Saddam Hussein vs. Adolph Hitler
by Rit NosotroComparative Essay
Compare the downfall of the tyrants Adolph Hitler (Germany) and Saddam Hussein (Iraq)
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Summary:
“Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
The lives of Saddam Hussein and
Adolph Hitler are tragic not only because
of the devastation that these two men caused, but also because it could have
been so easily prevented had they both reflected upon the past, seen what they
were headed for, and made different choices. Although they ruled in two different
time periods and different countries (Hitler: Germany, 1933-1945; Hussein: Iraq,
1980-2003), there are striking similarities between these two men and the way
they ran their countries into ruin.
The first likeness lies in their foreign policies. Both men had few allies and
disregarded the requests of the leaders of other nations. Once Hitler had risen
to power he completely ignored the boundaries that had been set on Germany as
a result of the First World War. For example, Germany was forbidden to have
submarines or an air force, she could have a navy of only six battleships, and
an army of just 100,000 men. In addition, Germany was not allowed to place any
troops in their Rhineland, the strip of land, 50 miles wide, next to France.
On March 16, 1935 Hitler denounced restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles
and resumed the draft - this was the first of all of those precincts to be broken.
In complete violation of the treaty, Hitler invaded the Rhineland in 1936, claiming
it was Germany's ancient homeland. He later invaded Poland in his quest for
natural resources of coal and iron ore to strengthen his military. Germany was
still impeded with enormous debt from WWI reparations. Similarly, on Aug. 2,
1990, despite the warnings of countries like England, the United States, and
other United Nations members, Iraqi soldiers invaded Kuwait because of ancient
claims on a homeland, natural resources (oil), and to escape a financial debt
of 30 million dollars owed to Kuwait.
In order to unify their followers, both blamed economic troubles on the nations that opposed them and on certain people groups within their own territory. Hitler gassed the Jews in the largest genocide in history. Blaming minority groups is not new. Examples include Pogroms against Russia's Jews and Islamic Turkey's genocide against Christian Armenians compares with Hussein's gassing of the Kurds. Some comparisons can even be made with the Spanish Inquisition and Hitler's Holocaust.
Religious opposition was met with attempts to have state control over appointed
offices. Hitler required all church leaders to sign an allegiance to the Nazi
regime or face severe punishment. Dietrich
Bonhoeffer was one who paid for his refusal with his life as part of the
long struggle of the Christian Church
in Germany. Hussein's required the submission of the Shiite majority to
his secular Baathist branch of the Sunni minority. Those Shiites who rebelled
were massacred, as was demonstrated in his advance into Northern Kuwait. Both
Hitler and Hussein's claimed to be faithful adherents to their religion, i.e.,
Christianity and Islam. They twisted scriptures which served their to their
own destruction. As for a Biblical response to Hitler, "If any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in
this book" (Rev.22:18). Hitler prophesied the Third Reich would be a millennium
reign - an illusion to the millennium reign prophesied in Revelation chapter
20.
Both leaders lied to the world community to appease them while continuing their
military designs. Hitler lied for years about the extent of his military hardware
and number of troops, until he eventually came out completely unashamed of the
fact that he had violated the international treaty. Hussein, likewise, violated
the “no fly zones” imposed after the Gulf War and when accused of
having weapons of mass destruction (WMD) Saddam refused to give the adequate
information needed to the outside world about this topic. Both men not only
violated international treaties, but were unashamed and even proud of the fact
that they had duped the world. Prime Minister Chamberlain of England thought
appeasement would satisfy Hitler. The United Nations put restrictions on Hussein
that were in effect appeasements since they had no consequence for violations.
Appeasements are still offered in the War
on Terror.
Another similarity was the international response to these men. During Hitler’s
aggression, other Europeans realized they would need help to stop Germany from
taking over different parts of Europe. However, Europe had an extremely hard
time convincing America to join their coalition against Germany even though
Germany had broken the Versailles Treaty. Isolationist America felt that it
shouldn’t be in a war that they had very little to do with, and that they
should just stay out of Europe's affairs. In fact, it was only after America
was attacked at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by Japanese kamikaze pilots that she
decided to join in on the war- thus it became World War II. Interesting comparisons
can be made with Kamikaze Pilots and
Suicide Bombers, as they brought the USA into war in 1945 and 2001.
During Saddam's aggressive violations of UN resolutions, the United States
repeatedly called for international action to enforce the resolutions. However,
the U.S. had an extremely hard time convincing Europe's anti-war, pro-Arab community.
