Hitler's terrifying propaganda machine spotlighted on Nazi Megastructures

Anti-Jewish propaganda poster showing a man holding out money — Anti-Jewish propaganda was used widely by the Nazis

This week Nazi Megastructures takes a look at the efficient and terrifying propaganda machine that was built up by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

Pretty early on in his career as a politician and provocateur Hitler realised the power of the media and importance of generating propaganda in order to sway people’s minds.

In fact in his infamous book Mein Kampf he wrote three chapters about the important of propaganda. In it he said that Germany had lost WWI due to the superior British propaganda and that he would not make that mistake.

1937 anti-Bolshevik Nazi propaganda poster showing a threatening looking man — 1937 anti-Bolshevik Nazi propaganda poster

He also talks about how it has to be targeted carefully so as not to go above the heads of any of the audience. He also puts down the intellectual reasoning powers of the masses and stresses the importance of simple slogans repeated over and over.

Later Hitler would appoint Joseph Goebbels as the head of propaganda for the party and they made great use of it during the party’s rise to power.

Near the end of WWII, when defeat was inevitable, propaganda was used again to try and get every citizen to fight to the death.

Nazi Megastructures airs on Fridays at 9:00 PM on National Geographic Channel.