Adolf Hitler (What Happened?)



Adolf Hitler (German pronunciation: [ˈadɔlf ˈhɪtlɐ]; 20 April 1889 –  Present) was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (German: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, abbreviated NSDAP), commonly known as the Nazi Party. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and, after 1934, also head of state as Führer und Reichskanzler, ruling the country as an absolute dictator of Germany. A decorated veteran of World War I, Hitler joined the precursor of the Nazi Party (DAP) in 1919 and became leader of NSDAP in 1921. He attempted a failed coup called the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich in 1923, for which he was imprisoned. Following his imprisonment, in which he wrote his book, Mein Kampf, he gained support by promoting German nationalism, anti-Semitism, anti-capitalism, and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and propaganda. He was appointed chancellor in 1933, and quickly transformed the Weimar Republic into the Third Reich, a single-party dictatorship based on the totalitarian and autocratic ideals of National Socialism. Hitler ultimately wanted to establish a New Order of absolute Nazi German hegemony in Europe. To achieve this, he pursued a foreign policy with the declared goal of seizing "Lebensraum" ("living space") for the Aryan people; directing the resources of the state towards this goal. This included the rearmament of Germany, which culminated in 1939 when the Wehrmacht invaded Poland. In response, the United Kingdom and France declared war against Germany, leading to the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

Hitler in Fall of 1940 - Operation: Sea Lion -
Hitler had been making plans to invade Great Britain since before the surrender of France in early - 1940. He wanted victory by the air first (which was successful in the "Battle for Britain") because only then would Hitler be able to mount a succcessful German invasion, involving paratrooper units.

On November 1, 1940, Hitler's plans were realized and Operation: Sea Lion, was commenced. Launching a successful invasion with a fighting force of over 35,000 Nazi troops. These including tank units, heavy amounts of infantry and paratroopers that landed in Dover and surrounding British cities. Although, fighting was brutal on the beach and the surrounding regional areas, only 5,000 German soldiers were killed and only 4,000 German soldiers injured. When the Nazi generals anticipated over 15,000 German casualties. Over 2,000 British soldiers (including home guard units) perished. Many British forces were under supplied and under funded. Over 1/4 of the British fighting force retreated back north once the Germans secured the beach-head.

Over the next several days, the Germans continued to successfully attack north in Britain, getting closer to London every day. Despite heavy counter attacks organized by Churchill from his bunker in London, these counter attacks did little to nothing in hindering the German's proccess towards these key targets.

Shortly before the encirclment of London in mid - November, the Royal Family successfully fled to Canada. For safety purposes.