Hitler just got lucky... He was in the right place at the right time and he was good at politics otherwise he was insanely stupid (i read something somewhere that he had some mental disorder anyone know what it was?)
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Germany has always had a large population, centralized location and good land (resources). They'd learned how to use those factors time and time again, and Germany became a superpower.
However, like Nebukadnezar, Germany's time in the sun is over. There are larger and more powerful countries in the world, though Germany will hold a powerful role in Europe for some time. Germans have always been able to use war to their advantage (well, until this previous century), and the world today isn't really condusive to wars of expansion, etc. which puts Germany back into the same position as most other nations of its size and power.
However, like Nebukadnezar, Germany's time in the sun is over. There are larger and more powerful countries in the world, though Germany will hold a powerful role in Europe for some time. Germans have always been able to use war to their advantage (well, until this previous century), and the world today isn't really condusive to wars of expansion, etc. which puts Germany back into the same position as most other nations of its size and power.
hehe It used to be that war was the greatest tool of expansion... now its Economics and the Germans are doing too badly 
Because the are the only army in the world capable of designing such awesome military equipment, and actually still managing to take themselves seriously!
In reality (yes, that is a real picture) that contraption (yes, THAT one) is an artillary silencer. It removes the 'explosion' sound of the gun so that their artillary can be tested in their relatively populated countryside. It does not, however, romove the sonic boom of the round leaving the silencer.
In reality (yes, that is a real picture) that contraption (yes, THAT one) is an artillary silencer. It removes the 'explosion' sound of the gun so that their artillary can be tested in their relatively populated countryside. It does not, however, romove the sonic boom of the round leaving the silencer.
Already thrice. Germany was the first to check the invasions of Vikings, Magyars, & Slavs and in the process formed the most powerful kingdom in Western Europe. Its kings then conquered the kingdom of Italy, were crowned Roman Emperors, and annexed the kingdoms of Burgundy & Sicily by force of arms. Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, & Denmark were made "tributaries" (though they frequently disputed this) and became targets for intense German conquest, colonization, trading, and missionary activities.
The Investiture Conflict started its decline, which finally culminated in the interregnum (1250-1273). Only after that did Germany break into a patchwork of smaller states as the Electors & other princes effectively freed themselves from the crown.
The German military tradition didnt start with Wallenstein & Frederick the Great either. According to the Cambridge Medieval History, "The Germans of the time had a very good conceit of themselves, which appeared in the oft-proclaimed opinion that they surpassed all other peoples in military prowess".
Otto I is famous for his decisive victory at the Battle of the Lechfeld; Henry IV fought at least 6 battles and was expert at turning tactical defeats into strategic victories; Frederick I was one of the greatest generals of his day and renowned for his bravery and skill at arms, although his most legendary battle (Legnano) ended in defeat.
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Germany hasn't been any more successful than its neighbors, relative to population. I would even argue that the Germans have performed rather poorly.
France controls an area nearly twice as large as Germany despite having a population only 2/3rds of the German population; that is even excluding Francophone Switzerland and Belolux.
France controls an area nearly twice as large as Germany despite having a population only 2/3rds of the German population; that is even excluding Francophone Switzerland and Belolux.
But that means very little, really... Controlling territory isn't a measure of success anymore. Germany's GDP is 2.174 trillion dollars, while France's is 1.51 trillion. Germany's per capita income is 26,200 (US dollars), while France's is 25,400 (US dollars). I use France as an example since it has the second most powerful economy in Europe; however, economically speaking it's way behind Germany.
I think it's really in the culture. I've been around Europe many, many times, and I can safely say that the Germans have a culture that values hard work. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that other people in Europe aren't hard working; just that, if the numbers are true and my experience is true, that Germans seem to be very diligent as a culture.
Of course, I'm German myself, and I'm not very hardworking... Comes from growing up in America, eh?
Oh, and just for the record, the Netherlands has a lower per capita income than Germany. It stands at 25,800. In fact, barring Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein, it has the highest per capita income in Europe. Now if only something could be done about that 1% GDP growth rate this year...
I think it's really in the culture. I've been around Europe many, many times, and I can safely say that the Germans have a culture that values hard work. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that other people in Europe aren't hard working; just that, if the numbers are true and my experience is true, that Germans seem to be very diligent as a culture.
Of course, I'm German myself, and I'm not very hardworking... Comes from growing up in America, eh?
