It is often said that great leaders have the ability to guide their followers to victory through simple influence. Such a claim, however, cannot be empirically proved, and it is, therefore, difficult to evaluate it. If a leader cannot accomplish anything without manipulating the masses, then it would seem that much can go wrong. However, leaders often win through skillful guidance of the masses, and they often do not manipulate their people to the degree that others claim. In order to assess this claim, we must first determine the means by which a leader creates popular support. This is not as simple as one might think

Popular support does not simply fall from the sky. It must be earned. For example, Adolf Hitler, who many consider to be a great leader, gained the support of Germans through promising them greatness, not through using intimidation. Though Germany had been suffering under the war-time oppression of the Treaty of Versailles, many Germans believed that the country would be restored to its former glory under his leadership. Hitler’s promises, however, proved hollow; instead, he destroyed the lives of millions of people

Hitler’s rhetoric concerning the superiority of Germans was also very effective. He claimed that Germans were better and stronger than other races, which gave them an advantage in war. He further persuaded many Germans that Germany had been wronged and that Germans were responsible for their suffering. Hitler successfully convinced many Germans that their only salvation was in him, and he won their support by appealing to their sense of patriotism and their anger toward outsiders. These techniques were effective, and Hitler was able to use those tactics to amass a following, which he used to bring Germany to war. Hitler, however, was a leader of the highest order. He succeeded in convincing his followers to act in ways that caused great harm to many individuals and to a nation. Hitler’s effectiveness as a leader was due not only to manipulating his followers, but also to his ability to develop his own persona

His strong persona was not created through manipulation, but through years of practice. Hitler became a masterful public speaker and demonstrated an uncanny ability to rouse a crowd. He was able to express his disdain for Jews and other minority groups while professing his love for Germany and his enthusiasm for the prosperity of his country. His speeches were often filled with nationalistic rhetoric, which played upon his listeners’ feelings of patriotism and hatred toward outsiders. His speeches were an excellent example of the power of persuasion

Hitler also used fear and manipulation to gain the support of his followers. His speeches encouraged Germans to hate their neighbors, and he ordered the destruction of their enemies. Using this tactic, he succeeded in convincing many Germans that Germany was unjustly attacked by other nations. Hitler’s rhetoric and his actions resulted in the deaths of millions of innocent people. His manipulation of the masses, however, was not the sole cause of human suffering, and it certainly did not lead to victory for Germany

His manipulation was not limited to his speeches. Hitler also manipulated his people by manipulating the media. Germany was a very backward society, and Hitler was quick to take advantage of this fact. He ordered the public broadcaster to broadcast only German-language news, and he forbade German newspapers from reporting events in other countries. He also required them to publish only positive reviews of his actions. These actions gave him a powerful propaganda machine that allowed him to manipulate public opinion. He persuaded his people to believe that Germany was a victim of other nations, and they supported him enthusiastically

Hitler’s manipulation of the media led to the deaths of many journalists, and, perhaps more importantly, it led many German reporters to stop reporting the truth. The censorship of German newspapers meant that German citizens could not be apprised of what was happening in the outside world. Eventually, even Hitler’s own propaganda outlets were forced to admit that Hitler was responsible for the atrocities committed in Nazi Germany. Hitler’s manipulation of the media, therefore, did not lead to victory for Germany

Hitler’s use of fear and manipulation bore fruit, however. He convinced the people of Germany that Germany was weak and that Germany was under attack by other nations. He also convinced them that Germany had suffered enough and that Germany had lost its right to self-determination, and so Germany was conquered by allied nations. Hitler’s manipulation of the masses, however, was not the sole cause of the defeat, and it certainly did not lead to victory for Germany. It merely enabled him to gain the allegiance of his followers, which he used to bring Germany to the brink of defeat

Hitler’s manipulation of the media was not his only means of gaining popular support. Hitler also created good public relations. He allowed Germans to go on short vacations, which increased their productivity and made them feel better about their lives. He also instituted the Work Program, which provided jobs to German citizens. He allowed citizens to keep all of their profits, which meant that they had more money to spend on consumer goods. Hitler’s economic policies also resulted in Germany having a high standard of living. These policies, however, had the effect of increasing unemployment, which led to widespread poverty

Hitler’s economic policies did not succeed in solving the problems facing Germany; in fact, they worsened them. When the Great Depression swept the globe, Germany’s currency became obsolete, and unemployment became rampant. As unemployment rose, Hitler’s popularity decreased. This, in turn, led to his downfall

Hitler’s manipulation of the masses, however, did not warrant his downfall, because it was only one of many factors that contributed to his eventual fall. Hitler’s manipulation of the media