Some quotes from JFK about how great Hitler was

[ScienceRocks]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

 

[Dragon]

Was there a point to this, Matthew? FWIW, I completely agree with Kennedy here. It's only recently, now that those who lived during his lifetime are mostly gone, that a rational assessment of Adolf Hitler is even possible. He still comes off as a very bad man, but "one of the most significant figures who ever lived" is surely an accurate assessment. What else could we call the man who touched off the biggest war in history and rearranged the great-power map, eclipsing the British Empire and bringing the United States and the Soviet Union to dominance, and as a side-venture took actions that resulted in the founding of the state of Israel and decades of turmoil in the Middle East that followed?

Hitler's achievements are as extraordinary as his crimes. He took over the government of Germany when it was in a shambles, restored order and prosperity, tore up the Versailles Treaty, and achieved unification of most ethnic Germans in central Europe under a single government without going to war.

Then he did go to war, which proved to be a disastrous mistake. Under the cloak of war, he initiated history's most infamous genocide. But it's important nonetheless not to demonize him, because what he did, others might do, and it's important to understand how he achieved the success he did. And you can't understand someone if you're determined to make him a boogie-man.

Some Germans saw the danger in Hitler and opposed him from the beginning (and usually ended up in concentration camps). But most Germans supported him wholeheartedly, adored him even. Why was that? What is it about people that leads them to support strong, even harsh, leadership at the expense of their own liberty, even if it leads to disaster? What Hitler gave Germany in the beginning is clear enough, and perhaps explains his popularity, which lasted until the war began to be lost. It's something any free people must be aware of as a possible danger, and guard against.

 

[Sunni Man]

Hitler was just misunderstood

 

[whitehall]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

 

[Mr. President]

If Hitler didn't attack Russia Europe would be one country and Asia would belong to the Ottoman Empire.

 

[Political Junky]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

Bush, Jr's. grandfather, Prescott Bush, Henry Ford, Charles A. Lindbergh, The Duke of Windsor all supported Hitler.

 

[namvet]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

Bush, Jr's. grandfather, Prescott Bush, Henry Ford, Charles A. Lindbergh, The Duke of Windsor all supported Hitler.

so did JFK's dad

 

[Political Junky]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that [B]JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

Bush, Jr's. grandfather, Prescott Bush, Henry Ford, Charles A. Lindbergh, The Duke of Windsor all supported Hitler.

so did JFK's dad

Uh huh

 

[USViking]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

Stop spreading lies, asshole.

JFK never said anything like this, and whover could believe he did say it
is too stupid to chew gum and walk at the same time.

 

[TruthSeeker56]

I don't have a problem with what JFK said about Hitler. Obviously, what JFK said can be easily taken out of context.

Hitler was not the "dominant" leader that history has led us to believe. From the late 1930s until the end of WW2, Hitler increasingly lost his grip on the "absolute power" that he THOUGHT he possessed.

Hitler's Germany was a case study in "the inmates running the asylum". For the most part, Hitler's top confidantes and advisors worked autonomously "behind the scenes". The vast majority of the "Nazi war criminals" were given (or assumed they had) the green light to do whatever the hell they wanted to do.

Hitler was oblivious to a lot of what happened. He really wasn't that bright, he was quite often disengaged, and he was a very poor "manager" and "planner".

 

[Cavgator]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

Kennedy's quotes are accurate. The same could be said of Lenin, Stalin and Mao. It doesn't change the fact that these were the greatest mass murderers of all time.

 

[Cavgator]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

Stop spreading lies, asshole.

JFK never said anything like this, and whover could believe he did say it
is too stupid to chew gum and walk at the same time.

Speaking of stupid...

Tell me, if he said the same about Lenin, Stalin and/or Mao, would it have been different to you?

 

[California Girl]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

You lied. Your thread title says quotes from Kennedy about how 'great' Hitler was. And you have not provided said quotes.

Idiot.

 

[California Girl]

Actually, Matthew, could you please provide the full reference for each quote. Where and when did Kennedy make such remarks. Then we will have the full context of said remarks - that is, assuming said remarks are actually true.

Thanks.

 

[Warrior102]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

Bush, Jr's. grandfather, Prescott Bush, Henry Ford, Charles A. Lindbergh, The Duke of Windsor all supported Hitler.

You're a fucking idiot

 

[Mad Scientist]

Webster says that the word "significant" indicates importance and nobody would argue that Hitler was an important influence in the 20th century. The real story is that JFK's father, old Joe Kennedy who was removed from his post as ambassador to England for his support of the Nazi regime before WW2.

Bush, Jr's. grandfather, Prescott Bush, Henry Ford, Charles A. Lindbergh, The Duke of Windsor all supported Hitler.

People forget that Socialism was a popular subject in the 20' and 30's as people looked for alternatives to boom and bust economic cycles. Hitler was Time Magazines' Person Of the Year precisely because of all that. That was just how that generation thought.

 

[editec]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

Yeah, so? Is this your feeble attempt to make us think Kennedy was lauding Hitler?

Hitler's memory achieved legendary status, has it not?

Hitler's name is now often used as a substitute for the word evil.

" You're like HITLER" is generally understood to meant that the speaker thinks you are evil does it not?

 

[rdean]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

I'm sorry, I missed the word "great". Mind highlighting?

 

[California Girl]

"Hitler... one of the most significant figures who ever lived"
President J.F. Kennedy



"Hitler will emerge from the hatred that surrounds him now as one of the most significant figures who ever lived...
He had a mystery about him in the way that he lived and in the manner of his death that will live and grow after him.
He had in him the stuff of which legends are made."
- John F. Kennedy,
President of the
United States of America

Yeah, so? Is this your feeble attempt to make us think Kennedy was lauding Hitler?

Hitler's memory achieved legendary status, has it not?

Hitler's name is now often used as a substitute for the word evil.

" You're like HITLER" is generally understood to meant that the speaker thinks you are evil does it not?

In fairness, when I referred to Hitler as a 'strong' leader, I got called a 'Nazi Lover'. Partisan hacks lean towards hyperbolic bullshit rather than rational thought.

 

[Dragon]

Kennedy was demonstrably correct. Hitler was an enormously important figure of the mid 20th century. His actions produced a war that reshaped a world.

Nor was he the embodiment of everything evil. He was a national leader who was responsible for some extremely evil acts. That doesn't mean everything he did was bad, only that some of what he did was VERY bad.

Now that the man has been dead for almost 70 years, it should be possible to approach him with greater rationality. Most people for whom he was a contemporary are no longer among the living. We should continue to condemn dictatorship, warmongering, racism, and genocide, but just because Hitler was guilty of these things is no reason to condemn a mixed economy, the rectification of post-WWI injustices, or vegetarianism on the basis that these were also things he did or practiced.

In any case, one cannot understand the events of the mid 20th century that resulted in the emergence of the Cold War international order without understanding Hitler. And one cannot understand anyone if one reacts badly to any description short of demonization.