far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945
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The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 221 However weird you thought the Nazis were before, they're weirder than that. In fact, they were outright mystics, and the point of the Positive Christianity movement given in Point 24 of the Nazi Party platform can only be summarized as to take German Christians of all stripes, deconstruct their Christian faiths, and move them into this counterfeit mysticism and the Nazi "Myth of the Blood." Hitler's chief ideologist, Alfred Rosenberg, makes that case powerfully and undeniably in the third chapter of his very strange book, The Myth of the Twentieth Century (https://ia800405.us.archive.org/31/items/alfred-rosenberg-and-the-track-of-the-jew-through-the-ages/The%20Myth%20of%20the%2020th%20Century.pdf). In this episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay continues his series of readings from Rosenberg's strange tome with a fifth volume exploring the centrality of German Mysticism derived from the heresies of Johannes Eckhart from the 13th century. Join him for an alarming look at Nazi ideology like you've never seen before. Join us for the Preserving Liberty Conference at Sea!: https://ndcruise.com Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2026 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #Mysticism
Before Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power, there was another organization operating in the shadows. Was the Thule Society simply a nationalist secret society, or did it help shape one of history's darkest regimes? In this episode of The Rabbit Hole, we explore the origins of the Thule Society, an occult-inspired group that blended Aryan mythology, German nationalism, secret rituals, and antisemitic ideology. You'll learn how its members influenced the early Nazi Party, why figures like Rudolf von Sebottendorff, Dietrich Eckart, and Heinrich Himmler are connected to its legacy, and whether Adolf Hitler himself was ever truly part of the organization. We also dive into the more controversial theories surrounding the Thule Society, including the alleged Vril Society, Nazi occultism, ancient Hyperborea, Atlantis, anti-gravity technology, Nazi UFOs, Antarctica, Hollow Earth, and claims of extraterrestrial influence. Where does documented history end, and where do the conspiracy theories begin? Whether you're interested in secret societies, World War II history, the occult, or hidden influences behind the Third Reich, this episode separates established facts from speculation and asks the questions many historians avoid. Topics Covered: • The origins of the Thule Society • The Germanenorden and Ariosophy • Guido von List and occult nationalism • Adolf Hitler's connection to the Thule Society • Heinrich Himmler and Nazi occult beliefs • The Vril Society explained • Hyperborea, Atlantis, and Aryan origin myths • Nazi flying saucers and UFO conspiracies • Antarctica and Hollow Earth theories • How much influence did the Thule Society really have on the Nazi Party? What do you think? Was the Thule Society the hidden force behind Hitler's rise, or has its influence been exaggerated over time? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you enjoy conspiracy theories, hidden history, secret societies, and deep investigative documentaries, don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. #ThuleSociety #NaziHistory #Occult #SecretSocieties #ConspiracyTheories #Hitler #WWII #Vril #NaziOccult #Hyperborea #Atlantis #UFO #HiddenHistory #TheRabbitHolePodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What happens when historical research uncovers a truth you are not sure you want to know? In this episode of Shifting Schools, Tricia speaks with author Christine Kuehn and her husband and research partner, Mark Schiponi, about Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor. Christine's investigation began with a startling discovery: members of her family had been deeply involved with the Nazi Party, and her grandfather had been convicted for his role connected to the attack on Pearl Harbor. What followed was a 30-year search through family testimony, declassified FBI files, National Archives records, historical accounts, photographs, and long-buried memories. Christine and Mark describe the emotional strain of researching a painful family history and the many times the project was packed away because the discoveries became too difficult to face. They also explain how they compared official records with family stories, handled contradictions, organized years of handwritten notes, and decided what evidence could be trusted. The conversation also examines the craft of making history readable. Christine and Mark wanted the book to reach people who might never choose a conventional work of World War II history. They discuss weaving the past together with Christine's present-day investigation, writing nonfiction with the momentum of a novel, and removing compelling material when it no longer served the larger story. For educators, the episode offers a useful exploration of historical inquiry, source evaluation, inherited narratives, memory, and the role storytelling plays in keeping difficult history visible. It raises questions that belong in history, humanities, media-literacy, and ELA classrooms: How do we respond when evidence challenges the stories we have inherited? What responsibilities come with uncovering painful history? How can writers make complex historical research accessible without weakening its accuracy? What can students learn by comparing personal testimony, archival documents, photographs, government records, and published histories? Christine also reflects on secrecy, shame, and the realization that people are not responsible for their ancestors' actions. They can, however, decide how honestly they will confront that history and what choices they will make in their own lives. In this episode: • The emotional cost of investigating a family's Nazi past • Using declassified FBI files and National Archives records • Comparing family memories with documentary evidence • Turning 30 years of research into a coherent narrative • Writing history for readers who do not consider themselves historians • Confronting inherited shame and family secrecy • Deciding what to remove when it no longer serves the story • Teaching difficult history through human stories • Responding to historical denial and misinformation Timestamps: 00:00 The emotional and practical challenges of the research 03:49 Organizing decades of evidence and handwritten notes 07:20 Why confronting painful truths can matter 11:36 Sharing a private family history with the public 15:15 Historical storytelling and what comes next 18:55 Creating the book's past-and-present structure 21:48 Knowing when a powerful passage must be removed About the book: Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn combines memoir, archival investigation, World War II history, Nazi espionage, and the secret history surrounding Pearl Harbor. The book follows Christine's effort to understand her family's involvement and the effects that secrecy had on later generations. Content note: This conversation discusses Nazism, antisemitism, the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor, family trauma, and inherited shame. Resources mentioned: Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn Christine Kuehn's Politics and Prose conversation The United States National Archives Declassified FBI records and Freedom of Information Act research Subscribe to Shifting Schools for conversations about education, historical and media literacy, emerging technology, storytelling, and the questions shaping how young people understand the world.
In this episode, Carl reflects on a summer that showed America at its best, and warns about a current running beneath it. Fresh off the 250th anniversary of the United States and a World Cup that drew hundreds of thousands of visitors, Carl shares what he's been hearing and why it's pushed him to speak out. Visitors from Europe and beyond left saying America was nothing like the country described in their home press. But alongside that pride, Carl points to a darker undercurrent: rising antisemitism and growing sympathy for communism among younger Americans, which he traces to decades of educational failure. A generation raised without strong historical literacy, he argues, has no framework to evaluate the ideologies it's being handed. Drawing on his memory of standing in Berlin in November 1989 as the Wall came down, Carl runs through the twentieth century's record on communism (the Soviet Union, Cuba, Venezuela, Cambodia, China) and argues it ended in mass death everywhere it took root. He revisits Joseph McCarthy, saying history has vindicated warnings once dismissed, and draws a parallel to how small, organized groups, from the Bolsheviks to the Nazi Party in 1930s Germany, seized control of nations despite representing a small minority. Carl turns to the present: a Democratic Party platform he says now includes eliminating the Senate, restructuring the Supreme Court, ending private property rights, and slashing defense spending; concerns about election integrity, citing a recent Los Angeles race; and the decision to eliminate Iran's nuclear capability as a necessary check against extremism. He connects the erosion of Judeo-Christian foundations, including churches he feels have drifted from scripture, to a broader loss of moral clarity. Carl closes on a personal note: rather than despair, he's taking his grandson to lunch to talk through what the younger generation actually knows, framing it as a responsibility every American shares. Invoking the Founding Fathers ("we stand together, or we hang alone"), he asks listeners what they're going to do to pass on the truth.
Mike Opelka in for Chris For more coverage on the issues that matter to you, download the WMAL app, visit WMAL.com or tune in live on WMAL-FM 105.9 from 9:00am-12:00pm Monday-Friday To join the conversation, check us out on Twitter @WMAL and @ChrisPlanteShow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Officially known as the German Reich, Nazi Germany was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when it was headed by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party, who governed by way of a totalitarian dictatorship. The term ‘Third Reich' means ‘Third Realm' or ‘Third Empire', and refers to the Nazi declaration that Nazi Germany was the successor to both the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire, the latter of which took place between 1871 and 1918. In Nazi Germany, life was difficult. Though there was little unemployment, workers were subject to poor wages and bad conditions. Women were to stay at home and produce children while children were indoctrinated with political propaganda as soon as they entered education. And, of course, many who didn't fit the so-called ‘norms' of society - whether it was due to their sexuality, religion, ethnicity, race, disabilities or unwillingness to fight in war - were punished and persecuted. Join us for this documentary as we explore the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 30, 1934. Over the course of three nights of bloodshed, Adolf Hitler orchestrates the mass assassination of his political enemies, consolidating power at the helm of the Nazi Party. This episode originally aired in 2022. Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more. History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.
