NAZI METHODS
DISINTEGRATION PLANNED BY PROPAGANDA TRIALS AND FAILURES. PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE “The object of war." shouted Hitler to Dr. Rauschnig in 1933 (.“Hitler Speak." p. 17) ,)"is to make the enemy capitulate and why do it by military means, if I can do it better and more cheaply in other ways?" Seven years later, putting theory into practice, he levelled the weapon of his propaganda at nation after nation and by force of sheer volume and clamour contrived to sell his technique to the world as the last word in efficiency But is it so efficient? From the Dies Committee downwards everyone who examines it at once detects its flaw—it is as repetitive as clockwork. As a weapon it has grown rusty with over use. It is less impressive now that all Europe knows and recognises its technique. It has become easy to parry because its thrust is always the same. METHOD LAID BARE.
Just as the Nazi tanks edged along the French lines, and finding the weak spots burst through to spread fanwise and take the enemy from his undefended rear, so does the Nazi propaganda machine explore its opponent's national character, searching for the spots at which to inject ideas that will breed mistrust alarm. despondency a n d—u 11 ima t e 1 y—collapse. Between April and June. 1940. it penetrated the defences of Denmark. Norway. Holland. Belgium and France. Since then it has been less successful. Used with monotonous precision by both Axis partners, it has glanced off the armoury first of Britain, then of Greece.
But though it is wearing blunt, the weapon remains remarkable as a piece of craftmanship and is worth picking to pieces. Its mechanism as applied to one victim —France —is reviewed below: INITIAL THRUST. "Do you trust year leaders?" It is first applied in order to sow the seeds of doubt—doubt in Franco's cause, in her leaders, in her Allies. "What are you fighting for?" coos the Nazi radio (9 2 40). "Germany wants nothing from France." And again. "The existence of France is not threatened. Drive your Government to the devil where they belong. They are making you Frenchmen bear nil the weight of this British war." PLAY UPON FEAR. The weak spot once found, and this poison once injected, the Nazi craftsman spreads it as easily as his tanks spread behind the Ardennes. Ho plays chiefly upon fear of destruction in* a useless cause: "Frenchmen, you are caught in a tissue of lies. France has no quarrel with Germany. Your most beautiful provinces will be turned into ruins to enrich pro-Jewish capitalists who are not even French.” (German leaflet distributed in France during 1939 4(1.) To guago the potency of this attack! when delivered through bastions that have been broached by propaganda look at France’s surrender to the threat to Paris To measure the oll’ec-1 tiveness of the same sort of attack I against intact defences, compare the! Greek or British reaction to similar! throats to Athens and London.
PROGRESSIVE BLAME. Once the undermining propaganda has created the desired degree of bcwiderment collapse can be brought about. During the humiliating sequel I the Nazi propagandist institutes thei third stage—a game of catch-as-catch-■ can. the subject of which is: Who is mi blame? The purpose: To prevent any return to constructive thinking am’ [ any possibility of national reorganisa-j tion. ■ In France endless broadcasts, lying i and apparently inconsistent. formed' part of a monster plan to drive French: minds into unprofitable channels. Pro-, minent among them were the useless! trials at Riom: "Those who failed to] defend the national soil must bej brought to account.' - Politicians, generals, the Jews the > British: Al! served their turn :i< <ctlpe-| goat. Only one trait of the propaganda! was coiisisten’,: The triumph of G<-r-: man military strategy was everywhere! played down in order that no one j should think of the Naris as France’s | BLIND MAN’S BUFF. Their victims once blindfolded the 1 Nans administer the traditional threej spins and go «>n spinning. Their pro-j paganda. at Erst sight contradictory, is' in fact a senes .■( planned ineonsisten-J cies designed to prolong the victim’s bewilderment by eutlii-.g everything; solid and familiar from under his feet. ■ In France, for instance. Marshal Pe- ■ Ulin is at ••■ne moment upheld and flattered at another discredited and abus-;: I’d. DOWN BUT NOT OUT. Happily fur the victim this yropa-;. .’anda is :t weapon with limitations, i i Among t.ass:re!y obedient Germans st i nought Hitler to power and mamtam-• t ■d him but at the frontier <>f German;. : ‘s < • fl; c i cnc v rt’u f t . F" r*i in ■Li - nei; Dutchmen Danes rind the rest,., ired in .i tradition of free speech and ■ ndepcnclem thought will m tune r> -' < mver con«-ci<>m : nc.ss and. t< mmnismi! j r lie Nazi poLon. generate the spnm-dj; <•■ is’.mre that is its antulutr ■■ AH th< :<• demonstrati>-II- are m> ’ impur to be cornu du rod .K irru' ihlo t"j*bur! The*/ h.t.vc a ’
!character < f sig;; itieaiWe and excep"i.>; ; • ■ It.id.■■ Pari- 2 12 40 • It: • ; -iie <»f the occupied tcrrimries ;■» • v The . id.- happened al the Sirs' stagelr when each failed to rvr>’gn: v e and -.!o::i 1 '.!'<■ initial mil ad* <>f ‘he Nazi machine ■ SECRET OF IMMUNITY. The • ’ere’, of 'mmonity again-' tin- • i: ; inroads to be touml -n Br>t.im aw! a .!< <t; i <-o- Idh .iiitne- were sinu-ni ; irlv a’.■"■»< To Britain th-- theme ' j was .July !‘MO. Why fight on. when ■. in King .i.'id Govi-rnmen! have ’led • to Caiiada " To Greece. Boman l.ir- ad . ■e. t n.. November JfHO. played -.ver A of lite : < -i d simp’) Mlb I ■ , g for ihe nanu ■ ■ Kng d- ■ =’• ■■ V’, ...nd Cmmct.,H •,!,*. *• ' tNr.vr.*;
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 January 1941, Page 6
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950NAZI METHODS Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 January 1941, Page 6
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