The Roots of Nazi Psychology: Hitler's Utopian Barbarism

Was Hitler a moral aberration or a man of the people? Jay Y. Gonen contends that Hitler possessed an uncanny ability to interpret the will of the masses and guide people with "new" ideas that merely reflected what they already believed. Such beliefs arose from the general fabric of German culture after the defeat in World War I, a period when people were particularly susceptible to Hitler's promises of a utopian state. The reality of his vision, however, preempted family autonomy and private action, creating a war machine designed to breed infantile soldiers brainwashed for sacrifice.