Nazi Leader Herman Goering, interviewed by Gustave Gilbert during the Easter recess of the Nuremberg trails, 1946 April 18, quoted in Gilbert’s book, Nuremberg Diary:
Goering, “Naturally the common people don’t want war… but it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.”
Gilbert: “There is one difference. In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars.”
Goering: “Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the biding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
Jill Cruse
Gosh, does that ever sound familiar . . . scary, isn’t it? Jane – have you been to the “Dokumentation Center” in Nuremberg – incredible, truthful documentation of the rise and fall of Hitler . So many similarities to todays world -even more scary that we cannot let this happen again!
thomas kongerslev
Jane,
Hope all is well with your knee replacement.
I find anything about wwII interesting.
I enjoyed the read. Though short, the meaning speaks volumes.
Kristi Payne
I love my country However, I love my country in the way that you love a child, unconditionally but wanting it to be the best that it can possibly be. Sometimes that means having to recognize its flaws, and gently(or not so gently sometimes) point it back in the right direction. Unfortunately what Goering said is true, not just about war, but many other issues People can be led, and misled into believing many things But I believe our greatest enemy is apathy, and people who are afraid of changing the status quo. Its easy to use peoples fears against them to beat them down, but sometimes just one person standing up to say”wait, we can be better,do better” plants a seed for change. Im in a battle like that,now, Im prepared to lose if I must, but Im bringng my shovel and planting that seed. Thank you Jane for being one of those seed planters from way back. Just one question, are we too old to protest,when we cant pick up the sign?
Bernadette Piccolomini
I saw this years ago. It was exactly the tactics bush/cheney were doing to the U.S. population.
Cheerfulscot
it is unfortunate that many of the Nazi leaders knew the weaknesses of the so called “common people” so well. The above statement and especially the following quote in how to manipulate people to be in agreement with war “All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger” seems horribly too close for comfort when thinking back to the Bush Administration and the huge support they received for their crazy warfare.
Ingo
Hi Jane,
I think that you mean “Nürnberger”.
Greetings from Cologne, Germany
Ingo
Timothy Dougherty
Being a Conscientious Objector early in 1968 during the Vietnam War period, The problems of and issues of selective conscientious objection, conscientious objection to particular wars, or as it is sometimes called, discretionary armed service, the options that could be taught in schools are lacking. Early education on the problems of conflict resolution would be nice in a real world,but is seem we are still moved on in a system of controls and images of media to a end needs of the State.
Frances Wagner
Sad and outrageous how history repeats itself. Do you think Cheny and Bush read this?
whateveritwasbefore
Cheney and Bush are puppets. Just as Obama is a puppet. And, yes they all know. It’s their playbook. None of this is new. Ask if Henry Kissinger has read this. You can start from many places. Read The Creature From Jekyll Island. Watch some of of Alex Jones documentaries. Look up Aaron Russo. Go to a university and find Tragedy and Hope by Clinton mentor Carroll Quigley. Follow the white rabbit.
Stag von Blue
Have you read the book “The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind” by Gustave Le Bon?
Le Bon believed that modern life was increasingly characterized by crowd assemblages. In La psychologie des foules (1895; The Crowd), his most popular work, he argued that the conscious personality of the individual in a crowd is submerged and that the collective crowd mind dominates; crowd behaviour is unanimous, emotional, and intellectually weak.
(http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/333277/Gustave-Le-Bon)
He explains how a crowd can easily be led and influenced by one leader.
I read parts of it for an essay on Musil, who himself tried to deal with questions of how a whole nation is willing to follow a leader against their beliefs. I thought this is a book which might interest you.
I enjoy reading your posts, thanks for sharing.
Dominique Perrin
Terrifying political analysis! But manipulation of people opinion in our democraties, through powerfull mass media controlled by powerfull trusts or companies which are at the same time weapon dealers and bankers of politicians, is a fact. To reinforce anti-establishment forces should be our constant preoccupation, to inform and form people opinion. The english philosopher David Hume wrote in “OF THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT” – 1741: ” Nothing appears more surprising to those, who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few; and the implicit submission, with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers. When we enquire by what means this wonder is effected, we shall find, that, as force is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular”.
Meditate on!
female
Great Post. Ron Paul mentioned many times in his history making campaign that congress did not declare war in Iraq and we should not be there. Paul said the troops would be home “immediately” under his administration. He said he wanted to remove troops from the 100+ countries they now remain in. Troops gave Ron Paul’s campaign more money than both democrat and republican schills put together. Anti-war activists raised an unprecedented 6 million in one day online for Ron Paul.
I am so glad you posted that. You see, Goering didn’t just see the value in telling the citizens of Germany they were being attacked. He saw the infinite value of actually attacking them through means such as a fire in parliament.
That’s right. Governments have historically attacked their own people in order to get them in line with their nefarious agenda. In fact, the events surrounding the progression of the Nazi party are so eerily similar to the ones surrounding post 2001 United States, one must really stop and wonder.
All of this leads back exactly to why Jane Fonda’s character was assaulted in the 1970’s. They needed to discredit her so people would simply block her out when she spoke. It is alot more efficient than trying to debate what is being said. It is the exact same reason that Ron Paul’s character was attacked throughout his campaign.
There are millions of us ready this time Jane. Say what you want. They may make one negative voice sound louder than a million positive ones, but we are on to it now.
As for one party nazi system, check out Philip Dru: Administrator by League of Nations promoter Edward M. House. Read it free online.
John
The last quote by Goering describes exactly what occurred with our (U.S.) last administration and the “War on Terror.”
C. Plantin
This applies to other wars, too, including the war against homosexuality. The “common” people are made to fear it. They’re being told that their kids will be molested, that the kids will be recruited into “the homosexual lifestyle,” that AIDS will spread more, that marriage will be destroyed, which will be the end of Western Civilization (I actually heard that on a conservative talk show), that people will want to marry their dogs, that priests will be forced to marry gay people, that the the gays if allowed to serve openly in the military will attack and rape straight soldiers, and so on. All of these are irrational scare tactics that do work on some people. All the work of hate-monger activists who call themselves Christians!
Thanks for posting the quote.
Lance Heckerman
Wake up people! We WERE attacked! Stick your heads in the sand regarding Islamic Extremists at your own risks. Google “Inspire Magazine” and read it. Tell me then what you think. Goering was an idiot. His statement does not stand the test of logic, but you apparently felt deeply moved by his BS!
Jane, you and your ilk such as Sean Penn and Danny Glover do more to endanger our soldiers in combat by visiting our enemies and reinforcing their false beliefs that we are a bunch of war criminals.
I would not be surprised if many that commented above believe that 911 was an inside job. This kind of nonsense really upsets our enemies that have taken credit and great pride in their murderous act.