The sub-texts of the photos shown at the link below are 1) while he was kissing these children, his men were swinging the others by their ankles and smashing them into brick walls (to save on ammo for more difficult targets), and, 2) The post-war German Volk explanations "They made us do it." "We did not like him!" "We knew nothing of this!" were ridiculous attempts at loser-distancing. I challenge you to find one frown in those crowds.

http://ziza.es/2008/07/10/Imagenes_ineditas_de_hitler_95_fotos.html

I'm reading "Hitler's Scientists". The title is somewhat misleading because it goes into great depth about German science for hundreds of years BEFORE the Nazis. But, it sets the stage for his main thesis.

Here's the thing... it's way more complex than is generally discussed, and SOME of the Nazi research was solid science that we have used, and for which we are grateful, to this day. It's just not comfortable to mention the sources.

German chemistry, bio-medicine, and pharmacology lead the world. They LEAD the way in cancer research and public awareness. LEAD. They found the links between smoking and cancer. They lead in the anti-smoking awareness. They banned smoking in public spaces. Smoking ads were banned. Smoking warnings were put out. "NO Smoking" spaces were created for the non-smoker. It's sort of UNCOMFORTABLE to hear that, here, now, right? That's not all.

They banned asbestos, pesticides, and food dyes. They promoted yearly health exams. They linked diet and cancer. They linked Xray and cancer. They linked canned foods, smoked foods, fatty foods to cancer. Natural foods were the way to go. Eat whole wheat bread, not white. They lead the moderate use of alcohol campaign. They wanted THEIR people to be the healthiest in the world. (Yes, ironies abound.)

Their scientists also designed gas warfare in World War One.

They also designed X-rays, Quantum mechanics, and the Theory of Relativity (Einstein was Austrian, but Austria was "annexed" by the Nazis and considered German anyhow. Eventually Einstein left Austria.)

However, German scientists had also come to accept themselves as an arm of the military-industrial complex in the 20th century. It was seen as their duty to assist not just Science, but the goals of the Fatherland. After all, it was the Fatherland that funded their fields. As one scientist said "We knew on which side our bread was buttered." Any of THIS make you uncomfortable?

Darwin was interpreted and used to justify the growing Aryan myth and the need for racial "purity". Survival of the Fittest. With the Nazi takeover, all the sciences were "adjusted" to explain Aryan supremacy and the need for "social cleansing".

The duel image in Germany was one of Modernization AND a return to natural health. It was all set in the belief that Old Germany had the core of Truth needed to guide the future. It was a Nostalgia Movement. Still not queasy?
Hitler did not drink, smoke, or eat meat. He set a tone of exercise, fresh air, sunshine, hiking, and "Germanized" education. (You should understand that their book-burnings and library bannings were not only literature of the Jews,
Communists, or Liberals - it was also any science, history, art, etc. that did not reflect the Nazi goals.)

Their intense desire to eliminate "undesirables" was one of the reasons they LOST the war. They pressured out (and later killed) any of their intellectuals who didn't fit an Aryan stereotype or were members of unacceptable groups (Jews, artists, Gypsies, Slavs, Homosexuals...). They also wanted to go to war so badly, they indiscriminately sent their younger, brightest, "acceptable" scientists to the battle field right along with the average Johann. In the long run, they "shot themselves in their collective foot". One of Hitler's advisors suggested he send only the "inferiors" to the front - to be their disposables. Hitler was too focused ridding Germany (and conquered lands) of all "undesirables" to ever put them in even a temporary position of "power" (military), and, his lack of respect for the educated class kept him from protecting his most talented (remaining Aryan) scientists.

Their intense desire to stay obsessively documented on paper and film created an avalanche of paperwork difficult to control, lots of duplication of labor, and competition between departments. (After the war, their own documentation made many trials of war criminals much easier, also.) Irony after irony.

Their goals were so wide and their methods so narrow, they guaranteed their failure... just not as soon as we'd of liked.

Who developed the atomic bomb? Darned near everyone. The roots of discoveries go to labs everywhere on this issue, but, again, due to the faulty methods and goals of Nazi Germany, they fell behind. Plus, old Adolph really never got on board about THIS theoretical weapon. He felt warfare was meant to be a glorious man-to-man battle on "the field". So, Germany fell behind... and aren't you glad?

Fact is, much of the evidence Germany had about the splitting of the atom, uranium, etc., was from two sources:

1) A non-German scientist who wanted to "scoop" the others at a conference - and announced the secrets, and,

2) The New York Times, which made the nearly all the secrets available days after the conference.

Both were asked to not do this.

Everyone knew the Germans had ears and could read. Duh. The Germans got closer to coming up with the bomb because of these public announcements.

How do you feel about THAT?