This was germany, a beautiful country. A historic country. A prosperous country a modern country. The german people, a clean and tidy people. An educated people. A musical people. An industrys people. These people look all right. The mailman. The farmer, the cup, they are pretty much looking for his back home. Holding down jobs, raising families, enjoying life. They certainly look like the kind of people we can understand. Or can we . A quiet decent people who prepared 20 years to bring war into the world. A religious people who burned churches, persecute the faithful. A kindly people who accept blood purchase, concentration camps. A gentle people who tortured, starved, exterminate. These were men, they died in german concentration camps. These two were men. They didnt quite die. These bones were men, women and terminate children sent to be exterminated in a german camp. This is a scientifically designed gas chamber. This is a furnace. These, the childrens toys, carefully collected for the use of german children. These made by german guards. Objects of art made of human skin. music these were polls murdered by the germans. These were italians murdered by the germans before they left rome. These were belgians murdered by the germans. These were americans, defenseless prisoners of war murdered by the germans. These are some of the reasons why the german farmer, the german mailman and the german cop cant be quite like the people back home. Thats why we got to look a little deeper into the german character. The character of the people who plunged the world into a war. And each time claiming they were a victim. That is the puzzle weve got to solve if we are to save our children from the third war. The puzzle of that clean, industrious people. Fond of kids, fond of music, of tyranny, fond of aggressive and, fond of gas chambers. What gave the germans that character . What makes them think, act, feel this way . Taylor would have answered, german blood. Too many of our friends and neighbors have had german blood. That same blood we have seen in great americans. music for what makes them american is not any precious sort of blood, but the tradition we inherited. His tradition, not blood, that patterns the way we think, act and feel. Our ancestors came here to escape tyranny. Thats part of the american tradition. Thats why no american can believe in any government that is not of the people, by the people and for the people. They came to be able to pray in any way they wanted or in any church they wanted. Thats why freedom of religion is part of our institution. In school we learned none of us are any better than any other american, or any of us in the world. There is no privileged few that all men have equal rights. Best are to edition we were brought up in. Thats the tradition we were brought up in. At home, at school and at our jobs. That is the tradition that made us what we are. Now, what is the tradition that has made this man . How does it differ from ours . Thats what we have to find out. These were ideal german types. Lets call one of them carl schmidt. A member of the master race who goose stepped his way across an entire continent. His father did the same goosestep and followed the same road of conquest. And the grandfather of carl schmitt did the same goosestep entered the same path of aggression. The same goosestep, the same will of aggression, the same lust for conquest. He was known as the kaiser. Your grandfather remembers bismarck. Your fathers generation was threatened. In your grandfathers day the nazis and the prussians. Three different names for three different generations of germans attempting to put their will on others by force. Three generations following a tradition so different from ours. Lets go back even further and see how this tradition began. 150 years ago there was no single country. Instead, a loose conglomeration of 300 little states without a common history, religion or literature. In america we were living under the democratic cost to we enjoy today. The british could look back on hundreds of years of parliamentary government. The french had made their revolution in the name of liberty, equality, fraternity. But 300 Little German states were still property and ruled without the consent of their people. Not one had a constitution, not one had a parliament, not one had freedom of speech or of the press or of assembly. Instead, a rigidly organized medieval society, with all power centralized in the hands of a few lords. A prime example was prussia, the most aggressive of the german state. Where the military cast of land owners ruled their peasants with iron discipline. To perpetuate this futile militaristic society, the prussians established a rigid code of law, administered by a host of state officials, answering only to him. This was the perfect system to prevent any rise of liberty among the subject area and it was also the perfect system to make possible ruthless aggression i begin by taking i shall find scholars afterward to demonstrate my perfect right. music first he invaded prussias brother country without a declaration of war. [gunshots] the result, victory. For seven years he fought singlehanded against austria, russia, sweden and