# To Shoot or Not To Shoot \[Hypothetical alt reality "kill Hitler" question\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 12, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085 "2011-02-12T00:38:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/1 "2011-02-12T00:38:05Z")
A Voice tells you that you will be transported to exactly 100 years ago to Vienna where Adolf Hitler happens to be walking by alone. It tells you that you will be given an automatic pistol with several rounds and a silencer. It assures you will have point blank range on Adolf and have up to 10 minutes to kill him (and you can leave anytime during those 10 minutes). It tells due to the butterfly effect almost all people born after 1911-12 will not exist but you will have an alternate identity in the area where you live and be able to “save” up to twenty of your closest family and friends. It also assures you the world you will create will no matter what happens will still be better than OTL. What do you do? This has also been posted as a poll in In My Humble Opinion ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/2 "2011-02-12T00:47:01Z")
I’d ask the Voice if I could choose another target. and go take out Augustine of Hippo, circa 385. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/3 "2011-02-12T00:54:47Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d ask the Voice if I could choose another target. …(snip) I hadn’t thought of that. I would ask to go shot my father and or my mother in 1960. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/4 "2011-02-12T00:56:34Z")
You do know that posting in two forums at once with the same thread is against the rules? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/5 "2011-02-12T00:56:56Z")
I don’t trust Voices that tell me to shoot people. Unless the Voice can make a compelling case for WHY it needs ME to do such a thing, I do nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/6 "2011-02-12T00:57:38Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’d ask the Voice if I could choose another target. and go take out Augustine of Hippo, circa 385. Why? A weakened Christendom will not stop the fall of the Western Roman Empire and probably means there is less cohesion in Europe after the fall. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/7 "2011-02-12T00:58:43Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You do know that posting in two forums at once with the same thread is against the rules? One is a poll, and one is a debate thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/8 "2011-02-12T01:05:58Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Why? A weakened Christendom will not stop the fall of the Western Roman Empire and probably means there is less cohesion in Europe after the fall. Hey, I’ve already made my choice, stop trying to talk me into it. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/9 "2011-02-12T01:09:39Z")
I can absolutely relate with the OP, because Voices in my head tell me to kill people all the time. ALL. THE. TIME. _twitch_ ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/10 "2011-02-12T01:15:25Z")
Killing Hitler may actually give rise to a worst scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/11 "2011-02-12T01:27:53Z")
No, I wouldn’t. I know Hitler’s personal paranoid flavor of antisemitism blossoms into government policies that lead to horrible results for many people. But his personal ineptitude leads to a war ending better for _ **my** _ country. That’s it. That’s my whole selfish rationale. Like Bender said, “Fry, cut it out. I don’t want to memorize a bunch of new kings when I get back.” ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/12 "2011-02-12T01:44:31Z")
Hitler wasn’t the founder of Nazi-ism and also was pretty stupid. Assassinate him, the Nazi party would probably still have risen, and they might have had an intelligent leader. The war would probably have happened anyway, but maybe with a more intelligent leader. Perhaps killing Hitler would mean that the bad guys win the war. I’m not willing to risk it. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/13 "2011-02-12T01:49:30Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Hitler wasn’t the founder of Nazi-ism and also was pretty stupid. Assassinate him, the Nazi party would probably still have risen, and they might have had an intelligent leader. The war would probably have happened anyway, but maybe with a more intelligent leader. Perhaps killing Hitler would mean that the bad guys win the war. > > I’m not willing to risk it. No it was Hitler’s charisma that led to the party’s rise to power and got together all the capable men before that it was led by Anton Drexler-ever heard of him? There might have been a Nationalist, revanchist regime but its programme would have been more moderate-no Holocaust and maybe they might launch a saner Barabossa and crush the Soviets. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/14 "2011-02-12T02:02:03Z")
The idea that Hitler was a unique evil genius without whom Nazism would not have occurred is a myth. Maybe Hitler was uniquely lucky in that somehow a personally failed neurotic gained control of a totalitarian party and a nation, and maybe if not Hitler than no one, but on the other hand thousands of other people could have followed the same path given the right happenstances. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/15 "2011-02-12T02:12:51Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > The idea that Hitler was a unique evil genius without whom Nazism would not have occurred is a myth. Maybe Hitler was uniquely lucky in that somehow a personally failed neurotic gained control of a totalitarian party and a nation, and maybe if not Hitler than no one, but on the other hand thousands of other people could have followed the same path given the right happenstances. No but would they still for instance have advocated the genocide of Jews? After all even as late as 1941 there were plans to move Jews to Madagascar or something by the Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/16 "2011-02-12T02:29:07Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No but would they still for instance have advocated the genocide of Jews? After all even as late as 1941 there were plans to move Jews to Madagascar or something by the Nazis. So how’d that work out? Best-laid plans of mice and ubermen, and all. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/17 "2011-02-12T02:33:14Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > So how’d that work out? Best-laid plans of mice and ubermen, and all. My point is how unlikely a party with the exact same programme as the Nazis would gain power without Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/18 "2011-02-12T02:37:53Z")
I don’t see how what you said supports that point. The Nazis didn’t follow through on some of their ideas, I’m not sure whatever replaces them would be expected to. Anyway I stand by my Hippo hunt. I’d go on safari. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/19 "2011-02-12T03:11:16Z")
Well, the proposal is essentially a mass murder of…well, the whole planet except for centenarians. I definitely do not open fire. Plus, you don’t know with what situation you’re going to end up if you eliminate Hitler. You might come back to a post-apocalyptic world resulting from the 1969-1972 world war, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085/20 "2011-02-12T03:29:37Z")
Ahem… > [@](#): > > It also assures you the world you will create will no matter what happens will still be better than OTL. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-shoot-or-not-to-shoot-hypothetical-alt-reality-kill-hitler-question/571085.md?page=2)