# Would killing Hitler have prevented WWII? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065 "2011-08-25T17:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/21 "2011-08-25T22:41:11Z")
Even if it was deliberate, it wasn’t Hitler’s doing, though, was it? If anything, that’s proof that there were plenty of other lunatics in positions of power in Germany. ---
**Author:** ![Bri2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/48db29/32.png) [@Bri2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bri2k)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/22 "2011-08-25T23:27:57Z")
I don’t think it was a given that an authoritarian regime would’ve eventually ruled Germany sans Hitler. Keep in mind the Socialists and Communists were very popular and doing well in elections prior to being eliminated by the Nazis. A Communist or Socialist Germany would certainly change the equation vis-a-vis the USSR. Bri2k P.S. As for Fascist Spain, they used the anti-clericalism of the left-wing as an “outside threat” to sell their side of the Spanish Civil War as a modern-day crusade. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/23 "2011-08-26T00:02:34Z")
Germany was a country that did not think it was defeated and a long tradition of militarism and a [propensity for genocide.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herero_and_Namaqua_Genocide). Its easy to blame Hitler. The rot was in Germany itself. Another leader would have done the same. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/24 "2011-08-26T02:49:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > In a previous thread, I disputed the common consensus that the Versailles Treaty was actually unreasonable. It was actually pretty normal. The Germans just complained a lot because its terms were being inflicted on them instead of the other way around.. Not true at all. Germany did impose terms & reparations upon the French after the Franco-Prussian war. But the Versailles Treaty imposed a loss of land more than 10X greater, a loss of population (due to lost lands) 5 times greater and a punitive reparation cost \*1000 (one thousand) times greater. \* The French paid off their reparations in a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/25 "2011-08-26T03:10:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even if it was deliberate, it wasn’t Hitler’s doing, though, was it? If anything, that’s proof that there were plenty of other lunatics in positions of power in Germany. But this isn’t a thread about whether Germany would have had good or bad government. It’s about whether there would have been another world war. Germany without Hitler: Bad government? Probably. World war? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/26 "2011-08-26T03:28:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not true at all. Germany did impose terms & reparations upon the French after the Franco-Prussian war. But the Versailles Treaty imposed a loss of land more than 10X greater, a loss of population (due to lost lands) 5 times greater and a punitive reparation cost \*1000 (one thousand) times greater. \* > > The French paid off their reparations in a few years. The land Germany lost was land it had conquered from other countries. Why was it unreasonable to tell Germany it had to give it back to its original owners? As for the reparations, World War I lasted five years and the Germans fought mostly in Belgium and France. The Franco-Prussian War lasted ten months and was again mostly fought in France. The higher reparations were a realistic assessment of higher actual damage. Post-war German belief that it was betrayed by the treaty is no more realistic than its post-war belief that its army was stabbed in the back. ---
**Author:** ![Grateful-UnDead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ccd318/32.png) [@Grateful-UnDead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grateful-UnDead)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/27 "2011-08-26T03:34:40Z")
> [@Bri2k](#): > > I don’t think it was a given that an authoritarian regime would’ve eventually ruled Germany sans Hitler. Keep in mind the Socialists and Communists were very popular and doing well in elections prior to being eliminated by the Nazis. A Communist or Socialist Germany would certainly change the equation vis-a-vis the USSR. > > Bri2k > > P.S. As for Fascist Spain, they used the anti-clericalism of the left-wing as an “outside threat” to sell their side of the Spanish Civil War as a modern-day crusade. Nitpick: the “Nazi party” was, in fact, a socialist party; ie: “Tha Nationalist Socialist Party”. The conflict between the Nazis and the Communist was merely a disagreement between factions of the same ideology. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/28 "2011-08-26T03:46:51Z")
> [@Grateful-UnDead](#): > > Nitpick: the “Nazi party” was, in fact, a socialist party; ie: “Tha Nationalist Socialist Party”. > The conflict between the Nazis and the Communist was merely a disagreement between factions of the same ideology. Wow. That is so completely wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/29 "2011-08-26T03:56:15Z")
Personally, if there had been no Hitler, I think Allied Europe would’ve been going head to head with Stalin. No telling how that would’ve ended up. ---
