Editing Adolf Hitler (section)

== Role in Wars ==

=== World War I ===
[[File:Hitler_ww1.jpg|thumb|154px|Hitler as an officer in World War I.|left]]
Hitler served in France and Belgium as a runner for the 16<sup>th</sup> Bavarian Reserve Regiment during [[World War I]], which exposed him to enemy fire. His duties at regimental headquarters, while often dangerous, gave Hitler time to pursue his artwork. When he had the time he drew cartoons and instructional drawings for the army newspaper. Hitler had long admired Germany, and during the war, he had become a passionate German patriot. Hitler was twice decorated for bravery, once in 1914 receiving the Iron Cross Second Class and in 1918, the Iron Cross First Class. Additionally, in 1917 he received the Wound Badge for injuries he suffered on his leg. On October 15<sup>th</sup>, 1918; Hitler was admitted to a field hospital, temporarily blinded by a mustard gas attack. During his stay there he received news that Germany lost World War I. To Hitler, as too many other Germans and German-speakers, this was a betrayal by the cowardly politicians. He was shocked by Germany's capitulation even while the German army still held enemy territory. Like many other nationalists, Hitler believed Germany was stabbed in the back by civilian leaders and Marxists back on the home front. These politicians were later dubbed the November Criminals.

According to the most recent book about Hitler's life as a soldier in WWI, it was revealed that he was considered to be a wimp by several of his comrades and that his supposed brutality in WWI was actually heavily exaggerated by Nazi [[propaganda]].

=== Rise to power ===
After World War I, Hitler returned to Munich and joined the [[German Workers' Party]] (the predecessor of the Nazi Party). He met [[Dietrich Eckart]], who became his political mentor. Hitler quickly rose through the party's ranks and became leader in July 1921. Shortly afterwards, the German Workers' Party became known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party, better known as the Nazi Party. Early members of Hitler's inner circle would include [[Rudolf Hess]], [[Hermann Göring]], [[Ernst Röhm]], and [[Erich Ludendorff]].

Hitler tried a failed coup, the infamous [[Beer Hall Putsch]], in 1923. This was a one-way trip to prison for six months. During his stay, he wrote a book/rant/political treatise called ''Mein Kampf'' (“My Struggle” in English). This bought him publicity and revealed his true intentions and means to create a better Germany then the former Weimar Republic which was a very scary place to be living in. After being released from prison, Hitler helped turn the Nazi Party into a major political force in Germany. He made his first attempt at running for public office in 1932, running for President against Paul von Hindenburg. Though Hitler would come up short in this election, he won over support from many of Germany's most powerful industrialists.
[[File:Adolf Hitler's rise to power.png|thumb|left|Hitler giving a speech.|217x217px]]In 1926, The German government has a lot of influence from Hitler who became trade partners of [[wikipedia:Nationalist government|Nationalist China]] (led by [[Chiang Kai-shek]]) to industrialize China to help China defend itself against strong opponents, as Germany no longer had imperial goals on China.

On recommendation from several other politicians, Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany in January 1933. Eventually, Hitler and the Nazis took full control of the German government by July 1933. Hitler declared himself ''Führer'' in 1934 and consolidated his power over Germany with the [[Night of the Long Knives]] shortly thereafter, giving way for the 11-year Nazi regime. He outlawed his competition, re-militarized Germany, and started [[World War II]] in Europe in a bid to control much of the world by military means.

In 1938, Hitler's government initiated plans for [[the Holocaust]]: a planned mass [[genocide]] of all Jews in Europe. In November 1938, a [[pogrom]] was carried out by the ''[[Sturmabteilung]]'' paramilitary and German civilians after German diplomat Ernst Vom Rath was assassinated by Polish Jewish teenager Herschel Grynszpan. Over 7,000 Jewish-owned businesses were destroyed, with over 30,000 Jewish men being arrested and taken to concentration camps. The name ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' comes from the broken glass. Over 200 synagogues were ransacked in the riots.

One year later, the Nazis invaded Poland, officially kickstarting World War II. The invasion of Poland would be followed by a number of Nazi invasions and occupations all across Europe. He would also gain strong allies in [[Imperial Japan]] (lead by [[Emperor Hirohito]]) and Fascist Italy (lead by [[Benito Mussolini]]); the alliance between the three would become known as the [[Axis Powers]].

=== World War 2 ===
Over his eleven years in power, Hitler had built up a huge army and air force, with massive numbers of planes, tanks, and trucks. Now he used them to great effect, conquering Denmark and Norway, and launching attacks on France. By this time, French troops were stationed all along Germany's western border. But Hitler distracted them by invading the Netherlands and Belgium. As the French and British responded by moving north, German tanks broke through to the south and advanced into France. A month later, a triumphant Hitler was in Paris.

[[File:Wp4cdf6643_02.jpg|thumb|Hitler in front of Eiffel Tower.|link=Special:FilePath/Wp4cdf6643_02.jpg]]
Only a narrow stretch of the sea now let between Hitler and the British Isles. He hoped that the British would willingly surrender. But the new British Prime Minister, [[w:c:real-life-heroes-and-good-guys:Winston Churchill|Winston Churchill]], was determined to fight to the end. 

Hitler watched, frustrated, as the British air force won the battle for control of the skies. Eventually, he gave up and turned his attention east. Recklessly breaking the non-aggression he'd signed with [[Joseph Stalin]] he now sent his troops into Russia, which would ultimately be his undoing.

The Russian troops were slow to respond but mighty in number. By November, German forces were engaged in bitter warfare, as the temperature plummeted below freezing.

==== Death ====
By mid-1945, Hitler was utterly defeated, and, finding no way out of the situation, refusing to surrender or be captured, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in his bunker on April 30<sup>th</sup>, 1945 by shooting himself in the head. His wife of one day, Eva Braun, committed suicide by taking a cyanide pill. He killed his dog before killing himself. Their remains were later cremated. It is believed the Soviets found his body around 1970 and later cremated him and his wife Eva.

The Third Reich would not long survive after the death of the Führer; in his last will and testament, Hitler appointed [[Joseph Goebbels]] as Chancellor of Germany and Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]] as President of Germany. Goebbels and his wife Magda would murder their children and commit suicide themselves one day after Hitler's death, and only one month later, Dönitz and Chief of Staff [[Alfred Jodl]] agreed to sign the instruments of unconditional surrender on May 23, formally putting an end to Hitler's reign of terror and vision of a "thousand-year Reich".

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File:Hitler 20 April 1945.jpg|Last picture of Hitler taken before his death ten days later.
File:Stars & Stripes & Hitler Dead2.jpg|''Stars & Stripes'' paper announcing Hitler's death.
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