• Research Paper on:
    Nazi Genocide and Ordinary Men by Christopher Browning

    Number of Pages: 5

     

    Summary of the research paper:

    In five pages the reasons why the seemingly ordinary men who comprised Police Battalion 101 actively participated in the Nazi genocide are considered. There are no other sources listed.

    Name of Research Paper File: LM1_TLCBt101.rtf

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    Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
    Final Solution in Poland discusses the reactive nature of men who are under the mental, emotional and physical strain of superior orders. The extent to which members of Reserve  Battalion 101 opted to participate in the Nazi genocide, despite the fact they were given a choice, speaks volumes regarding the overwhelming influence Hitler had over ordinary men - artisans  and working class police reservists untrained for such atrocities - who would otherwise never consider killing another human being. Browning comprehensively addresses the  defense of superior orders and ultimately concludes that Hitler managed to secure the battalions loyalty as a direct result of newly employed propaganda; because his method of authoritarian leadership was  so strong, he was able to sway an entire country to follow his madness. Although some would feel this was, in fact, a rational choice perspective because Hitlers followers  truly believed what they were doing was for the good of their own ethnic party, the truth of the matter was that the entire regime began as a result of  the brainwashing of Hitlers superior orders. "Pale and nervous, with choking voice and tears in his eyes, [Major Wilhelm] Trapp visibly fought to control himself as he spoke.  The battalion, he said plaintively, had to perform a frightfully unpleasant task. This assignment was not to his liking, indeed it was highly regrettable, but the orders came from  the highest authorities. If it would make their task any easier, the men should remember that in Germany the bombs were falling on women and children" (Browning 2).  Ordinary Men illustrates how Hitlers henchmen did not embrace their own bureaucratic convictions, but rather mirrored those of the regime that compelled the 

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