**Author:** ![Grateful-UnDead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ccd318/32.png) [@Grateful-UnDead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grateful-UnDead)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/30 "2011-08-26T04:37:22Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Personally, if there had been no Hitler, I think Allied Europe would’ve been going head to head with Stalin. No telling how that would’ve ended up. Actually, maybe not. Recall that France was/is heavily socialist and pro-soviet. In 1945 as the Allies were landing in Normandy, the French were gearing up for a civil war between the communists and the nationalists over who would rule the country; the communists were taking orders from Stalin. Similarly, Greece was heading for its’ civil war; and its communist party was taking orders from Stalin as well. Then there was Spain and Italy, both heavily socialist. So, since all of these countries were/are heavily socialist and were sympathetic to the Russians, to me it doesn’t seem likely that they would have gone to war against Stalin. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/31 "2011-08-26T04:45:49Z")
Being heavily socialist does not mean these folks were saying “Boy, wouldn’t it be great if Stalin took over our country?” and that they would lay down their arms. If anything, WWII would’ve been messier without Hitler, although I doubt that there would’ve been a Holocaust. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/32 "2011-08-26T04:48:52Z")
> [@Grateful-UnDead](#): > > Nitpick: the “Nazi party” was, in fact, a socialist party; ie: “Tha Nationalist Socialist Party”. > The conflict between the Nazis and the Communist was merely a disagreement between factions of the same ideology. Yeah, because it says ‘socialist’ right there in its name.’ :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/33 "2011-08-26T05:11:21Z")
France, Spain, and Italy were/are heavily socialist? And all socialists took their orders from the Soviet Union? Do you have any idea what socialism even is? ---
**Author:** ![Bri2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/48db29/32.png) [@Bri2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bri2k)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/34 "2011-08-26T09:20:47Z")
> [@Grateful-UnDead](#): > > Nitpick: the “Nazi party” was, in fact, a socialist party; ie: “Tha Nationalist Socialist Party”. > The conflict between the Nazis and the Communist was merely a disagreement between factions of the same ideology. Nitpicking your nitpick: While the full name of the Nazi party was (roughly translated) the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, they weren’t Socialists in the classic sense (state-owned industries, etc.). The big industrialists (Krupp, I.G. Farben) still maintained ownership and some measure of control over their businesses. One of the first things the Nazis did after taking power was to outlaw trade unions. The “Socialist” & “Workers” part of Nazi was mere window-dressing. Bri2k ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/35 "2011-08-26T11:24:56Z")
> [@Bri2k](#): > > One of the first things the Nazis did after taking power was to outlaw trade unions. The “Socialist” & “Workers” part of Nazi was mere window-dressing. Oh sure, next thing you’ll be telling us is that North Korea (DPRK) isn’t really a democratic republic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/36 "2011-08-26T11:33:34Z")
I figure if you want to prevent WWII, you gotta kill the Kaiser. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/37 "2011-08-26T12:44:33Z")
He did steal our word “twenty”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/38 "2011-08-26T12:45:09Z")
> [@Grateful-UnDead](#): > > Then there was Spain and Italy, both heavily socialist. > > So, since all of these countries were/are heavily socialist and were sympathetic to the Russians, to me it doesn’t seem likely that they would have gone to war against Stalin. Perhaps the most ignorant and dangerous comment I have responded to on the SDMB. Franco a socialist? Holy crap, try saying that to people from Barcelona etc who remember life under Franco. Are you completely ignorant about the Spanish civil war? Stalin supported those fighting against Franco. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/39 "2011-08-26T13:18:25Z")
> [@Bri2k](#): > > Nitpicking your nitpick: > > While the full name of the Nazi party was (roughly translated) the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, they weren’t Socialists in the classic sense (state-owned industries, etc.). The big industrialists (Krupp, I.G. Farben) still maintained ownership and some measure of control over their businesses. > > One of the first things the Nazis did after taking power was to outlaw trade unions. The “Socialist” & “Workers” part of Nazi was mere window-dressing. > > Bri2k I’m not defending that the Nazi were an actual socialist party, but didn’t the Soviets/Bolsheviks also destroy the trade unions and factory committees even if not outright outlawing them? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065/40 "2011-08-26T17:06:53Z")
[Subnormality](http://www.viruscomix.com/page382.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-killing-hitler-have-prevented-wwii/594065.md?page=3)