While we all know that Nazi Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship which killed millions of people, but what I'm asking is how bad was the administrative system of Nazi Germany (in terms of inefficiency and chaotic organization)? How bad was the system of overlapping responsibilities in both the civilian ministries and the armed forces? How much did it hinder Nazi Germany's prosecution of the war?
How bad was Nazi administration?
- Thread starter Whiteshore
- Start date
On a scale of 1 to 10, the Nazis governed at a 3. Subpar, but it could have been much worse. For instance, it's true that their intelligence agencies fucked with each other, but they also managed to steadily increase armaments production while getting bombed to Hell and back. But that's set off by a policy of loot-n-smash and kill-em-all! that wasted too many resources to give the Germans a realistic shot at victory.
But if you want to know why they weren't lower, they kept a functioning (if barely) country running, unlike the Czars, various final rulers of the Chinese, that guy in Paraguay whose name escapes me, Darius II (I think), and of course the Kims.
But if you want to know why they weren't lower, they kept a functioning (if barely) country running, unlike the Czars, various final rulers of the Chinese, that guy in Paraguay whose name escapes me, Darius II (I think), and of course the Kims.
The Nazi regime lasted like 12 years, the Kim regime in North Korea has lasted for 69 years and counting.
Correction: One of the German Nuclear Weapons programs (the one Manfred von Ardenne headed). As usual in Nazi Germany (where there were overlapping responsibilities in the armed forces and the civil government/ministries), there were various nuclear programs.
And they created a hermit "kingdom" after the Soviets fell rather than do what literally every other Communist nation (sans Cuba, but that wasn't their fault) did and open up. I'd consider that horrid mismanagement on their part.
They're terrible managers, but their regime still exists, unlike the Nazi regime. Kim Il-sung died peacefully in his bed in power, while Hitler killed himself after his country was invaded by his enemies. One person clearly was more successful.
So, how much do you think did the competing responsibilities and administrative infighting in both the armed forces and the ministries affect Nazi Germany's ability to wage war?
EMTSATX
Banned
Hitler was/is infamous for his governing style of pitting people against one another. Having the Waffen SS as a private army was idiotic. Speer was about the only bright spot. Having Bormann control access to the Führer was a disaster. So yeah they where effected. Their system of Gauleiter's was ineffective. Reich's protectors was down right harmful.
Hitler didn't have anyone keeping his country economically afloat by giving him foreign aid.Except after September 1939 and not willingly
As for local-level governance... well, there's a reason why nowadays, 72 years after liberation, the phrase Wenn das der Führer wüsste is still a meme.
Not really the point about SS was not to win wars against any enemy or having a efficient government. The point was that if the army was feed up with Hitler, Hitler would have his own military forces to fight back with. It's the same reason there are and was several armies in Russia and the former USSR or why Saddam had the Republican Guard. These units exist to raise the price for a coup. Even in democratic countries like USA things state guard exist to raise the price for coups.
From the POV of Hitler, said governing style suited him as it meant that government officials would be too busy scheming against each other to consider launching a coup against him. Also, the Luftwaffe had it's own ground units (including a Panzer division), adding to the administrative chaos in the military.
So, how much did chaotic administration and overlapping military responsibilities contribute to the Third Reich's defeat?
But just think about the letter bombs the Nazis could have eventually sent if they really pushed the envelope with their nuclear program.