Dinesh D'Souza. The Big Lie: Exposing the Nazi Roots of the American Left. Dinesh D'Souza GETS HONEST with Gavin McInnes About the Woke Left and his book- The Big Lie https://youtu.be/F_vhneqNkOc?si=4AkFTaP21fUOeyE0 Compound Censored 107K subscribers 5,908 views May 24 2026 Recorded 7/31/2017 *Go to CompoundMedia.com and use promo code 'YouTube' for 20% off an annual or monthly subscription and get behind the paywall for full UNCENSORED episodes, interviews, and other EXCLUSIVE content...support right wing com (Recorded 7/31/2017) Dinesh D'Souza joins Gavin McInnes in studio to discuss his new book The Big Lie. About the book- The Big Lie: Exposing the Nazi Roots of the American Left by Dinesh D'Souza https://www.amazon.com/Big-Lie-Exposing-Roots-American/dp/1621573486 "Of course, everything [D'Souza] says here is accurate... But it's not going to sit well with people on the American left who, of course, are portraying themselves as the exact opposite of all of this." —RUSH LIMBAUGH The explosive new book from Dinesh D'Souza, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Hillary's America, America, and Obama's America. What is "the big lie" of the Democratic Party? That conservatives—and President Donald Trump in particular—are fascists. Nazis, even. In a typical comment, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow says the Trump era is reminiscent of "what it was like when Hitler first became chancellor." But in fact, this audacious lie is a complete inversion of the truth. Yes, there is a fascist threat in America—but that threat is from the Left and the Democratic Party. The Democratic left has an ideology virtually identical with fascism and routinely borrows tactics of intimidation and political terror from the Nazi Brownshirts. To cover up their insidious fascist agenda, Democrats loudly accuse President Trump and other Republicans of being Nazis—an obvious lie, considering the GOP has been fighting the Democrats over slavery, genocide, racism and fascism from the beginning. Now, finally, Dinesh D'Souza explodes the Left's big lie. He expertly exonerates President Trump and his supporters, then uncovers the Democratic Left's long, cozy relationship with Nazism: how the racist and genocidal acts of early Democrats inspired Adolf Hitler's campaign of death; how fascist philosophers influenced the great 20th century lions of the American Left; and how today's anti-free speech, anti-capitalist, anti-religious liberty, pro-violence Democratic Party is a frightening simulacrum of the Nazi Party. Hitler coined the term "the big lie" to describe a lie that "the great masses of the people" will fall for precisely because of how bold and monstrous the lie is. In The Big Lie, D'Souza shows that the Democratic Left's orchestrated campaign to paint President Trump and conservatives as Nazis to cover up its own fascism is, in fact, the biggest lie of all.
(5) Timothy Ryback recounts how the November 1932 defeat leaves the Nazi Party in a state of gloom, leading many to believe Hitler is "washed up." However, political desperation drives Franz von Papen to reach out to Hitler, hoping to salvage his own unpopular chancellorship by forming a new alliance. Hindenburg meets with Hitler a second time in a congenial but ultimately fruitless exchange of war stories. Internal party tensions escalate as Gregor Strasser advocates for conciliation while hardliners like Goebbels demand total power, leading to Hitler's infamous "nightshirt" scene where he was pulled off a train in Jena by his own lieutenants.1939
(6) Timothy Ryback explains that by early 1933, the Nazi Party faces financial ruin, owing an estimated 90 million marks, and continues to lose ground in state elections. To exploit this weakness, Chancellor Kurt von Schleicherattempts to split the NSDAP by negotiating secretly with Gregor Strasser. Schleicher hopes to peel away the party's moderate faction to form a working majority without Hitler. Strasser, believing he is saving the movement rather than betraying Hitler, considers a role as Vice Chancellor. Despite mounting debt and electoral setbacks, Hitler maintains a belligerent front, eventually declaring a minor vote in Lippe as a revival of party fortunes.1940
https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260508.mp3 Right-click here to download this episode (“Save link as…”). Media Matters (11/16/23) This week on CounterSpin: In 2023, the group Media Matters reported that social media platform X was placing ads for major brands like Apple and IBM alongside content touting Hitler and the Nazi Party—despite the claim of X's CEO that brands are “protected from the risk of being next to” toxic posts on the platform. Musk threatened a “thermonuclear lawsuit” against Media Matters for reporting the truth, and many in state and federal government were happy to take that work on. Three years and several court cases later, Media Matters announced victory in what wound up being Media Matters v. Federal Trade Commission. The case and the victory are not just hopeful but instructive, offering what the group calls a “roadmap” for other newsgathering and nonprofit organizations facing, or at risk of, government retaliation. We hear about the case and the outcome from Media Matters president Angelo Carusone. https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260508Carusone.mp3 Washington Post (4/19/23) Also on the show: Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the dominant method of abortion in the US has become mifepristone, particularly as it can be administered by telehealth, without the need for an in-office visit. But now Louisiana, which has a near-total abortion ban, sued the FDA over telehealth, and though it got support from a federal appeals court to block remote prescription, a visit by the drug's makers to the Supreme Court led to a temporary stay on that. As the debate continues, we revisit a conversation we had a few years ago with Rachel K. Jones, principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, who knows more than most about mifepristone. https://media.blubrry.com/counterspin/content.blubrry.com/counterspin/CounterSpin260508Jones.mp3
As Europe commemorates the 81st anniversary of the Allied victory over the Nazis this May 8, many in Germany are discovering long-buried family secrets. Nazi party membership lists – saved from destruction in 1945 – are now available online. In just a few clicks, the Nazi past of millions of German families is within reach.
Iran warns that it will block trade through the Red Sea as well as the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, if the United States continues its own blockade of Iranian ports and shipping. The head of the Iranian military command centre says the US blockade is a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire. Also: a day after peace talks in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, the Iranian backed group, Hezbollah, and Israel exchange fire again. On the third anniversary of the civil war in Sudan, an international donors conference takes place in Berlin. At least four people are killed in a school shooting in southern Turkey. A new German online search engine is helping people to discover if their ancestors were members of the Nazi Party. President Trump criticises Pope Leo again following his condemnation of the war in Iran as well as US immigration policies. Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, meets the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, in Beijing. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Xi praised the close cooperation between Russia and China. And, ahead of the men's football World Cup, Brazil's first official tartan is formally unveiled in Scotland, designed by a six-year-old Scottish schoolgirl. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
6. By late 1932, the Nazi party faced financial bankruptcy and mounting electoral losses. Kurt von Schleicherattempted to dismantle the NSDAP by offering Gregor Strasser the vice-chancellorship. While Strasser sought to save the movement through compromise, Hitler remained steadfast, eventually declaring a minor victory in Lippe as a triumph. (6)1933 BERLIN
What if the roots of modern cults, extremist politics, and even today's “wellness” movements trace back to Nazi occultism, hypnotic manipulation, and one of the most controversial religions in the world? In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Jon Atack — the world's leading expert on authoritarian cults and a former Scientologist who has spent over 40 years investigating its origins — reveals the shocking connections no one talks about. Drawing from his groundbreaking book If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming, Jon uncovers how occult beliefs influenced the Nazi Party… and how those same ideas shaped Scientology. Jon Atack breaks down: - How L. Ron Hubbard repackaged occult practices (including hypnotic techniques, repetition, fixation, and mimicry) and sold them as revolutionary “science” - Outlandish promises that hooked followers: supernatural powers, immunity to illness, genius-level IQ, emotional mastery - How Hubbard's early interest in psychology morphed into the darker techniques behind Dianetics - Hidden factors in Hubbard's personal life (addiction, PTSD, and legal trouble for practicing medicine without a license) that shaped what Scientology would become - Allegations of how followers were treated, including psychological and physical abuse - Frightening recourse Jon himself faced for speaking out Jon also shares his deeply personal story of joining, and ultimately escaping, Scientology. He reveals the major red flags he ignored at first… and the first warning sign you should always look for before joining any movement or ideology. But this conversation goes far beyond Scientology. We also cover: - What actually defines a cult or authoritarian group - How recruitment tactics are now supercharged by the internet and social media - Where dangerous occult practices are still hiding in plain sight - Surprising benefits and dangers of hypnotherapy - How to distinguish modern spirituality from manipulative occult systems - Why today's political climate often mirrors cult dynamics - Why healthy skepticism might be the most important survival skill of the digital age This isn't about throwing away all ideology or spirituality. It's about learning how to extract the good without falling for manipulation. If you care about psychology, cults, spirituality, politics, authoritarian movements, mind control, or the hidden forces shaping modern society…this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss. Jon Atack's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming: https://jonatack.co.uk/if-scientology-ruled-the-world/ If Scientology Ruled the World - Chapter 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E4rI-5z_0s Jon Atack's Art: https://jonatack.com/ Jon Atack's book, Voodoo Child: A Jimi Hendrix Novel: https://a.co/d/0axlU7yA Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if the roots of modern cults, extremist politics, and even today's “wellness” movements trace back to Nazi occultism, hypnotic manipulation, and one of the most controversial religions in the world? In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Jon Atack — the world's leading expert on authoritarian cults and a former Scientologist who has spent over 40 years investigating its origins — reveals the shocking connections no one talks about. Drawing from his groundbreaking book If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming, Jon uncovers how occult beliefs influenced the Nazi Party… and how those same ideas shaped Scientology. Jon Atack breaks down: - How L. Ron Hubbard repackaged occult practices (including hypnotic techniques, repetition, fixation, and mimicry) and sold them as revolutionary “science” - Outlandish promises that hooked followers: supernatural powers, immunity to illness, genius-level IQ, emotional mastery - How Hubbard's early interest in psychology morphed into the darker techniques behind Dianetics - Hidden factors in Hubbard's personal life (addiction, PTSD, and legal trouble for practicing medicine without a license) that shaped what Scientology would become - Allegations of how followers were treated, including psychological and physical abuse - Frightening recourse Jon himself faced for speaking out Jon also shares his deeply personal story of joining, and ultimately escaping, Scientology. He reveals the major red flags he ignored at first… and the first warning sign you should always look for before joining any movement or ideology. But this conversation goes far beyond Scientology. We also cover: - What actually defines a cult or authoritarian group - How recruitment tactics are now supercharged by the internet and social media - Where dangerous occult practices are still hiding in plain sight - Surprising benefits and dangers of hypnotherapy - How to distinguish modern spirituality from manipulative occult systems - Why today's political climate often mirrors cult dynamics - Why healthy skepticism might be the most important survival skill of the