france. Thus creating throughout the other german states the myth that they were invincible. In 1786, frederick died but fredericks stream of conquest lived on. Nurtured and developed by the prussian militarist, was a guard at each war is only one campaign in an unending war for prussian supremacy in europe. To this end, the organizer and the strategist established the prussian general staff. The theorist set down their gospel in his famous book. Just as prussian the core of germany so germany can be the core of the future german empire of the west. The book became the bible of the prussian military. Conquered should be left with nothing of their eyes. Even as the militarists were plopping, a waves swept over europe. In ordinary men begin to fight for themselves and demand what had long been accepted in america, england and france. A constitution. The king of prussia answered, never must a scrap of paper come between me and my country. A constitution, a scrap of paper. Some citizens determined on liberty went to the barricades. The machinery of the prussian state went into action. The revolt died. The will to liberty was not Strong Enough within the people to defy the voice of authority. One result of which the love of liberty began to leave prussia. In the next 30 years, 2 million of them came to find freedom in the United States alone. While their cousins remain behind, were molded into ruthless ready to follow blindly the will of the leader. And leader arose. Otto von bismarck, appointed Prime Minister of prussia in 1862. A clever man, a shrewd man, but devoted to the prussian dream of conquest and a master of the prussian method of achieving. The Great Questions of the day will not be decided by resolutions of majorities, but by blood and iron and to go with it, ruthless discipline at home. As soon as anybody can show me that it is sound policy, i shall be equally satisfied to see our troops fire at the french, russians or the english. Two years after bismarck became Prime Minister he provoked a war against denmark. The result, victory. Two years later, against austria. The result, another victory. Four years later the great test against france. An amazed world stood by as prussia, until then a minor power, dared to challenge the strongest nation in europe. The result, another victory. This was the moment of triumph that changed the history of the world. The prussian dream of conquest was no longer a dream. The german princess saw the prussian Eagle Soaring triumphant in the european sky. Now they clammered on the bandwagon and united them to prussian leadership to join the german empire. And in the hall of mirrors in versailes and the heart of defeat, bismarck sides prussian king crowned german emperor. Absolute monarch of a new emperor. Founded on blood, iron and conquest. Its simple, victorious. Emblem of victory. Not the liberty bell, not the magna carta, not any symbol of freedom, but victoria, the symbol of conquest. Thus, prussia had created germany. And the myth of russian superiority had become the myth of the master race. And if the carl schmitt of that generation had any worries about the liberties that had been denied, they were now forgotten. In this moment of triumph, just to be a german was enough. In the newly created reich industry flourished as never before. The merchant fleet grew larger every day. German harbors were jammed with commerce. And german stomachs filled with beer and sausage. Germany had achieved unity, become rich, no other country threatened her. The world hoped for a peaceful, good neighbor. But the world had forgotten the prussian inheritance. A tradition not of peace and friendship, but of war and conquest. [gunshots] [singing] and by now, carl schmitt of the Second Generation. The father of the carl schmitt we had to fight was arrogantly singing germany, germany overall. As he probably watched his father lamb becoming the most aggressively nationalistic country in the world. Industry was carefully controlled to accord with the policies of the great general. But in the new right, bismarck added a fourth pillar to the structure of a warlike state. Fredericks militarist, landowners, and state officials had been joined by the big industrials. A gigantic Railroad System was laid out, more according to strategic war plans than the necessities of peacetime trade. One of the largest navies was constructed. The army was built up to staggering proportions. And the german officer the personification of the envision. In german colleges, the sport of german use was not football, but the deadly jewel. The scar was the badge of honor. The more scars the handsomer. Did they not for the mans palace in arms. And competitively watching all stood the great general staff. Still directed by the prussians. Securing their knowledge that their power and knowledge was indisputable. Germany was geared for war. All it needed was a new leader to give the word. And again, that leader was at hand. William the second. The kaiser that your father knew. Not a shrewd cynic like bismarck, but in arrogant , yet a leader in the german tradition. We germans like to bear arms and we like war. What did Carl Schmitts fathers say to all this . [chanting] a german