Another contributing factor for Hitler's support was the Hitler Youth program. In 1926, when it first started, there was six thousand members. By 1939, Hitler Youth had gained 7.3 million members. This program brainwashed children to turn against their parents and turn them in if they were against or did not support Hitler. One of Hitler's more famous speeches to Hitler Youth said, "My magnificent youngsters! Are there finer ones anywhere in the world? What material! With them I can make a new world?"
II: In these past couple weeks, we watched a documentary called The Way We Get By. This documentary was about the senior citizens of the United States, but it was also about the troops of the United States' military. It emphasized three senior citizens: Bill, Jerry, and Joan. All three of these people are Maine Troop Greeters, which are people who go to Bangor Int'l Airport and greet troops upon their arrival home and say goodbye to those being deported. Our class discussed volunteers, the situation involving the troops, war in general, and aging for people. After we were done with The Way We Get By, we moved on to discuss the shift of culture and technology over the past century.
When we watched The Way We Get By, it was a very moving experience for me. I honestly didn't know that the elderly could be at such a loss for things to do and ways to make themselves feel important. Once when Bill was speaking, he discussed how the Maine Troop Greeter program gave some meaning to his life. Also, I was disturbed to see how someone could really just let their life go in the manner that he did. When you got a chance to look into his house, it was obvious he had no one to care for him, and that he's a hoarder. Then you see an insight on Joan's life. She was dealing with sending two of her grandchildren off to war. And then there was Jerry. He had to deal with putting down his dog, Mr. Flannigan, who was like a companion to him. I'm really happy that they have programs out there for the elderly, so they're not just sitting at home wasting away.
While we were watching the documentary, I thought about how difficult it must be for the soldiers themselves to come back home from war. The Maine Troop Greeters are extremely upset to see the soldiers leave for war, and this made me think of how the soldiers themselves must be upset to leave the Maine Troop Greeters from Bangor.
And on top of that, I can't even imagine what it must feel like for some soldiers to leave their family, especially their children. In the documentary, a soldier came back and met his daughter for the first time. This was all really moving to me, and it made me think about the emotionally toll everyone must go through.III. With all this talk of military and what not, I can't help but wonder if there are any procedures people have to go through upon arrival home from war. Does the family also have to go through a procedure that my entail what they are and are not allowed to discuss?
Sources:
Hall, Allan. (July 26. 2011). Children of neo-Nazis could be taken into care to stop them being brainwashed at summer camps. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2018540/Neo-Nazi-children-taken-care-German-authorities-bid-beat-rise-Hitler-worship.html.
Larson, Peggy. (August 15. 2006). Nazi brainwashing started with Germany's youths. http://www.rickross.com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing49.html.
(2008). http://watchmojo.com/blogs/images/guardweb2.jpg.
