World War II is the bloodiest conflict humanity has ever witnessed. It lasted four years and resulted in the death of millions of people globally. The invention of new arms, more complex fire systems, aviation and tanks became the factors influencing the severity of war and heavy losses. However, WWII is also characterized by the growth of the Nazi ideology, which became the primary factor leading to genocide, civilian murders, and covert violence peculiar to military actions. As a result, the aggressive ideology of one nation’s dominance became one of the specific features of WWII.
Several reasons can evidence the importance of this factor. In general, the WWII start can be linked to Hitler’s desire to improve the position of the German nation and acquire new territories for further development and expansion (Hett 74). The nation’s support and readiness to participate in military actions were achieved by cultivating the ideology of Nazism, or the dominance of the German nation and their rights for all territories occupied by other nations (Rich 43). As a result, millions of soldiers and civilians were killed because of the ideology.
In general, most researchers agree that WWII was radically different from WWI. The use of new arms increased firepower, and aviation and tanks resulted in numerous deaths. However, ideology became another critical factor differentiating these two conflicts and linked to millions of deaths globally. It was used to justify the genocide, murders of civilians, and the extreme severity of troops on occupied territories (Sait 87). The level of violence and the long duration of war is also linked to this factor, as Hitler was not ready to accept defeat and insisted on continuing war following his visions of the German nation’s superiority.
Works Cited
Hett, Benjamin. The Nazi Menace: Hitler, Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Road to War. Henry Holt and Co, 2020.
Rich, Norman. Hitler’s War Aims: Ideology, the Nazi State, and the Course of Expansion. W.W. Norton & Company, 1992.
Sait, Bryce. The Indoctrination of the Wehrmacht: Nazi Ideology and the War Crimes of the German Military. Berghahn Books, 2021.