World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

On 27 Feb 1933, the Reichstag was set on fire, generally believed to be started by a Dutch communist. The propaganda machine of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, the National Socialist German Workers' Party or Nazi Party for short, seized the opportunity to claim their importance in a Germany now influenced by the dangerous expansionist philosophies of communism. Slowly, Germany became a single-party republic, and Adolf Hitler became a practical monarch with absolute power over the nation. For the most part, Germany welcomed the dictatorship. Many considered the Versailles Treaty a gross violation of German sovereignty, and the economic depression that hit Germany left the German people thirsting for a strong leader who could bring Germany to the world stage again. Hitler manipulated politics and popular opinion with the total control of media and a powerful propaganda machine so that he could fill that role. Over the course of the 1930s, he courted industrial leaders and established a strong war production base, while he also charmed military leaders with visions of glory through conquest. The first military move took place in 1936 when German troops marched into Rhineland. In 1938, Hitler's native country Austria was annexed within German borders, followed by Czechoslovakia and Memel in 1939. Finally, the European War broke out in 1939. One by one, Poland, the Low Countries, and France fell. In Jun 1941, even Germany's recent ally Russia was invaded. In Dec 1941, after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Germany boldly declared war on the US as well. The illusion of Germany Army's invincibility soon fell apart, however, when the attack on Moscow, and then Stalingrad, grinded away German strength. In Jun 1944, the Normandy campaign eroded the Western Front as well. The pressures of a two-front war finally led to the total collapse of the German military. Hitler committed suicide on 30 Apr 1945, and Germany surrendered a week later.

The Nazi German period is sometimes referred to as the "Third Reich", which was a name used in Nazi propaganda. It was meant to create a sense of connection between Nazi Germany and the first two great empires in German history, the Holy Roman Empire and the German empire under Kaiser Wilhelm I and Kaiser Wilhelm II.

A heinous legacy was left with the departure of the Nazi regime. The Holocaust, or the systematic extermination of Jews, Slavs, homosexuals, the disabled, communists, and many other groups, left 11 million dead all across Europe. Of that total, more than half were Jews. Majdanek, Natzweiler-Struthof, Dachau, Buchenwald, Auschwitz, and so many other concentration camps horrified those who found them. German industries such as I. G. Farben and Fried. Krupp, too, joined in on the pillage of Europe, illegally seizing industries in the conquered nations and employed slave labor from the concentration camps. Advocates such as Simon Wiesenthal dedicated their efforts in finding those responsible for the murders and bringing them to justice.

After the war, Germany was divided into occupation zones, which led to the division of East and West Germany during the Cold War.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. BILL says:
   20 Jun 2009 08:46:32 PM
   
   Did you know: 17,277,180 Germans voted for the Nazi party in the democratic elections
   of March 1933, the last to held in Germany,
   until after 1945.
   
   "We have become once more true Germans."
   
   -Adolf Hitler, March 1933
2. Bill says:
   11 Dec 2009 01:48:10 PM
   
   From the end of World War I to the End of
   World War II, German Arms Industry was able
   to produce:
   
   14,000,000 98K Rifles
   1,200,000 Lugers Pistols
   1,100,000 P-38 Pistols
   1,000,000 MP-40 Machine Pistols
   425,000 MP-44 Assault Rifles
   400,000 MG-34 Machine guns
   700,000 MG-42 Machine guns
   During World War II the Germans also captured
   weapons from the countries, that were invaded and occupied, adding millions of new
   weapons to the Wehrmacht.
   
