Had a chance in the last few days to read from a book recommended to me here on the forum a number of years ago called 'The Psychology of Dictatorship' (1950) by G. M. Gilbert, Ph.D., who was a prison psychologist at Nuremberg. Now as far as histories go, one needs to be very careful, as many have learned, with the threads to discern fact from fiction. History, being written by the victors, does indeed pose problems.
Anyway, this author cites some very interesting psychological back stories and assessments of the human and physical structures, both ideological and psychological (pathologically speaking) to some of the architects of the facade being sold. He describes very interesting happenings between Hitler and Goering for instance, who essentially could not exist without the other in this power structure. Goering psychological hygiene as a child is frightful and can be seen in his later actions. He and Hitler underwent the classic law of attraction and feed on each others egoism and desires for power as they each saw it.
What is scarey, are some of the methods that were applied into shaping their new worldview upon the people as a false socialism under the guise of their often very personal greed, and as such, the parallels to our present day leaders and those behind them who maneuver the pieces, seems just the same - verbatim.
The author does reinforce the careful pandering to the industrialist hawks who were looking for a ticket, and as history shows, these hawks existed not just in Germany or of German nationality. The 'Treaty of Versailles' is discussed with anecdotal quotes from people like Goering. My thoughts, and i said them before, is that this Treaty seemed a planned calculated long term "seed" of some sort. How it played out was with Hitler and his gang as history shows. Were there others pushing for the same outcome from outside, like the global banking cartels? Evidence seems to support this, although the author, at this point, has not yet discuss this and may not.
That being said, i trouble with the film reviewed for its ability to paint a picture that in many aspects shows the manipulations by, lets say 'The West', and then does a job on presenting nationalism (overcoming the seeds of Versailles) and the atrocious deeds of others; with a number of observable truths (lies and truths). The film seems to want to present the idea of 'clean hands' and the 'Right' to do what was done, while not looking at the psychological underpinnings of those in power demanding these rights and manipulating people. These things clearly, osit, have to be also seen in the actions of non German players who came out during and after the war with the "moral authority" for their often gross reactionary deeds.
Whatever the case, on all sides, it seems, depending on who was doing it or receiving it, a propagandists dream - for the likes of Goebbels and his counterparts in the west, and an all-around human worst nightmare. As many readers have recently been studying Caesar in a new light, one realizes, osis, that the elect and elite do not carry anyone's interests other than their own at heart, and if they do, it is the exception (as is the apparent case of Caesar)and not the rule.
From what has been read of this book so far, it seems a good counterbalance to the varied views (not all) depicted in this film and would recommend it - i'll try and post some pertinent extracts when time permits.