Five Brothers and a War

Fascism

All of this went a long way in explaining to Germans why they were in their predicament. When the early 1930s brought economic austerity measures to Germany, Hitler had what he needed to create an atmosphere of nationalism. Germans had been under the thumb of the Allies after World War I, had been miserable for the entire post-war period, and were ready to regain their self-worth—and to show the world their mettle. England’s Punch magazine published the following cartoon in 1931. It was hardly a surprise to anyone that the Treaty of Versailles was creating incalculable problems.

nazi germany

The economic struggles of the day were not restricted to Germany, of course. America was deep into its Great Depression in the 1930s. There was tremendous uncertainty and contention across the globe. And so there was in Holland.

Five Brothers and a War

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