digital age This isn't about throwing away all ideology or spirituality. It's about learning how to extract the good without falling for manipulation. If you care about psychology, cults, spirituality, politics, authoritarian movements, mind control, or the hidden forces shaping modern society…this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss. Jon Atack's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming: https://jonatack.co.uk/if-scientology-ruled-the-world/ If Scientology Ruled the World - Chapter 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E4rI-5z_0s Jon Atack's Art: https://jonatack.com/ Jon Atack's book, Voodoo Child: A Jimi Hendrix Novel: https://a.co/d/0axlU7yA Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the roots of modern cults, extremist politics, and even today's “wellness” movements trace back to Nazi occultism, hypnotic manipulation, and one of the most controversial religions in the world? In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Jon Atack — the world's leading expert on authoritarian cults and a former Scientologist who has spent over 40 years investigating its origins — reveals the shocking connections no one talks about. Drawing from his groundbreaking book If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming, Jon uncovers how occult beliefs influenced the Nazi Party… and how those same ideas shaped Scientology. Jon Atack breaks down: - How L. Ron Hubbard repackaged occult practices (including hypnotic techniques, repetition, fixation, and mimicry) and sold them as revolutionary “science” - Outlandish promises that hooked followers: supernatural powers, immunity to illness, genius-level IQ, emotional mastery - How Hubbard's early interest in psychology morphed into the darker techniques behind Dianetics - Hidden factors in Hubbard's personal life (addiction, PTSD, and legal trouble for practicing medicine without a license) that shaped what Scientology would become - Allegations of how followers were treated, including psychological and physical abuse - Frightening recourse Jon himself faced for speaking out Jon also shares his deeply personal story of joining, and ultimately escaping, Scientology. He reveals the major red flags he ignored at first… and the first warning sign you should always look for before joining any movement or ideology. But this conversation goes far beyond Scientology. We also cover: - What actually defines a cult or authoritarian group - How recruitment tactics are now supercharged by the internet and social media - Where dangerous occult practices are still hiding in plain sight - Surprising benefits and dangers of hypnotherapy - How to distinguish modern spirituality from manipulative occult systems - Why today's political climate often mirrors cult dynamics - Why healthy skepticism might be the most important survival skill of the digital age This isn't about throwing away all ideology or spirituality. It's about learning how to extract the good without falling for manipulation. If you care about psychology, cults, spirituality, politics, authoritarian movements, mind control, or the hidden forces shaping modern society…this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss. Head to https://impact.ourritual.com/c/4792730/2005678/24744 , take a quick quiz, and use code BREAKER20 for 20% off your first month. Stick with your wellness goals with Ka'chava and visit https://kachava.com and use the code BREAKDOWN for 15% off of your first order. Get 20% off all IQ Bar products - plus free shipping by texting BREAKDOWN to 64000. Jon Atack's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming: https://jonatack.co.uk/if-scientology-ruled-the-world/ If Scientology Ruled the World - Chapter 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E4rI-5z_0s Jon Atack's Art: https://jonatack.com/ Jon Atack's book, Voodoo Child: A Jimi Hendrix Novel: https://a.co/d/0axlU7yA Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What if the roots of modern cults, extremist politics, and even today's “wellness” movements trace back to Nazi occultism, hypnotic manipulation, and one of the most controversial religions in the world? In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Jon Atack — the world's leading expert on authoritarian cults and a former Scientologist who has spent over 40 years investigating its origins — reveals the shocking connections no one talks about. Drawing from his groundbreaking book If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming, Jon uncovers how occult beliefs influenced the Nazi Party… and how those same ideas shaped Scientology. Jon Atack breaks down: - How L. Ron Hubbard repackaged occult practices (including hypnotic techniques, repetition, fixation, and mimicry) and sold them as revolutionary “science” - Outlandish promises that hooked followers: supernatural powers, immunity to illness, genius-level IQ, emotional mastery - How Hubbard's early interest in psychology morphed into the darker techniques behind Dianetics - Hidden factors in Hubbard's personal life (addiction, PTSD, and legal trouble for practicing medicine without a license) that shaped what Scientology would become - Allegations of how followers were treated, including psychological and physical abuse - Frightening recourse Jon himself faced for speaking out Jon also shares his deeply personal story of joining, and ultimately escaping, Scientology. He reveals the major red flags he ignored at first… and the first warning sign you should always look for before joining any movement or ideology. But this conversation goes far beyond Scientology. We also cover: - What actually defines a cult or authoritarian group - How recruitment tactics are now supercharged by the internet and social media - Where dangerous occult practices are still hiding in plain sight - Surprising benefits and dangers of hypnotherapy - How to distinguish modern spirituality from manipulative occult systems - Why today's political climate often mirrors cult dynamics - Why healthy skepticism might be the most important survival skill of the digital age This isn't about throwing away all ideology or spirituality. It's about learning how to extract the good without falling for manipulation. If you care about psychology, cults, spirituality, politics, authoritarian movements, mind control, or the hidden forces shaping modern society…this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss. Head to https://impact.ourritual.com/c/4792730/2005678/24744 , take a quick quiz, and use code BREAKER20 for 20% off your first month. Stick with your wellness goals with Ka'chava and visit https://kachava.com and use the code BREAKDOWN for 15% off of your first order. Get 20% off all IQ Bar products - plus free shipping by texting BREAKDOWN to 64000. Jon Atack's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World: Nazi Occultists, Sex Magick, Space Aliens, and the Second Coming: https://jonatack.co.uk/if-scientology-ruled-the-world/ If Scientology Ruled the World - Chapter 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E4rI-5z_0s Jon Atack's Art: https://jonatack.com/ Jon Atack's book, Voodoo Child: A Jimi Hendrix Novel: https://a.co/d/0axlU7yA Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Just as August Landmesser rejected the Nazi Party during WWII, being the Strident Conservative means we reject the party politics of Washington that we might see liberty restored.
Munich, GermanyFebruary 24, 1920A failed painter and Army intelligence operative named Adolf Hitler stood before a packed house at Munich's Hofbräuhaus to announce a new political program. The event, which nearly erupted in a riot, marked the public christening of what would soon be called the Nazi Party.The episode reports from the oldest and most famous beer hall in the city on the chaotic night Hitler read the twenty-five points of the party's platform—a volatile blend of nationalist fury, populist promises, and racial hatred. The program was born from the wreckage of the German Empire, the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles, and the "stab-in-the-back" legend that blamed socialists and Jews for Germany's defeat in World War I. The twenty-five points, though later abandoned in practice, were declared "permanent and unalterable," forming the original foundation for the darkest chapter in human history.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.You can pay more if you want to, but rent at the Safe House is still just a buck a week, and you can get access to over 400 ad-free episodes from the dusty vault, Safe House Exclusives, direct access to the Boss, and whatever personal services you require.We invite you to our other PULPULAR MEDIA podcasts:If disaster is more your jam, check out CATASTROPHIC CALAMITIES, telling the stories of famous and forgotten tragedies of the 19th and 20th centuries. What could go wrong? Everything!For brand-new tales in the old clothes from the golden era of popular literature, give your ears a treat with PULP MAGAZINES with two new stories every week.This episode includes AI-generated content.
Born in wartime Germany, Horst Schulze shares how growing up amid chaos, loss, and fear shaped his discipline, optimism, and leadership. In this powerful clip with Patrick Bet-David, Schulze explains how his mother's strength and faith forged the mindset behind his rise to leading The Ritz-Carlton.
Welcome to a time-travel podcast diving into football's greatest almost moments — the transfers that came within touching distance of reality, Richie McCormack's Sliding Doors.Sliding Doors goes beyond rumours and gossip to uncover deals that were genuinely on the tableEach episode explores how one decision could have reshaped clubs, careers, and the entire football landscapeFrom whispered negotiations to official bids, this is the anatomy of football's biggest “what ifs”Think Michael Laudrup to Liverpool, Robert Lewandowski to Blackburn… and yes, Ronaldo to RangersThis episode takes us back to 1964, newly promoted Hannover 96 came astonishingly close to signing Pelé — the greatest player the game has ever seen — for the infant Bundesliga.As club legend Friedel Schicks moved toward retirement, a replacement was quietly discussed that sounded almost unbelievable: Pelé was supposed to succeed him at the heart of Hannover's team.The man pushing the idea wasn't a scout or an agent, but board member Hans-David Ziegra — an ice-cream machine salesman with strong Brazilian connections and a past far darker than most in German football.Ziegra's history included Nazi Party membership, intelligence work across Europe, post-war CIA scrutiny, and decades-long ties to Brazil, all of which helped fuel the extraordinary attempt to lure Pelé to Germany.Hannover could afford the move — Bundesliga wages soon eclipsed what Pelé earned at Santos — but Pelé's status as a national treasure made any transfer politically and culturally explosive.With Brazil under military rule in 1964, Pelé chose to stay, later admitting talks with Hannover had taken place but that leaving Santos at such a volatile moment was never realistic.Pelé never played in the Bundesliga, and German football went another way — but this forgotten near-miss invites one tantalising question: how differently might football history look if the greatest player of all time had arrived in Germany at the dawn of the Bundesliga?Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/join
The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 189 An undeniable part of the Nazi Experiment is that it operated a fascist-style dictatorship for its infamous "racialist worldview." It got this dictatorship not just through the election of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler but through some rapid changes to the law that were made in the first sixty days of Hitler's role in Germany's Chancellorship. Basic liberties were suspended, the Constitution was overridden, and all governing authority was placed ultimately in the hands of the German government and its new Chancellor. All of this had to be done to respond to certain existential emergencies, or so it appeared, following a fire in the Reichstag, the German Parliament, set by arson, allegedly by a Communist as a first stroke in a broader Communist uprising. Within less than two months, Hitler had effectively full control of Germany. In this episode of the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay presents the eleventh volume in his Nazi Experiment podcast series, outlining how this sudden emergency changed the entire course of the history of the world in a span of under four weeks. Join him for what he calls the "schizophrenic discomfort" of the terrifying parallels this period offers for us today. Latest from New Discourses Press! The Queering of the American Child: https://queeringbook.com/ Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2026 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #dictatorship
From Hitler's Nuremberg podium, Pastor Lutzer recalls Nazi deception, warning such evil can reoccur. He urges moral courage to resist destructive agendas, even at personal cost, praying for strength and faithfulness.
