Conclusion - Leadership And Legacy
Although the motives behind his actions are debated, Adolf Hitler exemplified great leadership, but nonetheless left a devastating legacy.
He exemplified leadership in that he was extremely vocal, charismatic and showed determination no matter what. As a result, Hitler was especially skilled at turning large crowds toward his goals. This can be attributed to his early experiences; in Vienna, in World War I and after his Beer Hall Putsch. The lessons he learned and the ideas he experienced were instrumental in his rise. But, as World War II was raging, cracks grew as Hitler's ignorance increased, contributing to the fall of the Third Reich. In addition, Hitler, and the Nazis as a whole, left a devastating legacy behind that is still felt today. For one, they are directly responsible for the millions of deaths between 1933 and 1945, in addition to war casualties. As a result of their actions, Germany was divided into 4 occupational zones by the Allies, then divided into 2 distinct states by the US and the USSR, due to ideological differences during the Cold War. This brought many new problems to the Germans living there. Also, the post-war German economy - as well as Germany itself - was destroyed, leaving many starving and homeless. Some Germans in the modern era, who had Nazi relatives, still struggle to come to terms with what they did, and are burdened by their actions. So although Hitler was shown to be a great leader, he serves as a prime example of what can happen to a man with too much power. |