spark is always ignited the fire. Soon everything will be a flame. [chanting] through one International Crisis after the other, the kaiser rattled his sword, loudly demanding germanys place in the sun. In vain, other powers proposed international agreement, but disarmament did not suit the plans of the german military, landowners, state officials, or industrialists. They wanted their own way and their own way made more. War was inevitable. music [explosion] how did the Second Generation react to the prospect of a world war . Berlin took on the air of a carnival. Blindly, joyfully the people cheered the kaiser, eager to follow the leader under a new conquest. Thus in august of 1914, carl schmitt of the Second Generation, indoctrinated with 150 years of prussian tradition, marched off to set the world aflame. Had he not been taught . Did he not believe that whatever germany demands is right . Even when he marched through belgium, dismissing a solemn neutrality path as the scrap of paper. Even when german scientist developed poison gas in violation of international agreements, which germany had solemnly signed. Even when, in violation of all the agreed codes of war, german uboats had unarmed merchant ships without warning. Thus what his father had done to france, to denmark, to austria, the secondgeneration carl schmitt attempted to do to the world. Our own president wilson said i was for a little while, unable to believe that things would be done by any government, that had subscribed to the human practices of civilized nations. music but then when we realized we were directly threatened, when every protest was ignored, and germany carried dont war into our own waters, did we feel compelled to fight. music [singing] music [shouting] [gunshots] [explosion] finally, under the combined attack of the allies, the german army started to crumble, to fall back, to run from battle. Germany was at the mercy of the allies. General von ludendorff, the german chief of staff and dictator was forced to send a secret message to the berlin government. The author of peace must be transmitted immediately. The army cannot wait another 48 hours. The allies could ramp the or fight on to unconditional surrender. The wartime french leader urged that the allies should march triumphant into berlin. Our own general persian said, complete victory can only be obtained like continuing the war until we force unconditional surrendering. But the world would not listen. So was the thought of peace that the armistice was granted. We celebrate. Not only because the war was over, the because it seemed we put an end to german militarism forever. Hadnt the german army been beaten . Hadnt the german plan for conquest failed . [ head of the kaiser right to holland. And seek refuge in sweden. Wasnt germany now in the public, apparently like our own, facing a liberty and equality . Didnt that prove carl schmitt had rid himself of the old german tradition . Thats what your father thought he celebrated in 1918. Lets see what really happened. When defeat was imminent, the men who caused the war stepped conveniently into the background, leading the leaving the week opposition parties to take over. That is how germany became a republic. It had elected representatives all the appearances of democracy. The but need the surface the old german system when on as before. The state officials of the kaisers empire over the state officials of the new republic. The industrialists of the empire around the industries of the republic. Even the same teachers presided over the same classrooms, preaching the same gospel of nationalism and german racial superiority. And above all, the general staff of the empire continued to function, even though secretly. Old germany still lived and carl schmitt too had never really change. In the first place he never believed that his army had been defeated. During the four years of the war he was told only of an unending string of victory. News of defeat had been kept from him. When the fighting ceased, was in his Glorious Army still on soil. Germany itself still uninvaded. And because germany was granted an armistice instead of being forced to unconditional surrender. Carl schmitt never saw soldiers marching through his cabins, instead, the german army home again after the armistice. Like the army of frederick the great, like bismarcks army. Why then did germany sign an armistice, carl schmitt asked himself . Why when youre in a half later was he called the shame treaty of their site . I was germany, in his judgment and undefeated germany, excepting the penalties of defeat . Carl schmitt was looking for a scapegoat. He found one. The one the german war leaders always planned that he should find. Carl schmitt never blamed the men who had caused the war. Instead, he blamed the men who would assign the piece. The illfated german republic met a bunch of traders that had stabbed the fatherland in the back. The general staff, the great landowners, the industrialists, state officials smiled content. Not only had they escaped blame themselves, but they smeared the idea of democracy and germany. It was a blow from which it would never recover. Carl schmitt would go back to the old tradition. The