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Hitler 's Failure As A Military Leader

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Hitler’s Failure as a Military Leader
From January of 1933 to April of 1945, Adolf Hitler ruled over the German people and became known as one of the most notorious dictators the world has ever seen. Several studies done by scholars and historians show that Hitler “displayed substantial initiative, toughness of mind, self-confidence, and ruthlessness” (Housden 188). Using coercion techniques and his understanding of the human psyche, Hitler was able to bully and lie to his European neighbors in order to achieve his objectives. He fooled nations into believing his “peaceful” intentions, but his mission for World War II came to an ultimate failure leading to his suicide in April of 1945 (Housden 200). Adolf Hitler faced eventual failure as a military leader as a result of his misunderstandings of the “rules” of warfare. Hitler’s lack of experience and his inadequate knowledge of warfare were two of the key points that proved to be fatal.
After serving on the 16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment from 1914 to 1918 during the First World War, Hitler gained experience on the battlefield and was later awarded the Iron Cross First Class. Almost 20 years later, German citizens remember Hitler as a Frontkämpfer, a front fighter, and celebrate his courageousness by following in his footsteps of being “the first soldier of the Reich” (Keegan 236). Years after the conclusion of the Second World War however, German citizens found out that Hitler was not a front fighter, but was a humble

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