The ascent of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party reshaped 20th-century history, from Hitler's early life and political indoctrination to his role in World War I and subsequent rise to power. The Nazi ideology, rooted in racial superiority and anti-Semitism, led to the Holocaust and World War II. Key figures like Hess, Göring, Goebbels, and Himmler played significant roles in the regime, which ended with Hitler's suicide and Germany's surrender in 1945.
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Adolf Hitler's childhood was marked by an authoritarian father and a doting mother, both of whom died by his late teens
Art Career in Vienna
Hitler's unsuccessful pursuit of an art career in Vienna exposed him to various political ideologies and anti-Semitic rhetoric
Shaping of Extreme Nationalist Views
The exposure to political ideologies and anti-Semitic rhetoric in Vienna began to shape Hitler's extreme nationalist views
Hitler's service in the Bavarian Army during World War I exposed him to the concept of bravery and nationalism, which would later influence his political beliefs
Hitler's appointment as Chancellor in 1933 and the Reichstag Fire decree allowed him to consolidate his power
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Hess served as Hitler's Deputy Führer until his flight to Britain in 1941
Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring, a decorated fighter pilot from World War I, held numerous high-ranking positions in the Nazi regime
Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels, as Minister of Propaganda, played a pivotal role in disseminating Nazi ideology and anti-Semitic propaganda
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler, as Reichsführer-SS, was the architect behind the SS and the concentration camp system, playing a central role in the execution of the Holocaust
Nazi Germany's aggressive expansionism led to World War II and the systematic state-sponsored persecution and annihilation of millions of Jews and other groups deemed undesirable by the regime