From Hitler's Nuremberg podium, Pastor Lutzer recalls Nazi deception, warning such evil can reoccur. He urges moral courage to resist destructive agendas, even at personal cost, praying for strength and faithfulness.
THIS WEEK! We kick off 2026 with a Three part, (possibly 4!), With a series on The Third Reich. In Part 1 we take a look at The Rise Of The Third Reich. From the rise of Hitler, to how he met the NSDAP, (Nazi Party!), to how Hitler would become a politician for the NSDAP, to the Beer Hall Poutch. And how did Hitler become Chancelor in 1933? Find out This Week on "Well That Aged Well", with "Erlend Hedegart". Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/well-that-aged-well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“Nazi.” “Hitler.” The smears have been used against conservatives for generations—but something new is happening. Victor Davis Hanson warns that a small, vocal corner of the Right is beginning to flirt with World War II revisionism and even speak favorably about aspects of Nazism. He explains what the Nazi Party truly was, the destruction it unleashed, and why these comparisons—and this revisionism—must be confronted immediately on today's episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.” “For the first time in all of our lives, we are seeing people openly, overtly—not very many, but they have a larger audience, it seems, every couple of months—who defend Nazism and the horrors that followed from Adolf Hitler's career. And so, it's very incumbent upon us that we know what the Nazis were, when they rose, what they caused, how we defeated them, and how an American elected president or mainstream political figures, even if we don't agree with them, are not Nazis, are not Hitler-like. That is a given.” (0:00) Introduction (2:21) The Rise and Fall of the Nazi Party (4:54) Emerging Right-Wing Revisionism (5:53) Conclusion
1. Hitler's Refusal of a Coalition Role. Timothy Ryback details the pivotal meeting on August 13, 1932, between President Paul von Hindenburg and Adolf Hitler. Following the Nazi party's strong electoral performance (37%), Hitler expected the Chancellorship. Hindenburg, however, only offered him a role "participating in the government." Hitler immediately refused, stating "no," because he was an "all or nothing man" who demanded the key role. Hindenburg, a Prussian aristocrat, despised Hitler, referring to him as "that Bohemian corporal" due to his origins and divisive politics. Hitler later justified his rejection by saying he would "rather besiege a fortress than be a prisoner in one." 1933
6. Continued Defeats, Financial Ruin, and Schleicher's Strategy. Timothy Ryback discusses how the Nazi party continued its decline, suffering losses in Thuringia and facing severe financial ruin, estimated to be 90 million Reichsmarks in debt. A desperate push for a majority in the small state of Lippe in January failed, though Hitler publicly declared it a triumph. Simultaneously, Chancellor Schleicher, the political mastermind, actively negotiated with Gregor Strasser. Schleicher aimed to break apart the NSDAP by detaching Strasser's socialist faction from Hitler's hardliners (Goebbels and Göring), thereby creating a stable, centrist coalition. Strasser was acting to save the National Socialist Movement through compromise, not to betray Hitler. 1933
7. Schleicher's Dismissal and Hindenburg's Manipulation. Timothy Ryback discusses how on January 28, 1933, Chancellor Schleicher requested six months of martial law from Hindenburg to allow the politically deteriorating Nazi party to stabilize and restore democracy. Hindenburg, angered by Schleicher trying to dictate terms and preempting the decision in a newspaper, dismissed him. Schleicher immediately attempted a coup by ordering Hammerstein, head of the Reichswehr, to intervene. Hindenburg, who proved to be stubborn and manipulative, blocked the coup and told Hammerstein to return to the garrison. Hindenburg then appointed Blomberg as the new Minister of Defense. Exhausted at age 84, Hindenburg ultimately made the "unpleasant task" of appointing Hitler Chancellor. 1933 VON PAPPEN
Subscribe to listen to the entire episode. Enjoy all bonus content for $5 per month! Carl Schmitt was a German legal theorist who joined the Nazi Party after Hitler achieved power. Schmitt supplied legal justifications for the Third Reich as it crushed all opposition and persecuted Jews. Yet long after he collaborated with this monstrous regime, Schmitt's ideas remained influential, and he maintained a respectable following. What explains his popularity on the New Right today in the Age of Trump? Further reading: The American New Right Looks Like the European Old Right by Phil Magness and Jack Nicastro in Reason The Enemy of Liberalism by Mark Lilla in The New York Review
Berlin, 1940. The city is shrouded in blackout darkness as air raids echo overhead and Nazi propaganda blares from the radios. But something even more sinister is stalking the streets and trains of the German capital—an invisible killer moving through the night, targeting women on their way home.By day, Paul Ogorzow was a loyal Nazi Party member and railway worker. By night, he became one of Berlin's most terrifying serial killers—using the cover of wartime blackouts and the city's S-Bahn rail network to hunt, assault, and murder unsuspecting passengers. His reign of terror left the public in panic.In this episode of Lurk, we uncover the chilling true story of the S-Bahn Killer, exploring:How Ogorzow used the chaos of war to hide in plain sightThe Nazi regime's desperate attempts to suppress news of the murdersThe investigation that led to his downfallTravel with us into the shadows of wartime Berlin, where paranoia, propaganda, and murder intertwined.Subscribe & Follow:Don't miss future episodes of Lurk! Follow us on Spotify Apple Podcasts etc. and hit that subscribe button.Join the conversation: Follow us on social media for updates, discussions, and to share your thoughts on this case.Lurk on FacebookLurk on TwitterLurk on InstagramWe have a new Facebook Group join in the discussion! Lurk Podcast Facebook GroupNew Merch Store!We are also now found on YouTube- Lurk on YouTubeBackground Music Royalty and Copyright Free MusicIntro and Outro music purchased through AudioJunglewith Music Broadcast License (1 Million)Send us a textSupport the show
WW1's end saw the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which went hard at the country of Germany. So much so it allowed Adolf Hitler to ascend to power using the treaties punishment as a tool to turn a large portion of the country to him for the fix. The Allies were determined to make sure that mistake was not repeated after WW2. The proposed solutions included mass killings and show trials, summary executions of leadership, to an international criminal trial. The IMT or International Military Tribunal was formed to try the 25 highest remaining nazi military officers, political figures, and economic collaborators for their crimes against peace and humanity. A Judge and Prosecutor from The U.S., U.K., France, and Soviet Union would determine their fates and in the process give the world its first look at what the third reich was doing besides just making war. This is where the world would hear evidence about the early nazi parties plan to invade other countries, the atrocities they committed on the eastern front, and about the individual roles they played in the Holocaust. Disclaimer: This episode deals with some heavy shit, so we apologize for all the anger swearing you're gonna hear as we get Historically High on The Nuremberg Trials. Support the show
Last time we spoke about the battle of Nanjing. In December 1937, as the battle for Nanjing unfolded, terror inundated its residents, seeking safety amid the turmoil. General Tang Shengzhi rallied the Chinese forces, determined to defend against the advancing Japanese army. Fierce fighting erupted at the Gate of Enlightenment, where the determined Chinese soldiers resisted merciless assaults while tragedy loomed. By mid-December, the Japanese made substantial advances, employing relentless artillery fire to breach Nanjing's defenses. Leaders called for strategic retreats, yet amid chaos and despair, many young Chinese soldiers, driven by nationalism, continued to resist. By December 13, Nanjing succumbed to the invaders, marking a tragic chapter in history. As destruction enveloped the city, the resilience of its defenders became a poignant tale of courage amidst the horrors of war, forever marking Nanjing as a symbol of enduring hope in the face of despair. #168 The Nanjing Massacre Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. So obvious disclaimer, today we will be talking about, arguably one of if not the most horrific war atrocities ever committed. To be blunt, it may have been worse than some of the things we talked about back during the fall of the Ming Dynasty, when bandit armies raped and pillaged cities. The Nanjing Massacre as its become known is well documented by both Chinese and foreign sources. There is an abundance of primary sources, many well verified. Its going to be extremely graphic, I am going to try and tell it to the fullest. So if you got a weak stomach perhaps sit this one out, you have been warned. Chen Yiding began evacuating his troops from the area surrounding the Gate of Enlightenment before dawn on December 13. En route to Xiaguan, he took the time to visit a dozen of his soldiers housed in a makeshift hospital located in an old cemetery. These men were too severely injured to participate in the evacuation, and Chen had to leave them with only a few words of encouragement. Little did he know, within days, they would all perish in their beds, victims of the Japanese forces. Upon arriving in Xiaguan later that morning, Chen was met with grim news: his divisional commander had crossed the Yangtze River with his chief of staff the previous afternoon. Now, he was on his own. He didn't linger near the riverside chaos, quickly realizing there was nothing he could do there. Instead, he chose to move downstream, hoping to find a secure spot for himself and his soldiers to wait out the next few days before devising an escape from the war zone. He was fortunate, for soon the Japanese would live up to their notorious reputation developed during their advance from Shanghai; they were not inclined to take prisoners. That afternoon, several hundred Chinese soldiers arrived at the northern end of the Safety Zone. The committee responsible for the area stated that they could offer no assistance. In a misguided attempt to boost morale, they suggested that if the soldiers surrendered and promised not to engage in combat, the Japanese would likely show them "merciful treatment." This optimism was woefully misplaced. Later that same day, Japanese troops entered the zone, dragging out 200 Chinese men, the majority of them soldiers, for execution just outside the city. On December 13, Japanese soldiers started patrolling the riverbank, shooting at anything and anyone floating downstream. Their comrades aboard naval vessels in the river cheered them on, applauding each time they struck another helpless victim in the water. Civilians were not spared either. While traveling through downtown Nanjing as the battle concluded, Rabe observed dead men and women every 100 to 200 yards, most of them shot in the back. A long line of Chinese men marched down the street, numbering in the hundreds, all destined for death. In a cruel twist, they were compelled to carry a large Japanese flag. They were herded into a vacant lot by a couple of Japanese soldiers and as recalled by American correspondent Archibald Steele "There, they were brutally shot dead in small groups. One Japanese soldier stood over the growing pile of corpses, firing into any bodies that showed movement." The killings commenced almost immediately after the fall of Nanjing. The victorious Japanese spread out into the city streets, seeking victims. Those unfortunate enough to be captured faced