Donald Trump has been compared to the WWII German dictator Adolf Hitler numerous times. One glaring similarity is their use of propaganda to manipulate the people. It would be no surprise to find out that the war-obsessed Brietbart propagandist and former WH Advisor Steve Bannon has helped to groom Trump on this tactic of massive persuasions.
Nazi propaganda was used to convince a country that it was acceptable to dispose of the Jewish, the mentally ill, the homosexuals, the political objectors/resisters… It’s impossible to know how many Germans knew what was taking place in concentration camps (also known as settlements). Many did not find out millions were slaughtered—until it was too late. Did they think those whom Hitler deemed undesirable were simply shipped away—out of sight and out of mind? And there were those who knew—and did nothing. By continuous, public vilification, Hitler perpetuated both an insidious and overt hatred toward certain sects of people. But his talent for manipulation did not begin when he took office. It started much earlier while he was in prison.
Below are excerpts from Hitler’s book Mein Kampf (Chapter VI). The soon to be murderous world leader outlines the psychological tools he would later use to convince the masses to follow him. These excepts show how Hitler summed up his audience and his planned on how to acquire unquestionable support—without the people even realizing his calculated influence.
“Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people. (...) All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed. (...)
The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses. The broad masses of the people are not made up of diplomats or professors of public jurisprudence nor simply of persons who are able to form reasoned judgment in given cases, but a vacillating crowd of human children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. (...)
The great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning. This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood.”
As to the methods he would use, he explains:
“Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favorable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favorable to its own side. (...)
The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula. (...)
No matter what an amount of talent employed in the organization of propaganda, it will have no result if due account is not take of these fundamental principles. Propaganda must be limited to a few simple themes and these must be represented again and again.
Thus, Trump’s “Make America Great Again” appeals to the less educated who perhaps interpret the slogan as a game-changer and possibly their key to personal success. Trump will make them great again (or great for the first time) and they will “get tired of winning.” The MAGA slogan can also imply America is not great because of some people—“some” often pertaining to anyone who doesn’t look or believe like white pseudo-Christian Trump supporters. Again, we have the undesirables, and in Trump’s world they include Muslims, Mexicans, Blacks, Jews… And judging from the cruel and spiteful Trumpcare “health” plans that he has relentlessly pushed, he obviously cares little for the poor, sick and elderly.
Trump’s constant degradation of the press, which he calls “Fake News” also works to his favor and is well played. He uses media to spew his own fake news, to bully and beat his chest—and he gets away with it because he is not instantly fact-checked/challenged. As long as he plants the seeds, he’s accomplished his initial goal. He tells his base he will save them: “Trust me—Don’t trust them.” And in this case “them” is the media whom he uses to promote his agenda. The press helped him tremendously and have since the beginning of his 2016 campaign giving him 24/7 coverage to promote his propaganda, even though they knew then, and know now, he lies with almost every breath. But he’s so outrageously fascinating and that brings in viewers, which brings in profit. Sure, they come back later to expose Trump’s blatant inconsistencies, but it’s too late. Trump has already gotten the messages he wants to get out to his supporters. Then when the media questions or attacks him, he plays the victim and lashes out. Trump’s use of the press is brilliant and yet despicable, dishonest and incredibly dangerous.
But Trump and Bannon might not have realized their biggest obstacle and deterrent between the deployments of propaganda via Hitler—and now, are that today we have social media to expose fraud and manipulation. When well documented, it becomes obvious. And it’s easily well documented with unedited videos and tweets. Still, some will choose to close their eyes and cover their ears, but it’s all there.
The good news is history has proven evil is ultimately overpowered by the good in this world. And the soulless, corrupt, monstrous tyrants that somehow acquire great power are destined to fail and fall down hard. They always have—and they always will. The “when” often depends on how long it takes the masses to recognize the cyclical repetition of history and choose to stop the cycle—before it’s too late.