   After World War II in the 1950's and early 1960's the US Army developed new Infantry weapons, for example the M-60 Machine gun
   was inspired by the MG-34 and 42 Machine guns
   that became the basic infantry unit machine gun. The M-16 became the basic infantry rifle
3. Bill says:
   14 Dec 2009 06:21:15 PM
   
   Next to the "Jackboot" was the "Stahlhelm"
   or(Steel Helmit)that made the image of the Wehrmacht. This helmit first came into use during the First World War, replacing the
   Pickelhaube(Spiked Helmit).
   After W.W.I it continued to be used by the
   German army between the wars.
   In the late 1930's the M-1935 improved model
   that was lighter more compact and more
   comfortable to ware. There was also a
   Fallschirmjager version designed for use by
   the Paratroops it was cut down, to lessen
   the risk of neck injuries.
   The M-56 originally designed in 1942, as a
   replacement for the M-1935 Stahlhelm However,
   the design did not progress during the war.
   The East German M-1956 was a copy of the 1942
   design,and was issued to the Volkspolzei and
   to the East German Army.
   
   Post-War use:
   Germany's GSG-9 Special unit used the W.W.II
   Paratroop helmit.
   Even the old 1960's T.V. Show "Hogans Heros"
   had a W.W.II Officers Cap tilted slightly
   on a Pickelhaube Spike Helmit.
   After W.W.II many countries in Europe used
   german military equipment among them were
   the Stahlhelm. At one time, over 28 countries
   used the Stahlhelm.
4. Bill says:
   15 Dec 2009 02:57:53 PM
   
   What's a Jackboot? Any type of combat boot, that is mid-calf, and does not use any type of type of laces.
   The Jackboot is connected with terror and
   the Nazi regime, but this boot has been used
   by German armies in World War I, and before.
   During the later part of World War II with
   the shortage of material, short ankle boot's w/ gaiters replaced the jackboot in many
   German Military units.
   
   Did you know:
   Jackboot's have been used with British army
   regiments since the 18th Century, and with other foreign armies in europe ,but the
   Jackboot has been associated w/ Totalitarian
   regimes, as the former USSR and East Germany.
   The East German version was of poor quality
   and style, that some experts say, they are
   not worth having at any price.
   Hessian soldiers wore Jackboot's fighting
   with the British, during the American War for
   Independence,and the boot was used by armies through the Napolenic Wars, even General of
   the American Army, George Washington had a
   pair.
   Today many Motorcycle Police ware a similar
   version of the Jackboot.
   To learn more about the Jackboot, and the
   German Soldier Read:
   
   "JACKBOOT"
   by John Laffin
   History Press
   Published 2/6/04
   ISBN-10 0750934786
   ISBN-13 978-0750934787
   
   Did you know:
   The word "Jawohl" meaning Yes, Yes Indeed or Absolutely Yes! Became so strongly associated with World War II, that it is not used in the New German Army (Heer). I would also think, that the clicking of the heels
   along with a hand salute, is also a big, big
   no, no.
   
   "JAWOHL"!.
5. Anonymous says:
   30 Dec 2009 05:57:13 AM
   
   I often used "Jawohl" (spoken: jawoll faster and louder) during my time in the German Heer. But I never clicked heels along with a hand salute. I served in the 80`s - Sorry Bill.
6. Bill says:
   2 Jan 2010 05:58:58 PM
   
   To Anonymous:
   30 Dec. 2009 05:57:13 AM / #5
   
   Thank you for your response, and I stand corrected. Glad to receive feedback and your
   first hand information.
   I can only add what information is available on the inter-net, be it fact or second-hand
   information.
   I spent time in West Germany, serving with
   the U.S. Seventh Army from December 1966 to September 1967,before going to South Vietnam but that's another story. Went on training
   operations with the West German Army, it was an interesting experience.
   The unit that supported us carried at that time,the Heckler & Koch G3 Assault Rifle, we used the M-14.
   At that time, I was stationed in Hanau the food and beer were great! It was a long time ago, over (40) years ago but, that was when
   I was younger, much younger.
   
   My E-mail address is:
   pdenomie@pahrump.com
7. Bill says:
   11 Jan 2010 03:25:25 PM
   
   What did thoses letters mean on WWII German
   Wehrmacht vehicles:
   
   Licence plate with letters
   WH (Heer)
   WL (Luftwaffe)
   WM (Kriegsmarine)
   SS (Waffen-SS)

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