What did Hitler do after he became leader?
After Adolf Hitler became the leader of Germany, he initiated various actions and implemented policies that shaped his vision of a totalitarian state. Some key actions included:
1. Consolidation of power: Hitler worked to consolidate his power by eliminating political opposition. He conducted a series of purges, arrests, and assassinations to eliminate rivals within his own party, like the Night of the Long Knives in 1934.
2. Enabling Act: Hitler pushed for the passage of the Enabling Act in 1933, which granted him dictatorial powers and allowed him to bypass the Reichstag (the German parliament). This act effectively eliminated the separation of powers and gave him the authority to enact laws without parliamentary approval.
3. Nazi Party institutionalization: Hitler reorganized the Nazi Party, making it the only legal political party in Germany. He created the German Labor Front (DAF) to control workers' organizations and established other party organizations to ensure loyalty and obedience.
4. Propaganda and censorship: Hitler used propaganda as a powerful tool to shape public opinion. He appointed Joseph Goebbels as the Minister of Propaganda, who controlled all forms of media. Censorship and state-controlled media were used to promote Nazi ideology and suppress any opposition.
5. Remilitarization and expansion: Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by rapidly rearming Germany and reintroducing military conscription. He initiated a series of territorial acquisitions, starting with the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936 and continuing with the annexation of Austria, Sudetenland (part of Czechoslovakia), and eventually, the invasion of Poland, which ignited World War II.
6. Persecution and discrimination: Hitler implemented a systematic campaign against Jews and other minority groups. This included passing anti-Semitic laws, stripping Jewish people of their rights, and eventually implementing the Final Solution—a genocide that resulted in the Holocaust and the murder of approximately six million Jews.
7. State control and planning: Hitler centralized power and controlled various aspects of German life. He used state control to manage the economy, labor, education, culture, and even personal lives. Various organizations were established to ensure obedience and loyalty, such as the Hitler Youth and the German Workers' Front.
These actions were all part of Hitler's plan to achieve his vision of a racially pure, authoritarian Nazi state.