Oh, and just for the record, the Netherlands has a lower per capita income than Germany. It stands at 25,800. In fact, barring Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Lichtenstein, it has the highest per capita income in Europe. Now if only something could be done about that 1% GDP growth rate this year...
i agree with what leone said... only he articulated it much better
Germany is an economic superpower nowdays, France cant match them, the french economy has actually been shrinking steadily for quite some time now! Just look at the unemployment rates in france and other countries (Netherlands, Italy, Sweden etc)
Germany is an economic superpower nowdays, France cant match them, the french economy has actually been shrinking steadily for quite some time now! Just look at the unemployment rates in france and other countries (Netherlands, Italy, Sweden etc)
Germany's unenployment isn't exactly a shining example of what capitalism is good for, either. The German economy is at best stagnated - which may be better than France, but isn't good nonetheless.
Germany is hardly the victim on the international arena...being polish i know that germany deserved to be ganged up on after what happened seventy years ago.
If the world had not ganged up on Germany I would not be wrighting this!
Another fact is that the leaders of the prussian kingdom...witch later on formed the unified german state were the masterminds behind the partitions of Poland...an exellent example of nations ganging up on an innocent victim.....do you honestly feel that germany was innocent during the last war???
Of course i symhatise with those people who had to live in communist DDR since I myself am raised in a communist dictatorship, but the soviets made DDR a puppet state becouse they wanted revenge for what they had suffered....some nations, poland, czechoslovakia and the baltic countries were peacful and gort skrewed anyway.
Surviving several centuries of german occupation (1795-1918, 1939-1944) and still remaining polish is both an act of solidarutiy and toughness...but it is expressed in a quite different way then the economic streanght of germany.
I know what you mean, poor Poland hasn't been so successful for a few centuries, after probably saving all of Europe from the Ottomans. I guess that's just how the ball drops though... there have certainly been times when Germans have been under Polish rule, the roles just switched in the past few centuries until fairly recently.
Napoleon, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Germany is an economic superpower. Right now that role pretty much fits only the USA, as it holds advantages over every other country by leaps and bounds. I think it would be more accurate to say that Germany is an economic power in Europe, if you're going to say anything about that sort of thing.
I think that Vonsson has a point about how Germany was 'neutered' after WWII... I've talked to quite a few Germans, and they're either very patriotic (rather rare), or seemingly almost disgusted to be German, which, IMO, is rather sad. If not either of these, they they'll be very apathetic about being German, to an extreme. Germany has much to be proud of and it's a pity that Germans are taught to be ashamed of their history, simply because some insane idiot tried to stir up trouble recently.
Napoleon, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Germany is an economic superpower. Right now that role pretty much fits only the USA, as it holds advantages over every other country by leaps and bounds. I think it would be more accurate to say that Germany is an economic power in Europe, if you're going to say anything about that sort of thing.
I think that Vonsson has a point about how Germany was 'neutered' after WWII... I've talked to quite a few Germans, and they're either very patriotic (rather rare), or seemingly almost disgusted to be German, which, IMO, is rather sad. If not either of these, they they'll be very apathetic about being German, to an extreme. Germany has much to be proud of and it's a pity that Germans are taught to be ashamed of their history, simply because some insane idiot tried to stir up trouble recently.
No nation was particulary nice during the period.
Not Germany/Preussia not Russia not France not Sweden and so on.
So to say that the Germans was the masterminds behind the polish division is a bit rash.
Would say all of the 3 major powers were equally responsible.
Not Germany/Preussia not Russia not France not Sweden and so on.
So to say that the Germans was the masterminds behind the polish division is a bit rash.
Would say all of the 3 major powers were equally responsible.
The word "mastermind" was perhaps a little exagurated, however the partitions were in fact a prussian idea. Prussia being a small and relativelly weak (in comparison to Russia and Austria-Hungary) nation had a lot to win from the partitions and a lot to lose if poland was to remain unchecked.
The russians more then happily agreed to the prussian plans and the austrians only participated in the partitions to keep the balance of power in the area.
Even if Poland at this time was not a paradise the partitions are never the less one of the most unwarranted occupations of a sovereign nation ever. Poland ( or rather the Republic of Poland and Grand Dutchy of Lithuania) was at this time at peace with all of its neighbours.
"The only reason the Germans don't completely dominate the European and possibly world scene is because the rest of the world finds it nessessary to gang up on them and overwhelm them"
What I meant to say was that the statement above is an insultment off all the people who died during the german occupation....It was neccesary to overwhealm Germany otherwise a lot of people would not be alive today....clearly the germans were not getting rid of the nazis by themselves so crushing Germany was neccesary, and probably for the best...even for the germans´in the long run.
There may be some truth in this. I think, it not by accident, that Germany has been the only Western European country that felt tied close to the Roman tradition, while France and England tended more towards the ancient Greek tradition.
