CAUSE OF THE WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20913, 13 October 1942, Page 2

CAUSE OF THE WAR

HITLER OR PEOPLE? VIEWS OF STUDENTS “That the German People were Responsible for the Present War,” was the subject of a debate by two teams from the Gisborne High School at the Gisborne Rotary, Club yesterday. The affirmative was taken by E. Croker and O. Satherley, and the negative by Miss A. Kemp and S. Wills. J. Excell was the chairman. The, first speaker, E. Croker, pointed out that Hitler’s position as Chancellor was no accident. By that he meant that Hitler had been elected by the people of a bellicose nation and not forced on the people as was the general opinion. Cruelty was the dominant quality of the average German, and this was clearly illustrated by the brutal tactics of German airmen, who bombed hospitals, mach-ine-gunned women and children, and also opened fire on their own comrades when the Royal Navy had attempted to rescue them. German U - boat commanders were typical examples of the German people through their ruthless torpedoing of unarmed ships. The Germans were a people of dishonour and perjury, and it was quite easy for a leader such as Hitler to influence such a barbaric race.

Miss A. Kemp, the leader of the negative side, said that the view that the (German people were devoted to the Nazi regime was unfounded. It was the work of the Nazi propaganda machine, which had misled so many of the civilised nations. There were many Germans who reproached Hitler for breaking his promises. The Germans were a cultured people and this could be well exemplified by German art. The Germans had contributed much to the world of science and music. Attitude of Germans In his reply for the affirmative, O. Satherley mentioned the atrocities of the German soldiers in Poland and other occupied territories. He said that the German people could have accepted democracy after the last War, but instead held the view that they were defeated then, but they would not be beaten the next time, with the result that they looked for a dictator such as Hitler. The attitude of the average German was that what his leader said was correct and who was he to argue against it. The Germans could see no advantage in peace. From their very infancy, British children were taught democracy, by teaching them to inquire about the reason for any facts at school, but in Germany it was unheard of for anyone to ask for a reason.

S. Wills, the second speaker for the negative, said that after the last war, the German nation was broken and defeated, and in other countries was spoken of with contempt. It was only natural that the German morale was low, and that the people would willingly accept a leader who would raise them from their degradation. Hitler struck at th.e children first, and they were taught only the things that the State approved of. They were forced to join the Hitler Youth Movement at the age of 16 and at 18 they were immediately mobilised with the army. They were brought up in a military atmosphere. To control the strongwilled Germans, who naturally rebelled against Hitler’s methods, the Gestapo was formed. An intricate propaganda machine was set in motion and the people forbidden to listen to foreign broadcasts in case they learned some home truths. This war was the result of a cunning plot, the ambition of a fanatic, not of the German people. The chairman at the luncheon, Mr. F. T. Robinson, conveyed a hearty vote of thanks to the debaters.