Aggression in the 1930s

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are two of the most prominent figures in world history.  Both are intimidating personalities recognized as dictators in their own countries.  Hitler and Stalin are also similar for having significant roles in the aggression in the 1930s that was World War II.  However, it must be noted that Hitler had a more distinct role in the World War II than Stalin.  Though both men were active dictators during the Second World War.

Adolf Hitler had a bigger responsibility in the conflict than Joseph Stalin.

Hitler and Stalin were both dictators.  It is appropriate to give them such title as they had absolute power over their respective countries.  They had similar strategies and motives in terms of their aggression that resulted in the war.

For instance, both men were motivated by a superiority complex.  Hitler was a firm believer in the superiority of the German race (Weinberg, 2008).  He asserted that Germany needed vast areas of land for expansion, so he attacked other countries to create an expansive territory for Germans.  It was this attack which brought Hitler and Germany at the helm of the global conflict.

Likewise, Stalin also had a superiority complex.  Immediately after succeeding Lenin as the head of the Soviet Union, Stalin inspired a culture of self-glorification (Perry, 1989).  It was therefore no surprise that Stalin entered into an agreement with Hitler.

The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact stated that the Soviet Union would not intervene with the German aggression against Poland on the grounds that it would receive half of the acquired Polish territory (Knight, 2008; Perry, 1989).

However, despite the distinct similarity, there was a significant difference between the political roles they played in the Second World War.  Hitler proved to be the more aggressive dictator, as he initiated the war itself.  On the other hand, Stalin merely tolerated Hitler’s aggression.  Though the Soviet Union had made an alliance with Germany, this did not guarantee immunity from the said aggression (Weinberg, 2008).

Stalin and the rest of the Soviet Union were alarmed when Germans attacked them (Knight, 2008).  It became evident that Germany was in the center of the war, since it began to bypass the authority of the nations it had alliances with.

Eventually, it was proven that Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war than Stalin.  Stalin was a mere participant in the German aggression; in time, he and his country became the victims.  It was Hitler who was in control of the war situation.

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators who took part in the aggression during the 1930s, resulting in the historical event known as World War II.

Their aggression was both motivated by a sense of superiority, and their strategy included the participation in the war.  Nonetheless, there was a difference between the leaders.  Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war, since he started the international conflict.  He was powerful enough to undermine an alliance with the Soviet Union to further his ends.

Meanwhile, Stalin’s aggression was only evident in the agreement with Germany.  Hence, Adolf Hitler had a bigger political role in the Second World War.

References

Perry, M. (1989). A History of the World.  Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin.

Knight, A. (2008). Joseph Stalin. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin.html

Weinberg, G. (2008). Adolf Hitler. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556540/Hitler.html