler. They are not like Stalin, Mao Tze Tsung, Pol Pot or Sadam Hussien. So, you are right in these instances, one must be careful when one is comparing people to what, possibly, is the number one son of a ***** in history and not let their prejudices get in the way. Only compare that which deserves to be compared, though most likely not equal to. For to compare to Hitler willy nilly is to do injustice to even people you do not approve off and give the monster better than he deserves. Comparing all but the accomplished butchers is in insult to even the most incompetent and lousy politician. It is right that to compare the ordinary politician is an insult to those who died at Hitler's hands, the survivors and the loved ones. What we must do is to give the minor condemnation of plonk to the other butchers and give Hitler his eternal condemnation in history ,of champagne.

Answer 2

I tend to agree with you. I do think its interesting that so many people find current political figures that they equate with Hitler...

as an aside to an earlier answer, Hitler put many people into the death camps, not just the Jews. Ethnic Gypsies, homosexuals, intellectuals that would not tow the party line, politicians (and their families) and anyone else that he perceived to be a threat to him, the list goes on. I am not defending Saddam in any way, just wanted to set the record straight.

Answer 3

I tend to agree with you. Certainly those who compare Bush or Clinton to Hitler are just trying to make a point or are just uneducated. There can be no serious comparison.

I think even Saddam Hussein is a lightweight compared to Hitler. It's not too hard to find evidence that suggests that even though he was tyrannical, he was bringing reforms to his nation. One of my favourite examples of this is a report from the U.S. State Department from before our recent conflict which cites him as a progressive and beneficial leader overall.

I will have to disagree with you, however, in that I think there do exist people who are still alive for whom a comparison to Hitler is NOT disingenuous. A good example of this is Kim Jong Il:

North Korea under his leadership ranks LAST in terms of citizens' freedom according to the State Liberty Index. Hundreds of thousands die of famine while Kim Jong Il dines on caviar and French wine. People who move around trying to find food (travel of any kind is one of many rights denied) are arrested. In many cases investigators have found that the country had food available, but just failed to distribute it.

As many as 200,000 people in detention camps - this would be about 1% of the population of the entire country. Mortality rate in such a place approaches 25% per annum. Chemical weapons are tested on prisoners. Newborn children are killed.

A quarter of the population of the country has been classified as 'hostile to the government'. They recieve the least amount of food and rights. There is absolutely no freedom of press or congregation. Even listening to a station broadcast from outside the country is a crime.

The North Korean economy is largely supported by forgery of foreign currencies and drug trade. They have nuclear weapons, missiles, and one of the largest armies in the world.

All in all, I'd say Kim Jong Il is easily in Hitler's class. If not, perhaps, his superior in atrocity.

Answer 4

Hitler killed more than Jews. He killed over 15 million people. I'm sure there was someone in there that had pissed him off too. I think Saddam would be the closest thing to him today, but no one rivals Hitler in the vast scheme of things. I am always amused when people compare Bush to Hitler. There is a lack of historic knowledge to say that.

Answer 5

Believe it or not Saddam was a modern day Hitler. You saw it his way or you died. He studied people such as Moulini, Hitler, Stalin, and Atila the Hun. I don't believe Bush himself to be a modern day Hitler, but he has created the perception around the world that we are imperialist conquerors similar to the Roman Empire.
Lavish lifestyles, free society, and military might. However most of this started before Bush, he is just maintaining consistancy.

Answer 6

Hello =)

Well...

Saddam Hussein was directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of more than 2 million...

George W. Bush was directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of nearly 1 million now, and counting.

Adolph Hitler was directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of nearly 25 million (including the deaths that the soviets caused during WWII, which would not have happened without Hitler's existence), so, I don't think that anyone quite compares to Hitler in all of history, personally. He will likely hold the record for human death, during all of human existence.......

Namaste,

--Tom

Answer 7

I think you can compare him to Stalin. If you think about it, Saddam kind of was a modern day hitler. He ordered genecide on the Kurds and the Shiites and Hitler ordered killings of the jews.

Answer 8

with the aid of fact Germany grew to become into on entire profession through Allied armies in could of 1945, and because Hitler particularly did no longer desire he or his physique to be captured byenymies, his physique and his spouse's physique have been cremated in a shell crater exterior the underground Fuehrer bunker next to the Reichs Chancellery. yet he had no funeral as such,

Answer 9

Living figure today? No one comes close to Hitler.

Others have killed more, including Stalin and Mao. Of course this does not excuse Hitler's actions.

Answer 10

What is behind these comparisons is not clear. What else appeared here are calls to impeach the President,and accusations of War Crimes, as well as comparisons to Saddam.
None of these make any sense and are untruthful accusations that are usually considered freedom to express their opinions by these statments. . .