[meowface]

Is there any evidence of Hitler's true, innermost intentions? Did he admit or was he even aware of his lust for power for power's own sake?

I know it's often a mix of both with demagogues, but I wonder how much he saw the fight against supposed enemies (Jews, Communists, Slavs) as a virtuous and net-positive goal vs. a means to an end.

[jszymborski]

I don't think you can follow any one thread or theme in Hitler's decision making like you can for his lust for power.

For example, he found himself in the National Socialist party for nearly no other reason than they welcomed him for his charisma and he saw a weak leadership he could exploit.

The exposed nationalist & socialist ideologies, economic principles & race discrimination were things he quickly pushed aside time and time again when he felt they didn't align with power gain.

Some things like socialist and economic principles were ignored more often than nationalism and race discrimination which centralised his power.

I don't think anyone could ever accuse Hitler of being an ideologue or zealot for any cause other than his personal interest.

Then again, listening to half of an audiobook on the matter isn't really the same thing as living or properly studying it, so kindly tell me what's what if you're in a better position to speculate.

[jacquesm]

> he found himself in the National Socialist party for nearly no other reason than they welcomed him for his charisma and he saw a weak leadership he could exploit.

It's incredible with what precision some of these sentences can be transplanted nearly a hundred years and be just as applicable. You wouldn't know if this was about the past or the present when taking that sentence out of context.

[oh_sigh]

Yes, but Obama has been out of office for 3 months, it is time to stop worrying about him.

[jacquesm]

There was a whole reddit thread about this very question:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/19kkox/at_th...