tradition of frederick and bismarck and the kaiser. The tradition of militarism and war. But wasnt the versailles treaty designed to prevent carl schmitt starting another war . They agreed to limit their army to 100,000 men to hand over their fleet, to demilitarized mainland and postal fortification. They found themselves never again to build an airforce or submarine, and to force a treaty. A loan sector for five years. There was the league of nations designed to prevent germany or any other country from starting a war of aggression. Yet only 20 years later, the Carl Schmitts of our generation were on their way again for another try and smashing the world into submission. music how was carl schmitt unable to rearm so quickly . Germany faced hard times. But in germany, careful manipulation made its results much worse for the millions of Carl Schmitts. Making them rich and canceled the huge debt of the landowners. It broke carl schmitt. Then came the depression. That cost him his job. So hunter was added to his resentment and bitterness. This was the moment for which the holy quartet now the militarists, the landowners, state officials, the industrialists emerged from their self taught obscurity. Their plans were ready. Now they went to work. What is the cause of your troubles . The treaty of versailles. Who signed the treaty act . The democrats. And why are you starving . To pay for reparations. Who started the war so the crown prince and the french . Who lost the war . The democrats, the communists, the traders. Carl schmitt listened, he was hearing the story he wanted to hear. Victim of a vast conspiracy he told himself. The world was against him and once again he was being taught to hate. Once again he was looking for revenge. And revenge was possible because the world allowed him to tear up the versailles treaty, clause by clause. Instead of enforcing it, we americans refused to sign it and withdrew our army of occupation after only nine months. The british, even though germany was consistently violating, pulled out after five years. The french made one final attempt to enforce the treaty and marched into the. But this made them so unpopular in a world drenched with heartbreaking propaganda. Now, lets see what would have happened had the treaty been enforced. Without a general staff, germany could not have planned world war ii. From a demilitarized land, she could not have attacked france. Without an air force with an army of 100,000 she could not attack the soviet union. Without submarines, she could not have threaten our own atlantic lifeline. The treaty of versailles was not important. As for the league of nations, we refused to join it. So once again, the germans began to march. Not in the open at first, but on the skys drill field. Or as the socalled technical exhilarated course, formed to help cases strike. Vigilante groups claiming to protect the citizens against communism. Or in school, simply under the name of but always under the supervision of army officers. The old german tradition was on its way back. But to the victorious allies, the german leaders sang a different tune. Peace, friendship and a piteous cry for help. Germanys fate is the fate of the world, visit your beautiful country myself. The situation today is extremely difficult. [inaudible] germanys former enemies are oppressing here above endurance. When the german leaders wind they were too poor to pay reparations, we believed them. The result . Not only did they not pay one penny. They received additional billions in loans. It didnt occur to most of us that they would use this money to build up their industry for another war. We began to sympathize with carl schmitt. Why should he suffer because his father started a war . Maybe the versailles treaty wasnt fair. Maybe the french had been too tough. Or maybe was the british. Maybe wilson wasnt very practical. Once again, we were determined to see only the Pleasant Side of the german character. A clean and tidy people. A musical people. An industrious people. This historic country, this beautiful country. But behind this peaceful facade, the germans prepared again for aggression. music as germany began to rearm, its leaders planned the deathblow for the german republic. True, they had already taken it over for their purposes, installing hindenburg as president. But it was still in structure a democracy, and that meant liberals and unions and free speech. Free opposition. The german leaders new what the kaiser had known. That you cant start ruthless aggression abroad without ruthless discipline at home. Therefore, the time had come for the republic to be eliminated. To achieve this, they needed a tool with which to appeal to the germans old passion for superiority and conquest. Not a feudal monarch this time. Nor an aristocratic landowner like bismarck. But an ex corporal of the german army with a gleam in his eye and the power to arouse a mob. Preaching the same old doctrine as his predecessors. The old doctrine that had never failed to arouse the german people. Himself jobless, uneducated, cowardly, resentful, hitler gathered around in misfits like himself. People obssessed with grievances. People who werent as prominent as they thought they