Finally, one day after the September 11, 2001 attacks by terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, U.S. President George W. Bush
challenged the United Nations to swiftly enforce its own resolutions against
Iraq. If not, Bush contended, the U.S. would have no choice but to act on its
own against Iraq. Eventually, a coalition of a few brave nations gave Hussein
a 48-hour deadline to leave Iraq and spare his people, but he refused. On March
20, 2003 bombs dropped on Iraq. Many European countries didn’t feel it
was their “responsibility” to fight in Iraq and didn’t like
the fact that President Bush went ahead with it anyway, which is ironic considering
the reversing roles from the time of World War II to the time of the Iraqi war.
The irrelevancy of the League of Nations
and the United Nations had come full circle. Even when Hitler had advanced
into neighboring countries, there was controversial responses as some felt it
was Germany's right of national self-determination to annex Germans in Poland,
Austria and Czechoslovakia.
Both of these dictators preached, “fight to death” to their soldiers,
which is interesting because neither leader did so themselves. In a display
of cowardice, both men went into hiding while their armies continued a losing
battle. Once Hitler realized his army had lost and his capture was immanent,
he committed suicide on May 1, 1945. Although he took a different route than
Hitler, Hussein’s way out was just as defeatist. Saddam's hiding place
was revealed by two thankful Iraqi's who had received medical assistance from
American soldiers even while they were under fire. Saddam was led out of his
“spider-hole” on December 13, 2003.
No one has ever disregarded the law of God and not paid a significant price
for it (Romans 6:23). World history offers too many examples: Stalin,
Pol Pot, Empress Wu and Chairman
Mao's Red China compared to Nazi Germany.
The world can only hope, and pray, that the future leaders of all countries
would learn from the arrogance and lack of love for mankind displayed by Hussein
and Hitler. It is certain there will be those who believe they can get away
lying, cheating, and murder and not pay a price. It’s tragic that the
sins of one man can so affect the lives of millions of others.
Christians living under regimes like these take courage from a verse in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”. They believe God's promise that "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world". Indeed, when looking for God to fulfill His promise of Romans 8:28, Christians trust that "all things work together for them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." Even though God fearing Jews were slaughtered in Hitler's Holocaust, God worked out His purpose to regather the nation of Israel. Even though Saddam fired missiles at Israel without provocation, God used it to strengthen Israeli defense systems. Yet Saddam continued to channel a gift of $25,000 through Yasser Arafat for each family who sent a suicide bomber to murder Israeli civilians. Hitler used national wealth to murder the Jews. Saddam used national wealth to help Arafat murder the Jews. Not unlike the indoctrination of Spartan youth and Nazi youth, Saddam and Arafat elevated the status of children wearing suicide bombs into national heroes.
Hatred for Jews was the most significant motivation that Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein shared. Thus they followed the pattern of Psalms 2:2-6
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying], Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
These leaders moved against the Jews and were destroyed. What will become of the United Nations whose flag was placed to half mast at the death of Arafat?
Quick Quiz:
1. Both Germany and Iraq invaded neighboring countries because they claimed
a) recovery of ancient homeland.
b) oil was being stolen from them through horizontal drilling.
c) the USA was full of Satanic Infidels.
d) Jews owed them money.
2. Both Germany and Iraq
a) had leaders who wore fake mustaches
b) set fire to their capital cities and blamed in on the Christians
c) used stunt doubles and lip sync for their public speeches
d) gassed their minority populations in mass genocide
3. Both Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein
a) committed suicide on May 1, 1945 and March 20, 2003, respectfully.
b) violated international agreements to their own demise
c) supported a Palestinian State of suicide bombers
d) wanted to move all Jews to Uganda
4. Where does this passage come from, “For we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
places”?
a) Psalms 2:2-6
b) Rom. 6:23
c) Eph. 6:12
d) Rev.22:18
Bibliography
1. NPR news. “Saddam Hussein, a Life of Violence”.
http://www.npr.org/news/specials/iraq2003/saddam_background.html
2. Wikipedia.com. “Saddam Hussein. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddam_Hussein
3. Johndclare.net. “Treaty of Versailles”. http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties4.htm
4. Wikipedia.com. “Adolph Hitler”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Hitler
5. faculty.umf.maine.edu. “Holocaust Timeline”. http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~orosz/HolocaustTimeline.html
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