Discipline and Untertanengeist have been society-wide virtues in Germany since the 19th century, so military organization of the poor classes of society somehow "paid off" in the two world wars.
On the other hand, there is hardly any German, who would like to live in barracks today, so if Germany is strong in our times (what I would doubt), you have to look anywhere else to find the answers.
Personally, as a German I am glad that German militarism and Rassenwahn got defeated by the Allies and if I'd lived in those time, I had changed sides, as many Germans did.
Well, I hate to tell you, but conquering nations at peace to make one stronger isn't exactly a concept invented by Prussia.
Yeah, stealing other people's land wasn't a Prussian idea, and they weren't so bad at managing their Polish provinces as the Reich. But I've practically lived between the US and Germany all my life, and really I am glad, like others, that militarism is gone. It's great that people want to honor our 'military prowess', as such, but what did it really gain us in the end? Without any kind of army Germany is the most economically powerful country in Europe.
Oh, and the only real economic superpowers that I can think of are the United States and China. Germany just isn't big enough, but then again, who wants that responsibility?
Oh, and the only real economic superpowers that I can think of are the United States and China. Germany just isn't big enough, but then again, who wants that responsibility?
Well, Germany right now is getting close to being "screwed". Unemployment is skyrocketing, the economy is stagnating and such. Well, actually thats the story in must countries.
No, what my point was, that even though I dont like it as a Dane, all we Europeans have to give some credit to the Germans. I doubt that the EU would be what it is today without Germany. They really, really paid their part of the project, and with the 10 new member countries they are going to pay even more, even though their economy is getting weaker and weaker. On behalf on Denmark, I would like to say thank you for the billions and billions that Denmark has received, since most of it was paid by Germany one way or the other.
On the other hand, we Danes have a slight negative view on Germany, since they kicked our bottocks several times. Worst of course in 1940, if you could call it a battle, and also very badly in 1864, when Moltke butchered us at Dybboel Mill.
So yes, Germany has been, and to a degree still is, a major power, but DAMN!!! Their neighbours really suffered for that in a BIG way! SEVERAL times! So to that guy, that wrote, that Germany really rocks at warfare, youre right. But it would be sad to find it positive. Just look at where it got Germany in the end.
No, what my point was, that even though I dont like it as a Dane, all we Europeans have to give some credit to the Germans. I doubt that the EU would be what it is today without Germany. They really, really paid their part of the project, and with the 10 new member countries they are going to pay even more, even though their economy is getting weaker and weaker. On behalf on Denmark, I would like to say thank you for the billions and billions that Denmark has received, since most of it was paid by Germany one way or the other.
On the other hand, we Danes have a slight negative view on Germany, since they kicked our bottocks several times. Worst of course in 1940, if you could call it a battle, and also very badly in 1864, when Moltke butchered us at Dybboel Mill.
So yes, Germany has been, and to a degree still is, a major power, but DAMN!!! Their neighbours really suffered for that in a BIG way! SEVERAL times! So to that guy, that wrote, that Germany really rocks at warfare, youre right. But it would be sad to find it positive. Just look at where it got Germany in the end.
Actually, IMO, Germany isn't that sucessful.
France had been the most powerful many times - LouisXIV, Napoleon.
England owned 1/4 of the world at the time of WWI. (And the largest navy.)
England owned more than 1/4 of the world at WWII. (With the largest navy, untill the Americans overtook them).
Germany only dominated the ground, just like the French did before them. No one has come to be a superpower like the USA has, ever since Rome, dominant on both land and sea....
France had been the most powerful many times - LouisXIV, Napoleon.
England owned 1/4 of the world at the time of WWI. (And the largest navy.)
England owned more than 1/4 of the world at WWII. (With the largest navy, untill the Americans overtook them).
Germany only dominated the ground, just like the French did before them. No one has come to be a superpower like the USA has, ever since Rome, dominant on both land and sea....
aryan race?
Oh, come on, that has nothing to do with it. The Danes are "aryans" to, though it is a stupid concept. In fact, Denmark has gotten its ass kicked over and over again, also by the Germans, despite belonging to the same "aryan race". The term is a ludricous thing, invented by people who didn't know better, and exploited by the Nazi's to a horrorfying degree.
No, Germany's succes is because of size. It is as simple as that.
Oh, come on, that has nothing to do with it. The Danes are "aryans" to, though it is a stupid concept. In fact, Denmark has gotten its ass kicked over and over again, also by the Germans, despite belonging to the same "aryan race". The term is a ludricous thing, invented by people who didn't know better, and exploited by the Nazi's to a horrorfying degree.
No, Germany's succes is because of size. It is as simple as that.