when did we first learn how evil Hitler really was?

Question

Did we know about the concentration camps before the war started?

Did we know his goal?

when did all this first become known

thank you for that answer that had NOTHIGN to do with what i asked.

anyone with half a brain know the answer?

3 answers and not one was smart enough to answer the question

Answer 1

The first Concentration Camp was opened in Dachau in 1933 and it was a very public prison/reeducation camp. Literally thousands of other camps were opened in the next 12 years, with 6 major camps designed solely for mass murder. There has been a continuing debate among historians as to whether or not Hitler planned the Holocaust all along (and whether Mein Kampf is a basic outline for his long term goals), or whether he changed his goals and actions as time, circumstance, and the fortunes of war changed. There are thousands of books available on this, but perhaps the best is by Alan Bullock: Hitler, A Study in Tyranny.

When did everything become known is another question entirely, and a controversial one. There were many reports of the Holocaust during the war, but as for certain, 100% sure information on everything - incontrovertible proof was in hand in 1945 as the German forces withdrew and the camps were liberated by the Allies.

Answer 2

Are you under the impression that Hitler was evil only because of the concentration camps? If that is the case, then I can see why you criticized the previous answers.
I think a COMBINATION of those answers (Mein Kampf, The Munich Beer Hall Putsch) plus the incarceration of the political opponents after 1933, the 'Night of the Long Knives' in 1934, and the other moves made by the Nationalist Socialists to establish a totalitarian dictatorship in the 1933 - 1939 period all gave us many indications how evil Hitler really was. Those sent to concentration camps in Germany (such as the KPD, and others) certainly knew his goal. For the international community, the German participation in the Spanish Civil War was probably the best indication of how evil the Fascists were, but at the time, and even today, few listened to the Communist anti-facists.

Answer 3

I admit it is an interesting question. Was he trying to destroy a group and culture or was it simply that he was trying to promote another so much that he had to destroy the others to accomplish his goals? Almost a question of would the end justify the means. Say he had accomplished his goals. Would the people he promoted say he was evil to do that? If YES then would that make Israel evil. OK not trying to start this one BUT think about it. They were GIVEN the land. So if it would be evil to create a land was the U.N. evil for the creation of the Jewish state? I bet I get some thumbs down for this comparison BUT is that simply because Hitler wasn't successful and the U.N. was? I have nothing against Israel but my question is if one was evil, why isn't the other? Yeah the U.N. DIDN'T kill people to create Israel, but they did force people off the land basically. If Hitler was evil does that make Plato evil. If you ever read, or learn, the story of the "Big lie" then you would have to agree that is rather close to what Hitler was trying to do. In the end his actions were indeed evil, but that doesn't tell you of the man himself. I dare say if he was successful then he would be seen more as a hero then evil. So I'm not sure I could go so far as to call the man himself evil.

Answer 4

I can't give an intelligent answer to your question without knowing who "we" is. Are you speaking of citizens of the USA? Or are you speaking of our Government officials? Or is "we" meant to be mankind in General?

There is no doubt that the World in general outside of Germany did not know of the Concentration Camps. Whether our Government knew of them I don't know. I am sure some Intelligence types knew but I don't know.

Also I am sure our Government knew of his goal but too many people did not want to get involved in a War and they tried to persuade our Government not to get involved. So the general public probably did not know his goals.

I have no idea when all this first became known. Some people knew of it. FDR bravely tried to circumvent Congress to aid Britian and later Russia. So he must have known what was going on. But I am sure the general public did not know.

I personally did not learn just how Evil Hitler was until I wrote a paper at the Naval War College on the Battle of Stalingard. That would have been in the early 1970s and I was about 32 years old. And still even after having studied and researched in an Academic way I still do not completely understand exactly just how Evil that man was. My very normal human psyche just can not phantom the depth of his Evil. The Holocaust was just that.......A Holocaust!! It was not limited to Germany. It spread rapidly all across Europe and Asia. While 2 or 3 million people died in Concentration Camps is terrible Russia lost 16 million people in the 12 years they were involved in WWII. Those numbers just are not comprehensible to those of us who did not live through it. Imagine that........16 million Russians died in WWII and that does not include Poles, Eastern Europeans, Africans, or Asians nor Jewish people or just ordinary Germans who got in the way.

You have asked some very deep questions and I hope I have helped. I encourage you to delve into this deeper and learn for yourself. Good luck.

Answer 5

Okay, I did some brainstorming, and this is all I can think of.


While imprisoned in 1925, Hitler wrote a book called Mein Kampf, or “my struggle.” In it, Hitler outlined his racist beliefs and his designs to take over Germany. Central to his arguments were claims that Jews were responsible for World War I and that the nation had been unfairly treated by the Treaty of Versailles. The book presented his plans for world domination. He promised to restore racial purity and German pride once he and his party took over the country. Although the book attracted little attention when it was published in 1925, it became widely read after Hitler’s rise to power.

Answer 6

Well its pretty interesting...in 1923 \he stormed a beer hall in Munich and attempted to seize power by shooting a couple shots in the ceiling and proclaiming that the building was surrounded by 600 armed men....

German officials considered him a confused young man starting harmless trouble in the wrong area and released him from jail...good call guys...

Answer 7

INTELLIGENCE