Adolf Hitler and Nelson Mandela are vastly different men, however in many ways through out their lives they both held a huge influence over their countrymen, the politics of their country and inevitably they both shaped the course of history for better or worse. Their fight, was not won without a struggle, but was helped by their masterful oratorical skills and the willingness of their followers to do anything for "the cause".
Following the First World War Germanys economy began to fail, the German people were disgruntled with their current government and went in search of another leader. They were looking for a man that had the mettle to lead their country out of the bad times and into the good. As the world slipped into an economic recession caused by the 1929 Wall Street Crash, conditions in Germany got worse, and the people more desperate.
At this same time, Hitler saw a weakness in the current government and began to exploit it for all it was worth.
Português: Brasília - O presidente da África do...
English: Nelson Mandela Bridge
The statue of Nelson Mandela in Parliament Square,...Hitler finally came to power in a country that was suffering from national humiliation, economic depression and mass unemployment. As he went slowly about fixing these problems his popularity soared. Hitler was the first leader to fully exploit the power of propaganda and mass media. By utilizing these tools combined with his moving oratory's he was able to quickly win the German people over. It is said that when Hitler spoke, the audience would hang on his every word, and eventually some people did. By using statements that reflected the hopes and expectations of large sections of the population such as "Hitler, Unsere letze Hoffnung" (Hitler, our Last Hope) he was able to create a dependence of the German people on himself. They were looking for someone to lead them and Hitler...
Comparative Study
Thank you for a good essay on two men whom I would not have thought to compare. You draw some interesting comparisons between Nelson Mandela and Adolf Hitler, but what stands out most in my mind is their fundamental difference. Adolf Hitler used his ability to bring his nation to the brink of ruin by 1945, while Nelson Mandela used his talents to lift his country up. One man worked for evil and the other for good. Fundamentally, these two men are far more different than they are similar and so too was the impact they each had on the world. Quality work!
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