I’ve just experienced an epiphany. I finished a book and saw a movie and it was remarkable how the story of Hitler’s rise to power and the movie 2016 can be so similar to current events in America. The book, In the Garden of Beasts by Erick Larson tells the story of William Dodd, a non-assuming history professor who became the Ambassador to Germany for 1933 and 34. A well researched book, it chronicles the rise of Hitler and the National Socialist Party in Germany. And we all know what that led to. It is the best book I have read on the subject. How did an obscure Corporal in WW-I turn a nation of, for the most part, well educated people with a history of scientific and literary achievements into a blood-thirsty mob who really thought they could conquer the world? Over his two year period as Ambassador, Dodd came to the conclusion that Germany would eventually threaten the peace of the globe. He had no support from our State Department, or President Roosevelt. Since he was not an independently wealthy man (as most ambassadors are) he eschewed the lavish style of most and for that he was ridiculed by DC politicians and his warnings of Hitler’s rise were ignored resulting in mass executions in Germany and the loss of thousands of U.S. military personnel.
How did Hitler win over an entire country and was allowed to almost eliminate the Jewish race? He did it by charisma. He blamed all of Germany’s problems on Jews; he stole their property and wealth and used it to foster social programs. In other words, he distributed wealth which he stole from one group and gave to another. He was a narcissist of the first order, who believed he was invincible. I highly recommend this book to you.
The movie I saw was 2016 which is basically a documentary based on Dinesh D’Souza’s book “The Roots of Obama’s Rage” which I also highly recommend. For a person born in America and raised with democratic values it is incomprehensible that the populace would elect to the highest post in our land a person who would wish to destroy the very country which had given him such power. When future historians look back on 2008 they will wonder how a man with no credentials, no record of achievement, and the social security number of a dead man in Connecticut – a man who had never held a legitimate job could be elected president. It is ironic that our country’s president is incensed that his political opponent won’t release years of tax returns when there is no outcry because that president has spent millions of dollars to keep every record of his birth, education, associates – every aspect of his personal life hidden from the public.
2016, explains how a charismatic half–breed can sway a nation of ordinarily clear minded people into believing lies and distortions in order to fulfill the dream of his father who abandoned him as a child. When you look at Obama through the eyes of his idol, his radical anti-colonist socialist father, you can see what his plan is for America much of which he has already achieved. As the movie trailer expresses, “Love him or hate him, you don’t know him.” Go see 2016 and let the light of understanding guide you in your future actions.
johnbeckmanbooks 