Essay/Term paper: Fascism as opposed to communism

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Humanities

Analyze the similarities and the differences between single

party rule in Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia between

1933 and 1945. Answers should consider: methods of

dealing with opposition, control of media and education,

control of the economy, and war time planning. Fascism as

apposed to Communism Why is it that Germany's fascism

lasted a relatively short time compared to Russia's

communism? The regimes established under Hitler and Stalin

were incredibly similar with respect to the rise and control of

the state. Both systems were based on entirely different

ideology and goals. Hitler's Mein Kampf established the

superiority of the German race and the need to expand as

wanted by God. Hitler wanted the world. The government in

Russia established by Lenin was based on a book called

Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, a call to the

proletariate to unite and rebel against their selfish employers.

It is my belief that Lenin had entirely good reasons for doing

as he did, and felt he was helping the world as apposed to

Adolf Hitler. Immediately after Lenin's death, a man very

much the same in nature as Hitler, Stalin, came to control the

Bolsheviks and throw Russia in a civil war in a quest for

power. You now have two men of equal aspirations soon to

be in control of two very similar governments. In any rise of

power, there needs to be a period of careful planning

requiring much thought. These two men had very little history

with which to work with which to model their revolutions.

Times had been changing rapidly, technological

improvements in the fields of manufacturing, transportation,

and communication made this period of time very different

from any other. Hitler spent his time imprison writing his

book, Mein Kampf, filling it full of warped ideas of conquest

and superiority of one race over another. I think it is strange

that such works would go unnoticed with nobody left to

watch a man with such dangerous ideas. Lenin planned his

revolution while in exile in Switzerland. Then he made a deal

with the German government whereby he was hid on a train

and passed through enemy Germany to Russia. The

conclusions with respect to methods of acquiring power and

controlling it when they did get it were very much the same.

Both rulers had full run of their respective governments.

Stalin was already dictator of Russia with his power and

loyalty of the people guaranteed by the secret police, the

Cheka. This entity provided Stalin with an easy means of

destroying the opposition and weeding out the undesirable to

be sent to prison camps in Siberia, a virtual death sentence.

For Hitler to ascend to that level of power he rammed the

Enabling Act through the German Congress which gave him

the power to enact laws. Under Article 1 of his new power,

Hitler decreed the only existing party shall be the NSDAP.

With Article 2 he declared all association of, collaboration

with, and support of other parties would result in

imprisonment in camps similar to Russia's labor camps. With

Hitler's Gestapo, secret police, he enforced those rules and

used existing policies to get rid of other unfit Germans.

Political prisoners, homosexuals, Jews and other people sent

to the concentration camps were given different colored

symbols for easy identification. At this point, no one dared

speak against their country even in the privacy of one's home

lest their children let something slip at school. If you control

people's thoughts, you control them. Propaganda was an

important tool used by both Germany and Russia. Hitler

appointed a man by the name of Joseph Goebbles to head

the Ministry of Public Enlightenment in Germany. This man

used newspapers, magazines, and radio to spread Nazism.

Even if a man bathed in thoughts of discontent at home, he

was bombarded with propaganda in public, and at the

workplace. Banners hung from building, posters on almost

every sign or lamppost. Anyone with a suspicious look on

their face was first detained, and the sent to a prison camp.

It was no longer just desirable to be a Nazi considering the

benefits like government contracts or being able to stand first

in line, but necessary for employment. Russia employed

much the same tactics with much more emphasis on fear.

Education was virtually unheard of in the early years of

Russia, but by 1933 children were guaranteed primary

education. Huge problems resulted form the ignorance and

illiteracy, workers usually did not intentionally break

machines but did not know how to use them. In official

reports the reason for failure was terrorism by the Kulaks,

rich peasants persecuted in the same way Germany's Jews.

German education was geared toward physical aspects and

the fathering of children. Membership to the German Youth

for boys was compulsory by 1936. Emphasis was placed on

physical fitness and team sports in these youth groups.

Outstanding youths went to Adolf Hitler schools for

secondary education, and Order Castles for future party

leaders. Control of the economy and war time planning was

a must for both nations. A story likened to the fact that with

Communism you must give your cows to the government

and they give you milk back. With fascism, you got to keep

your cows and gave the milk to the government. Both

systems were command economies and state controlled.

Contingency plans were constantly drawn up and updated to

fit new circumstances. Both nations were preparing for war.

Germany was going to rule the world, Russia only wanted to

defend herself from Capitalism. The resulting governments

evolving from the two different systems of thought were very

similar. But as one can see, the aspirations were radically

different. Hitler was a threat to everyone and needed to be

dealt with. Russia kept to themselves and bothered no one.

A Cold War ensued with Russia complete with the irrational

fear of Communism, McCarthyism, and a peace time build

up of weapons followed. Germany was crushed in battle and

Russia's Iron Curtain is being pulled down as I write.