instant execution or were taken to larger killing fields to meet a grim fate alongside other Chinese prisoners. Initially, the Japanese targeted former soldiers, whether real or imagined, but within hours, the scope of victims expanded to include individuals of all age groups and genders. By the end of the first day of occupation, civilian bodies littered the streets of downtown Nanjing at a rate of roughly one per block. The defenseless and innocent were subjected to murder, torture, and humiliation in a relentless spree of violence that persisted for six harrowing weeks. At the time of the attack, Nanjing felt eerily abandoned, houses stood boarded up, vehicles lay toppled in the streets, and the once-ubiquitous rickshaws had vanished. However, hundreds of thousands remained hidden indoors, seeking refuge. The most visible sign of the city's new rulers was the display of the Japanese flag. On the morning of December 14, the Rising Sun flag was hoisted across the city, seen in front of private homes, businesses, and public buildings. Many of these flags were hastily made, often a simple white sheet with a red rag affixed, hoping to be spared. As the days progressed, horrifying accounts of violence began to emerge. A barber, the sole survivor among eight people in his shop when the Japanese arrived, was admitted to a hospital with a stab wound that had nearly severed his head from his body, damaging all muscles at the back of his neck down to his spinal canal. A woman suffered a brutal throat wound, while another pregnant woman was bayoneted in the abdomen, resulting in the death of her unborn child. A man witnessed his wife being stabbed through the heart and then saw his child hurled from a window to the street several floors below. These are but a few stories of individual atrocities committed. Alongside this there were mass executions, predominantly targeting young able-bodied men, in an effort to weaken Nanjing and deprive it of any potential resistance in the future. American professor, Lewis Smythe recalled “The disarmed soldier problem was our most serious one for the first three days, but it was soon resolved, as the Japanese shot all of them.” On the evening of December 15, the Japanese rounded up 1,300 former soldiers from the Safety Zone, binding them in groups of about 100 and marching them away in silence. A group of foreigners, permitted to leave Nanjing on a Japanese gunboat, accidentally became witnesses to the ensuing slaughter. While waiting for their vessel, they took a brief walk along the riverbank and stumbled upon a scene of mass execution, observing the Japanese shooting the men one by one in the back of the neck. “We observed about 100 such executions until the Japanese officer in charge noticed us and ordered us to leave immediately”. Not all killings were premeditated; many occurred impulsively. A common example was when Japanese soldiers led lines of Chinese POWs to holding points, tightly bound together with ropes. Every few yards, a Japanese soldier would stand guard with a fixed bayonet aimed at the prisoners as they trudged forward. Suddenly, one of the prisoners slipped, causing a domino effect as he fell, dragging down the men in front of and behind him. The entire group soon found themselves collapsed on the ground, struggling to stand. The Japanese guards lost their patience, jabbing their bayonets into the writhing bodies until none remained alive. In one of the largest massacres, Japanese troops from the Yamada Detachment, including the 65th Infantry Regiment, systematically executed between 17,000 and 20,000 Chinese prisoners from December 15 to 17. These prisoners were taken to the banks of the Yangtze River near Mufushan, where they were machine-gunned to death. The bodies were then disposed of by either burning or flushing them downstream. Recent research by Ono Kenji has revealed that these mass killings were premeditated and carried out systematically, in accordance with orders issued directly by Prince Asaka. A soldier from the IJA's 13th Division described killing wounded survivors of the Mufushan massacre in his diary “I figured that I'd never get another chance like this, so I stabbed thirty of the damned Chinks. Climbing atop the mountain of corpses, I felt like a real devil-slayer, stabbing again and again, with all my might. 'Ugh, ugh,' the Chinks groaned. There were old folks as well as kids, but we killed them lock, stock, and barrel. I also borrowed a buddy's sword and tried to decapitate some. I've never experienced anything so unusual”. Frequently, the Japanese just left their victims wherever they fell. Corpses began to accumulate in the streets, exposed to the elements and onlookers. Cars constantly were forced to run over corpses. Corpses were scavenged by stray dogs, which, in turn, were consumed by starving people. The water became toxic; workers in the Safety Zone discovered ponds clogged with human remains. In other instances, the Japanese gathered their machine-gunned or bayoneted victims into large heaps, doused them in kerosene, and set them ablaze. Archibald Steele wrote for the Chicago Daily News on December 17th “I saw a grisly scene at the north gate, where what was once a group of 200 men had become a smoldering mass of flesh and bones, so severely burned around the neck and head that it was difficult to believe he was still human.” During the chaos in the beginning, whereupon the Japanese had not yet fully conquered the city, its defenders scrambled desperately to escape before it was too late. Individually or in small groups, they sought vulnerabilities in the enemy lines, acutely aware that their survival hinged on their success. Months of conflict had trained them to expect no mercy if captured; previous experiences had instilled in them the belief that a swift death at the hands of the Japanese would be a fortunate outcome. On December 12, amid intense artillery fire and aerial bombardment, General Tang Sheng-chi issued the order for his troops to retreat. However, conflicting directives and a breakdown in discipline transformed the ensuing events into a disaster. While some Chinese units successfully crossed the river, a far greater number were ensnared in the widespread chaos that engulfed the city. In their desperation to evade capture, some Chinese soldiers resorted to stripping civilians of their clothing to disguise themselves, while many others were shot by their own supervisory units as they attempted to flee.Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individual escape stories emerged from this period. In some rare instances, entire units, even up to divisional strength, successfully infiltrated Japanese lines to reach safety. For others, such as the 156th Division, there were detailed plans outlining escape routes from Nanjing. Several soldiers and officers adhered to this three-day trek, skillfully evading Japanese patrols until they reached Ningguo, located south of the capital. Nonetheless, these cases were exceptions. The vast majority of soldiers from China's defeated army faced significant risk and were more likely to be captured than to escape. Some of Chiang Kai-shek's most elite units suffered near total annihilation. Only about a thousand soldiers from the 88th Division managed to cross the Yangtze safely, as did another thousand from the Training Division, while a mere 300 from the 87th Division survived. Even for units like the 156th Division, the escape plans were only effective for those who learned of them. These plans were hurriedly disseminated through the ranks as defeat loomed, leaving mere chance to determine who received the information. Many stayed trapped in Nanjing, which had become a fatal snare. One day, Japanese soldiers visited schools within Nanjing's Safety Zone, aware that these locations sheltered many refugees. They called for all former soldiers to step forward, promising safety in exchange for labor. Many believed that the long days of hiding were finally coming to an end and complied with the request. However, they were led to an abandoned house, where they were stripped naked and bound together in groups of five. Outside, a large bonfire had been ignited. They were then bayoneted and, while still alive, thrown onto the flames. Only a few managed to escape and share the horrifying tale. The Japanese were of course well aware that numerous soldiers were hiding in Nanjing, disguised as locals, evidenced by the piles of military uniforms and equipment accumulating in the streets. Consequently, they initiated a systematic search for soldiers within hours of taking control. The Safety Zone was not spared, as the Japanese Army suspected that Chinese soldiers had sought refuge there. On December 16, they raided Ginling College, despite a policy prohibiting the admission of men, except for elderly residents in a designated dining room. The soldiers brought axes to force open doors that were not immediately complied with and positioned six machine guns on the campus, prepared to fire at anyone attempting to escape. Ultimately, they found nothing. In cases where they did encounter young men of military age, the soldiers lined them up, scrutinizing for distinct telltale features such as close-cropped hair, helmet marks, or shoulder blisters from carrying a rifle. Many men, who had never served in the military but bore callouses from hard manual labor, were captured based on the assumption that such marks indicated military experience. As noted by Goerge Fitch the head of Nanjing's YMCA “Rickshaw coolies, carpenters, and other laborers are frequently taken”. The Japanese employed additional, more cunning tactics to root out soldiers. During an inspection of a camp within the Safety Zone, they struggled to get the approximately 6,000 men and women to surrender. Before leaving, they resorted to one last trick. “Attention!” a voice commanded in flawless Chinese. Many young men, conditioned by months or years of military training, instinctively responded. Even though most realized their mistake almost immediately, it was too late; the Japanese herded them away. Given the scale of the slaughter, efforts were soon organized to facilitate the killing and disposal of as many individuals as possible in the shortest time. Rows of prisoners were mowed down by machine-gun fire, while those injured were finished off with single bullets or bayonets. Much of the mass murder occurred near the Yangtze River, where victims could be disposed of easily by being pushed into the water, hoping the current would carry them away.As the weeks progressed and the Japanese grew increasingly concerned about the possibility of former soldiers still at large, the dragnet tightened. Beginning in late December, Japanese authorities implemented a registration system for all residents of Nanjing. At Ginling College, this process lasted about a week and resulted in scenes of almost indescribable chaos, as the Japanese also decided to register residents from the surrounding areas on campus. First, the men were registered, followed by the women. Often, women attended the registration to help save their husbands and sons, who would otherwise have been taken as suspected former soldiers. Despite these efforts, a total of 28 men were ultimately seized during the registration process at Ginling College. Each individual who registered received a document from the authorities. However, it soon became clear that this paper provided little protection against the caprices of the Japanese military. That winter in Nanjing, everyone was a potential victim. While systematic mass killings primarily targeted young men of military age, every category of people faced death in the days and weeks following the Japanese conquest of Nanjing. Reports indicated that fifty police officers from the Safety Zone were executed for permitting Chinese soldiers to enter the area. The city's firefighters were taken away to meet an uncertain fate, and six street sweepers were killed inside their dwelling. Like an uncontrollable epidemic, the victors' bloodlust