If Nazi Germany had been honest with its citizens?

Question

If Nazi Germany had been honest with its citizens, and had told them that the USSR was being invaded not to free the people from oppressive Communism, but rather as a means to seize and control the Caspian oil fields, would WWII have turned out differently? Is it possible this strategy may have given the population something they could understand, instead of wondering why their forces were malingering around the USSR four years after the "liberation"?

Answer 1

Personally I think the decision to invade the USSR at that time was a big mistake. The USSR had no intention of attacking the Germans and the Germans had crippled UK's homeland defense. They came very close to obtaining air superiority over the UK and would have done so shortly. At that point the UK's massive fleet would have been helpless to stop any invasion. If they had invaded the UK first, then the USSR would have caved to pressure and Nazi Germany would likely still be here today.

Basically, Hitler wasn't a strategist but he tried it and failed where he should have let his field commanders make more decisions.

Answer 2

Hey, the Nazi government never told the people that they invaded the USSR to free Russians from communism, Russians were called "subhumans" in Nazi ideology and German warfare in the East was extremely brutal and murderous, and every German soldier could see that. In Germany there were forced laborers deported from the USSR and all people could see that either, it wasn't hidden, many of them worked for private households and farms in Germany, they worked in all kinds of factories, it wasn't hidden at all. It was totally obvious that Russians (and others) were enslaved and that there was a racist ideology behind that. Enslaving people is obviously the opposite of freeing them.

The main motivation for this war was that enslavement and the gain of "Lebensraum" (living space) in the East and people knew that. At the same time there was excessive propaganda about the dangers of communism, but that in the style that if communism wasn't destroyed, the "Jewish Bolsheviks" would destroy Germany. Nobody ever claimed they had any concern about the well-being of Russians or other Slavs. They were openly called "subhuman" in Nazi propaganda.

Answer 3

Your question is factually incorrect

It was never portrayed as a means to free individuals from Soviet Rule(??) - the NASDP and Hitler had over 20 years of Anti-Soviet and Anti-Slav propaganda under their belts.

The attack on the Soviet Union was based upon the trumped up charge of border provocations (ie: preventive first-strike) and the need for German living space in the east- a long standing point in the NASDP platform.

While some ethnic groups and eastern nations under Soviet Rule (Ukraine) - assumed it was liberation for them- they were quickly corrected in that assumption- which was one many flaws in the Nazi strategy (they failed to utilize anti-soviet and oppressed factions in the USSR against the Soviet- allowing Stalin to portray it as a patriotic war)

Answer 4

Wait, you are jumping too far ahead - if the Nazis in Germany were honest with the German people they would have admitted the Reichstag fire was not set by Marinus van der Lubbe or the Communists on Feb. 27th, 1933, and would not have issued the decree which suspended all constutional rights and transfered the power of parliament to the Nazi cabinet, and arrested (and later murdered) thousands of persons active in, or allied with the worker's movement (KPD and Social Democrats), and banned their newspapers Permanente Revolution and Vorwarts.

Answer 5

I think you forget to factor the Hilter Insanity into your thinking and all the "what if's " in the world are utterly misplaced.

Your opening remarks do not convey a firm grasp of the Geoplilitical system, Personalities, or actual history of the time. WWII was because of Hitler and the Nazi's did what they did and to have done otherwise would not have been in character.

So- What exactly is your point?

Old Guy

Answer 6

This question is meaningless cause fascists don't care about public opinion. Plus, Germany invaded Russia as a security concern since Russians were occupying Poland right next door.

Answer 7

I'm not actually answering, but in passing i couldn't help but notice that you idiots(with the exception of 1) are turning this into a political discussion.that is ridiculous. just answer the mans question.

Answer 8

you liberals sure do have an unhealthy fascination for Hitler don't you? seek professional help or something...you people are scary!...