seemed to escalate continuously, seeking out new victims. When the Japanese ordered the Safety Zone committee to supply workers for the electricity plant in Xiaguan to restore its operations, they provided 54 individuals. Within days, 43 of them were dead. Although young men were especially targeted, the Japanese made no distinctions based on age or sex. American missionary John G. Magee documented numerous instances of indiscriminate killings, including the chilling account of two families nearly exterminated. Stabbings, shootings, and rapes marked the slaughter of three generations of innocents, including toddlers aged four and two; the older child was bayoneted, while the younger was struck in the head with a sword. The only survivors were a badly injured eight-year-old girl and her four-year-old sister, who spent the following fortnight beside their mother's decaying body. The violence was often accompanied by various forms of humiliation, as if to utterly break the spirit of the conquered people. One woman lost her parents and three children. When she purchased a coffin for her father, a Japanese soldier tore the lid off and discarded the old man's body in the street. Another soldier, in a drunken stupor, raped a Chinese woman and then vomited on her. In yet another incident, a soldier encountered a family of six huddled over a pot of thin rice soup; he stepped over them and urinated into their pot before continuing on his way, laughing heartlessly. The atrocities committed at Nanjing were not akin to something like the Holocaust. Within places like Auschwitz killings became industrialized and often took on an impersonal, unemotional character. The murders in Nanjing had an almost intimate quality, with each individual perpetrator bearing the blood of their victims on their hands, sometimes literally. In this sense, the Nanjing atrocities resemble the early Holocaust killings executed by German Einsatzgruppen in Eastern Europe, prior to the implementation of gas chambers. How many died during the Nanjing Massacre? Eyewitnesses at the time recognized that the Japanese behavior had few immediate precedents. Missionary John Magee compared the situation to the Turkish genocide of the Armenians during World War I, which was still fresh in memory. Despite this, no consensus emerged regarding the exact number of fatalities, a state of affairs that would persist for nearly eight decades. In his first comprehensive account of the atrocities following the conquest of the capital, New York Times correspondent Tillman Durdin reported that 33,000 Chinese soldiers lost their lives in Nanjing, including 20,000 who were executed. Foreign correspondent Frank Oliver claimed in a 1939 publication that 24,000 men, women, and children were put to death during the first month of the city's occupation. As time progressed, much larger figures began to circulate. After returning to Germany in 1938, John Rabe held a lecture where he cited European estimates that between 50,000 and 60,000 people had died. In February 1942, Chiang Kai-shek stated that 200,000 were slaughtered within one week. The Nanjing tribunal established by Chiang's government to try Japanese war criminals in 1946 and 1947 reported that more than 300,000 lives had been lost following the city's fall. The highest estimate recorded comes from a Chinese military expert, who put the death toll at 430,000. Currently, the figure most commonly accepted in official Chinese media is 300,000, a number also cited by various authors sympathetic to China's contemporary regime. The debate over the Nanjing death toll has been a complex and extensive discussion, likely to remain unresolved to everyone's satisfaction. As missionary and Nanjing University teacher Miner Searle Bates remarked when he testified before the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in July 1946, “The scope of this killing was so extensive that no one can provide a complete picture of it.” On December 16, American missionary Minnie Vautrin witnessed a truck passing by Ginling College, loaded with eight to ten girls. When they saw the Western woman, they cried out, "Jiu ming! Jiu ming!" which means “Help! Help!” Vautrin felt powerless, fully aware of the fate that awaited them. As early as Tuesday of that week, she had documented rumors of girls being raped. The following night, women were taken in large numbers from their homes. Another missionary, John Magee wrote to his wife “The most horrible thing now is the raping of the women, which has been going on in the most shameless way I have ever known”. A tentative list compiled by Lewis Smythe detailed instances of rape occurring soon after the Japanese Army entered Nanjing: four girls at noon on December 14; four more women that evening; three female refugees on December 15; and a young wife around the same time. The accounts revealed chilling individual horrors. A 15-year-old girl was taken to a barracks housing 200 to 300 Japanese soldiers and locked in a room, where she was raped multiple times daily. Victims ranged from as young as 11 to over 80. American correspondent Edgar Snow recalled “Discards were often bayoneted by drunken soldiers,. Frequently, mothers had to witness their babies being beheaded, only to then be raped themselves.” Y.M.C.A. head George Fitch reported the case of a woman whose five-month-old infant was deliberately smothered by a soldier to silence its cries while he raped her. Such acts were a gruesome form of humiliation, designed to demonstrate that the vanquished were powerless to protect their own families. Japanese soldier Takokoro Kozo recalled “Women suffered most. No matter how young or old, they all could not escape the fate of being raped. We sent out coal trucks to the city streets and villages to seize a lot of women. And then each of them was allocated to fifteen to twenty soldiers for sexual intercourse and abuse. After raping we would also kill them”. Women were frequently killed immediately after being raped, often through horrific mutilations, such as being penetrated with bayonets, long bamboo sticks, or other objects. For instance, one six-months-pregnant woman was stabbed sixteen times in the face and body, with one stab penetrating her abdomen and killing her unborn child. In another case, a young woman had a beer bottle forcibly inserted into her vagina after being raped, and was subsequently shot. On December 19, 1937, the Reverend James M. McCallum wrote in his diary “I know not where to end. Never I have heard or read such brutality. Rape! Rape! Rape! We estimate at least 1,000 cases a night and many by day. In case of resistance or anything that seems like disapproval, there is a bayonet stab or a bullet... People are hysterical... Women are being carried off every morning, afternoon and evening. The whole Japanese army seems to be free to go and come as it pleases, and to do whatever it pleases”. Rabe wrote in his diary dated December 17 “wo Japanese soldiers have climbed over the garden wall and are about to break into our house. When I appear they give the excuse that they saw two Chinese soldiers climb over the wall. When I show them my party badge, they return the same way. In one of the houses in the narrow street behind my garden wall, a woman was raped, and then wounded in the neck with a bayonet. I managed to get an ambulance so we can take her to Kulou Hospital... Last night up to 1,000 women and girls are said to have been raped, about 100 girls at Ginling College...alone. You hear nothing but rape. If husbands or brothers intervene, they're shot. What you hear and see on all sides is the brutality and bestiality of the Japanese soldiers”. In a documentary film about the Nanjing Massacre, In the Name of the Emperor, a former Japanese soldier named Shiro Azuma spoke candidly about the process of rape and murder in Nanjing. “At first we used some kinky words like Pikankan. Pi means "hip", kankan means "look". Pikankan means, "Let's see a woman open up her legs." Chinese women didn't wear under-pants. Instead, they wore trousers tied with a string. There was no belt. As we pulled the string, the buttocks were exposed. We "pikankan". We looked. After a while we would say something like, "It's my day to take a bath," and we took turns raping them. It would be all right if we only raped them. I shouldn't say all right. But we always stabbed and killed them. Because dead bodies don't talk”. Without anyone to defend them, the women of Nanjing resorted to desperate measures for their safety. The young and attractive cut their hair and smeared soot on their faces to diminish their allure. Others donned boys' clothes or the garments of elderly women. However, the Japanese were well aware of these tactics and were not easily deceived. As American correspondent Snow described, it was an orgy of unprecedented debauchery, involving not only the lower ranks of the Japanese military but also officers who turned their quarters into harems, bedding a new captive each night. Open-air sexual assaults were common. During the first ten days of occupation, groups of Japanese soldiers entered the Ginling campus ten to twenty times daily, brandishing fixed bayonets stained with fresh blood. So overwhelmed, Vautrin decided to prioritize saving lives over salvaging possessions, spending those early days frantically moving across campus to prevent marauding soldiers from taking away women. A particularly tense situation unfolded on the evening of December 17, when Vautrin and other staff members at Ginling College were called to the front of the campus to confront a group of Japanese soldiers. Earlier, Vautrin had received documentation from another officer affirming that the area was a legitimate refugee camp. The soldiers torn up the document in front of her. For hours, with armed Japanese soldiers encircling them, Vautrin and her colleagues were left standing or kneeling, uncertain of what awaited them. Gradually, it became clear that they had been lured to the front gate so that other soldiers could enter through a side entrance and abduct twelve women. As Vautrin recalled “Never shall I forget the scene. The dried leaves rattling, the moaning of the wind, the cries of women being led away.” The staff remained at the entrance until 11:00 pm, fearing that hiding soldiers might fire on them if they moved. This was the only time that Vautrin was unable to prevent rape, a failure that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Some Japanese soldiers, seeking young girls, ordered a middle-aged Chinese woman to assist them in finding targets. When she either could not or would not comply, they shot a rifle across her abdomen, narrowly missing and taking away “three handbreadths of flesh.” When the Japanese Army entered Nanjing, little damage had been inflicted on the buildings, as noted by U.S. missionary James McCallum at the end of December. On the first day of their occupation, Japanese soldiers immediately dispersed into Nanjing in small groups, breaking shop windows and looting the goods within. They carried away their spoils in crates and stolen rickshaws. Initially, the looting was partly a makeshift response to the poor logistics of the Japanese Army. Combat soldiers had arrived well ahead of their supply lines and faced severe food shortages until the roads reopened and the Yangtze River became navigable. Every building in Nanjing was looted and turned upside down. Everything not nailed down was stolen: doors and window frames were removed, safes opened with rifle shots or grenades. Japanese soldiers often pillaged property while the owners were present, threatening them with bayonets. Abandoned cars littered the streets, typically overturned and stripped of useful items, including batteries. Like Russian soldiers in Berlin seven and a half years later, the rank-and-file soldiers displayed a particular interest in watches. As the scale of plunder grew, transportation became scarce. By the end of December, looting was being conducted using trucks. When vehicles were unavailable, Japanese soldiers resorted to wheelbarrows and even children's prams. Mules, donkeys, and people were also commandeered. Just as during their advance from Shanghai to Nanjing, the Chinese were forced to assist in looting their own homes. A common sight was a Japanese soldier leading a group of Chinese down the street, laden with stolen goods. While Chinese soldiers had also engaged in some looting during their evacuation of Nanjing, it was nothing compared to the scale of the Japanese victors' plunder. The Chinese forces had deliberately avoided breaking into foreign buildings, a distinction that the Japanese disregarded. The American, British, and German embassies, along with the ambassadors' residences, were ransacked, stripped of everything from bedding and money to watches, rugs, and artwork. The American School was looted, and its wall breached to remove the piano. As the Japanese stripped the city, they also began to burn it. While the winter sky could have been sparkling, it was instead filled with smoke from thousands of fires across the city. Some fires resulted from carelessness, such as when soldiers cooked meat from a stolen cow over a bonfire, accidentally igniting an ancient building. Others were acts of mindless vandalism. The Nanking Music Shop saw all its instruments and sheets piled in the street and set ablaze. The extent of the massacre can, to some degree, be linked to a breakdown in discipline among Japanese soldiers. Released from weeks or months of hardship on the battlefield, many soldiers experienced an intoxicating sense of freedom, resembling misbehaving boys. The deterioration of order among Japanese soldiers astonished those familiar with the stories of the stringent discipline within Japan's armed forces. Observers commented on soldiers laughing at proclamations from their own officers or tearing up orders and tossing them to the ground. Some foreign witnesses speculated that this lack of discipline was exacerbated by the absence of visible individual numbers on soldiers, making it challenging to identify wrongdoers. The issue also stemmed from the quality of the Japanese officer corps and their ability to manage a large army of young men, many of whom were experiencing freedom from societal constraints for the first time. Not all officers rose to the occasion; Vautrin witnessed an officer almost fail to prevent a soldier from raping a girl. Even worse, some officers transitioned from passive bystanders, guilty by inaction, to active participants in prolonged rape sessions. While a few attempted to instill discipline among their troops, their efforts often fell short. A Japanese colonel, for instance, slapped a soldier attempting to rape a Chinese woman. Another general was seen striking a private who had bayoneted a Chinese man and threatened two Germans, raising questions about how much of this discipline was merely performative for the benefit of foreign observers. Ultimately, disciplinary measures had little impact. As Rabe noted in his diary dated December 18th “The soldiers have almost no regard for their officers”. The absence of effective higher leadership during this critical period likely exacerbated the problem. General Matsui had been suffering from malaria since November 3, which left him largely incapacitated from December 5 to 15. A subordinate later testified that he had been informed of "incidents of stealing, killing, assault, and rape and had become quite enraged.” Although Matsui may have been displeased by the unruly behavior of his soldiers, it is conceivable that his inaction led to even greater levels of atrocity than might have occurred otherwise. He insisted on holding a victory parade on December 17, immediately after recovering from his illness, which likely triggered a security frenzy among Japanese officers concerned about the safety of Prince Asaka, uncle to Emperor Hirohito. This reaction likely prompted a surge in searches for, and executions of, suspected former Chinese soldiers. The Japanese high command in Tokyo was also aware of the unraveling discipline. On January 4, 1938, Army Headquarters sent Matsui an unusually direct message ordering him to restore control among his troops: Our old friend Ishiwara Kanji bitterly criticized the situation and placed the blame on Matsui “We earnestly request enhancement of military discipline and public morals. The morale of the Japanese had never been at a lower level.” A detachment of military police eventually arrived in Nanjing, leading to some improvements, though their presence was mixed. Some officers stationed outside the Safety Zone ignored atrocities occurring before them and, in some cases, participated directly. At Ginling College, the experience with military police was decidedly uneven. The first group of about 25 men tasked with guarding the college ended up committing rape themselves. Despite frequent visits from Japanese soldiers in search of loot and victims to assault, the Safety Zone was perceived as successful. Many believed that both the zone and the work of its managing committee were responsible for saving countless lives. W. Plumer Mills, vice chairman of the committee, noted that the zone “did give some protection during the fighting…but the chief usefulness of the Zone has been the measure of protection it has afforded to the people since the occupation.” Shortly after the Japanese conquest, the population of the Safety Zone swelled to a quarter million people. Around 70,000 of these were organized into 25 pre-arranged camps, while the majority sought accommodation wherever possible. Makeshift “mat-shed villages” sprang up in vacant areas throughout the zone. Nanjing quickly became informally divided into two distinct cities. Outside the Safety Zone, the atmosphere was ghostly, with a population dwindling to around 10,000, while within the zone, bustling activity thrived. Shanghai Road, which ran through the center of the zone and had once been a wide boulevard, transformed into a hub of barter and trade, resembling a festive market during Chinese New Year, overflowing with makeshift stalls, tea shops, and restaurants, making it nearly impossible to traverse by vehicle. The Japanese held a degree of respect for Westerners, although this sentiment was not universal and did not always offer protection. Many foreigners tried to safeguard their homes by displaying their national flags outside, but they often found that Japanese soldiers would break in regardless. To protect Ginling College, American flags were displayed at eight locations around the compound, and a large 30-foot American flag was spread out in the center. However, this proved to be “of absolutely no use” in preventing Japanese soldiers from entering the area. Despite this, there was some limited outright hostility towards Americans. Stronger negative sentiments were directed towards the Russians and the British, who were viewed as representatives of nations with competing interests against the Japanese Empire. The Japanese displayed particular reverence for one nationality, the Germans. Rabe would shout “Deutsch” or “Hitler” to command respect from unruly Japanese soldiers or show them his swastika armband, indicating his allegiance to the Nazi Party. Germany was seen as a rising power and rapidly becoming one of Japan's closest allies, a fellow outcast in global politics. However, as time passed, the limits of this respect became evident; individual soldiers began searching for women within the German embassy compound, and eventually, nearly all German buildings were broken into. Despite all the challenges, there was no doubting that foreigners offered a form of protection unavailable elsewhere. Within days of the Japanese conquest, women and children began appearing in large numbers outside Rabe's home, kneeling and knocking their heads on the ground as they begged to be let into his already overcrowded garden. At 1:00 pm on January 1, the Chinese were proclaimed rulers of their own city, or at least this is what Japanese propaganda sought to convey. On the first day of the new year, a puppet government was established in a ceremony held just north of the Safety Zone. A new five-bar flag, the one associated with the early Chinese republic was raised, signaling a patriotic spirit in a gesture that felt unconvincing. As the new leaders took office, vowing to resurrect their city, buildings burned all around them. The ceremony marked the culmination of two weeks of preparatory work. As early as December 15, General Matsui met with a local Chinese leader, referred to in the Japanese commander's diary only as Chen, who had been selected to assist in forming this new puppet government. Chen had been present in the northern port city of Tianjin two years earlier when Matsui helped establish the Chinese chapter of the Greater Asia Association. He subscribed to Matsui's concepts of “Asia for Asians,” but cautioned that Chinese fears of the Japanese would complicate the governance of the conquered territories. The new government aligned with the Japanese army to implement a system of indoctrination centered on conservatism, primarily targeting the youth, who were perceived as most likely to resist. The indoctrination included messages like, “You must follow the old custom in marriage, letting your parents make arrangements for you. You must not go to theaters or study English, etc. China and Japan must become one, and then the nation will be strong.” Few were deceived by these attempts to win hearts and minds. The government-sanctioned newspaper, the Xinshengbao, or New Life Journal, was immediately dismissed as a crude vehicle for propaganda. Additionally, the government made minimal progress in more urgent tasks, such as restoring peacetime conditions and revitalizing Nanjing's economy, a challenge made formidable by Japanese brutality. Given the fate of the first group of volunteers at the electricity plant after the conquest, no one could be found to fill the needed 40 to 45 worker slots. The same was true for firefighters. The predictable outcomes followed. Water and limited power were restored to parts of the city by January 2, but within two days, the city was plunged back into darkness. By January 13, the waterworks were still non-operational, and the power supply remained intermittent while fires continued to blaze well into January. The government was not taken seriously, struggling even with the Japanese. It quickly built a reputation for being venal and corrupt. One of its names was the Nanjing Autonomous Government, which a clever member of the foreign community humorously rebranded as the “Automatic Government,” reflecting its actual role as a puppet regime devoid of autonomy. While Nanjing endured its own nightmarish reality, the city's inhabitants had little understanding of the events transpiring beyond its walls. The first radio news that reached foreign residents came on January 7, reporting Japanese air raids on Wuhan. There were also unconfirmed rumors suggesting that Hangzhou was experiencing similar horrors to those in Nanjing, but details were scarce. It was perhaps expected that reports from afar would be limited in wartime, yet information about situations closer to Nanjing was similarly scarce, and the horrific truth gradually dawned on the city's populace. A Westerner who managed to escape east from Nanjing in early January reported that all villages within a 20-mile radius had been burned to the ground. Outside the city, Japanese soldiers were randomly shooting civilians, including children. A German who drove an hour from Nanjing encountered no living souls. After the conquest, Chinese who managed to leave Nanjing reported that every pond between the city and Juyong was filled with the decaying corpses of people and animals. Many of the atrocities committed during this time appeared to stem from boredom and a search for cheap thrills. American missionary Magee witnessed a young farmer who had sustained severe burns on his upper body. After the soldiers demanded money from him and he failed to comply, they doused him in kerosene and set him ablaze. Similarly, a young boy suffered horrific burns after he failed to lead a group of soldiers to his “mama.” People in the rural areas surrounding Nanjing faced danger from numerous directions. Not only were they potential targets for marauding Japanese soldiers, but they were also at risk from bands of Chinese outlaws, who preyed on the large influx of refugees on the roads and the few souls who remained at home despite the fierce conflict raging nearby. Magee encountered a 49-year-old woman whose home was invaded by bandits looking for money. “When she and her husband said they had none they battered her head and breast with a stool and burned her feet until she revealed their savings of between four and five dollars.” In the absence of a formal government, informal authority was often wielded by secret societies. For instance, the “Big Sword Society” reportedly offered protection not only against Japanese soldiers and local bandits but also against small groups of Chinese troops seeking to escape back to their lines and resorting to theft for survival. What a blast from the past eh? Rumors began to circulate in early January 1938 that the Chinese Army was preparing to retake Nanjing and that Chiang Kai-shek's soldiers had already been spotted inside the city walls. Many of the small makeshift Japanese flags that had appeared outside private homes in mid-December suddenly vanished, and some Chinese residents who had been wearing Japanese armbands hastily removed them. There was even talk of launching an attack on the Japanese embassy. Word spread that the Japanese were becoming frightened and were searching for Chinese clothing to disguise themselves as civilians in the event of a retreat. In reality, none of this was true. The Chinese Army was still reorganizing after the costly campaign that had forced it from Shanghai to Nanjing and then further into the interior. However, this did not imply that the Japanese had achieved complete control over the city. After six weeks of terror, Nanjing began to reassert itself. Japanese soldiers faced fatalities and injuries in skirmishes with members of secret organizations like the “Yellow Spears” and the “Big Sword Society.” After the New Year, the population within the Safety Zone began to dwindle. A week into 1938, the number of refugees at Ginling College, which had peaked at more than 10,000, fell to around 5,000. Less than a month after the conquest, many former residents started returning to their homes during the day and then coming back to the college at night. Still, the city was far from safe, and even for those whose homes were located within the Safety Zone, Vautrin believed it was unwise to stray too far from her refugee camp. One month after Japanese forces had surged through its gates, Nanjing was a thoroughly devastated city, with fires still being set every day and night. By mid-January, estimates suggested that more than half the city had been burned down, with the main shopping district completely gone, as well as the entertainment area surrounding the Confucius Temple. Nevertheless, slowly but surely, the shell-shocked city began to pull itself together and started the long process of renewal. Vautrin considered opening an industrial school offering four-month courses for women to help compensate for the loss of labor resulting from the indiscriminate killing of men. Chinese New Year fell on January 31, 1938. Celebrated throughout Asia, it was also recognized by the Japanese. It was a “dismal, muddy” day, and as many feared, soldiers who appeared “too happy” from excessive drinking attempted to enter the Safety Zone in search of women but were stopped. The sound of thousands of firecrackers filled the air, fulfilling the age-old purpose of scaring away evil spirits. Refugees in Rabe's compound presented him with a large red silk banner adorned with a gold Chinese inscription. His Chinese friends translated the message for him “You are the living Buddha For a hundred thousand people”. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. In December 1937, the battle for Nanjing left its residents in terror as the Japanese army advanced. Following the invasion, a horrific massacre began, with thousands targeted in brutal killings, torture, and humiliation. Civilians and soldiers alike were indiscriminately slain, and the Japanese military showed no mercy. To this day the Nanjing Massacre stands as a testament to the unbelievable evil man holds within him.
The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 176 The Nazi State was a totalitarian state. This, nobody denies. While Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party associates obviously intended to organize the Nazi State in that way, a thoroughgoing justification was provided by the so-called "Crown Jurist of the Third Reich," Carl Schmitt, who has become popular on the so-called "New Right" (Woke Right). Schmitt resisted the idea of the Nazi movement, despite his political and judicial theories that went on to justify it, but only until Hitler took the Chancellorship in January 1933. Then Schmitt joined and soon after penned an essay, "The Legal Basis for the Total State," to justify Nazi totalitarianism and the Führerprinzip in the "miracle" of legal decisionism (the dictatorial executive making decisions on top of rule of law). In this groundbreaking episode of the New Discourses Podcast, not only does host James Lindsay continue his sprawling series on the "Nazi Experiment," but he also presents this Schmittian essay in English for the first time. Join him for an introduction to Carl Schmitt and to hear "The Legal Basis for the Total State." Latest from New Discourses Press! The Queering of the American Child: https://queeringbook.com/ Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2025 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #Nazism
The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Ep. 174 Here on the New Discourses Podcast, host James Lindsay is doing a sprawling series on the German National Socialist movement to pull back the curtain on the realities of the Nazi Experiment. Primarily, this series covers a set of readings directly from Adolf Hitler's manifesto and autoethnography, Mein Kampf (reading from the uncensored Ford translation). In this fifth volume of the series, Lindsay tackles the "25 Points of the Nazi Party" along with the 12th and final chapter of the first volume of Mein Kampf, which is its proper setting. As Hitler gives 15 more points for Nazi organization in that chapter, we arrive at 40 organizational points and principles for the Nazi Party. Join us for this next episode in giving the world a denuded look at Nazism. Latest book! The Queering of the American Child: https://queeringbook.com/ Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2025 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #Nazism
Robert tells Joe about Eichmann's entrance to the Nazi Party and his time as a concentration camp intern during the start of the Third Reich.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 8/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1937
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 1/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1931
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 2/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1932
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 3/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1933 GOERING
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 4/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1933
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 5/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1934 BERLIN
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 6/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1936
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 7/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1936
Today on the Matt Walsh Show, Democrats in Congress have introduced a trillion-dollar slavery reparations bill. Also, Mike Lee is pushing a bill that could lead to almost all pornography being banned. Budget airlines are now so bad that they have roach infestations on the planes. And thousands of people on social media have been very mad at me this week, claiming that I tweeted a “swastika” and announced my allegiance to the Nazi Party. Is that true? And what is my message to the outrage mob? Click here to join the member-exclusive portion of my show: https://bit.ly/4bEQDy6 Ep.1598 - - - DailyWire+: Join us at https://dailywire.com/subscribe and become a part of the rebellion against the ridiculous. Normal is back. And this time, we're keeping it. “Parenting” with Dr. Jordan B. Peterson premieres May 25th. https://bit.ly/3RXTL07 Get your Matt Walsh flannel here: https://bit.ly/3EbNwyj - - - Today's Sponsors: American Financing - Talk with an American Financing consultant today: (866) 569-4711 or visit https://americanfinancing.net/walsh Disclaimer: NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org Momentous - Use code WALSH at https://livemomentous.com for 35% off your first subscription. Daily Wire Shop - Save up to 47% with Jeremy's Razors Father's Day Sale: https://jeremysrazors.com/fathersday - - - Socials: Follow on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3Rv1VeF Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/3KZC3oA Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/3eBKjiA Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RQp4rs - - - Privacy Policy: https://www.dailywire.com/privacy
It's become popular to compare our current political moment with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany in the 1930s, but what if the better comparison is Germany in the 1920s? A new article by Paul Miller argues that to avoid the rise of authoritarianism, Christian in the United States should do the hard work now of creating an alternative political narrative rather than the easy work of demonizing one side or the other as “Nazis.” Skye talks to Lee Camp, the creator and host of “No Small Endeavor,” about creating spaces for diverse people to have important conversations and why fear is the barrier to practicing godly hospitality. Also this week—evangelicals aren't entirely opposed to science. But, just like everyone else, they reject the science that contradicts their politics. Holy Post Plus: An Evening with the Holy Post: Kaitlyn Schiess and Shane Claiborne https://www.patreon.com/posts/124791463/ Ad-free Version of this episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/125154482/ 0:00 - Show Starts 3:56 - Theme Song 4:15 - Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/HOLYPOST 5:25 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today! 7:20 - Politics and Believing Science 21:43 - America's Weimar Moment 49:15 - The Leader's Way Podcast - Want to enrich your ministry to bring hope to the world? Listen to Christian thinkers and leaders at https://berkeleydivinity.yale.edu/podcast/holypost 50:05 - Sponsor - Bushnell University - Equip yourself to be transformative in your community! Go to https://www.bushnell.edu 50:55- Interview 57:40 - When Did No Small Endeavor Become so Broad? 1:03:02 - Hospitality vs Fear 1:15:25 - Hospitality Across the Spectrum 1:23:13 - End Credits Links from News Segment: Are Evangelical Clergy Outliers on Science? Yes and No https://religionnews.com/2025/03/20/are-evangelical-clergy-outliers-on-science-yes-and-no/?utm_medium=social A Confessing Church for America's Weimar Moment: https://thedispatch.com/newsletter/dispatch-faith/christians-confessing-church-america2/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=A%20Confessing%20Church%20for%20America%20s%20Weimar%20Moment&utm_campaign=A%20Confessing%20Church%20for%20America%20s%20Weimar%20Moment Other Resources: No Small Endeavor Tour: https://www.nosmallendeavor.com/events Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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