should be. People with inferiority complexes who wanted to shout with the crowd. People who wanted power but were too lazy to work for it. Sheep anxious to be led, dope addicts, perverts, bullies, franks. Those germans who were liberally minded regarded hitler as a joke or a nuisance. But the german nationalists, they knew his possibility. They knew he was capable of administering the deathblow to the german republic, forging the german people into a single mold. Backed by the militarists who saw a chance to build a mighty war machine, backed by the monarchists who saw in him their chance to restore power to the throne, backed by big business who saw in him their chance of economic domination of the world, backed by thousands of ordinary germans who saw in him their chance to snub conquerors around the world with the backing of all these groups. Hitler soared ahead, skillfully appealing to the german tradition the cry of the master race, the nazis promised all things to the nazi men. To the workers, they promise higher wages. To the employers, lower wages. To the tenants they promised lower rent. To the landlords, higher rent. To the farmers, higher prices. To the consumer, lower prices. Most of all, they promised revenge on the world, that germany would become its most powerful empire. Hitler knew his audience. And by 1933, the nazi received more votes than any other political party. Von handed installed hitler as its leader. This was the deathblow the nationalists had planned. The german republic was dead. Four weeks later, [inaudible] there was no debate. The deputies were stooges who were applauded, got played, went home. Trade unions were abolished. Instead, the german labor front. To discipline the workers antiquing them what to think. Music, literature, all outlawed and destroyed unless it supported what the german leaders were trying to sell. Scientists, physicians, their professions were banned to them unless they supported the nazi ideology. Bismarck added the industrialists to the fourth pillar of the state. Hitler added a fifth. The professional gangsters, armed thugs. The german officer was the ideal of the kaisers germany the stormtroops became the idols of hitler. Persecution was on the march. Freedom of speech, that met concentration camps. Death. Freedom of religion, riots. Church burnings. Freedom of opinion, the executioner of his acts. Freedom of the press, the gestapo took care of that. Carl schmitt could be indoctrinated like his father and grandfather before him. But this time, even more thoroughly, more efficiently with all the resources of science and the modern state. The german press became a nazi press. The german airwaves opened only to nazi voices, nazi books, nazi pamphlets. These were all the people could read. Nazi speeches, nazi dramas, nazi music. These were all the people could hear. The art of germany, the sculpture, the paintings, the drama, all regimented to serve one purpose, the indoctrination of carl schmitt. One voice only must be heard by carl schmitt. One voice from the cradle to the grave. The voice of hitler, hitler, hitler, hitler. Microphones were used. They recorded his voice so that all of germany and others throughout the world could receive his message of hate. Hitler was photographed from the front, from the back, from the right, from the left, from every angle. Hitler, hitler, hitler, hitler sobbing, hitler smiling, hitler shouting, hitler working his people into a frenzy. [chanting] in my schools, the youths would grow up. There must be no tenderness in you. I want to see in their eyes the gleam of the beast of prey. Brutality is respected. I shall spread terror. Today, germany. Tomorrow, the world. Thats how carl schmitt got his soul. Thats how the general staff, the big industrialists, state officials, the landowners, the gangster chieftains, put their plans into affect and prepared carl schmitt for his generations attempt to smash the world into submission. Thats how carl schmitt was trained for conquest, just as his father was trained by the leaders of his generation and his father before him. Each generation accepting and adding to the german tradition, the tradition of ruthlessness and barbarism. The tradition of a master race. The tradition of german superiority. A false picture of the world inside german heads. These are some of the explanations for the murdered pols. The murdered italians in rome. The murdered belgians. The murdered americans. These are the reasons why in our generation, nearly 30 million men have had to die. Because deep in the soul of carl schmitt has been planted the love of aggression and conquest. Unless that passion is uprooted, 100 years hence, a new generation of germans will find a new leader who will show them the way. How shall that be prevented . A sound beginning has been made. This time, things are being done differently. At the end of the last war, an armistice by negotiation. This time, unconditional surrender. Today, carl schmitt knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was defeated. At the end of the last war, german armies paraded through berlin. This time, music the legend of german invincibility lie a shattered myth. After the last war, the german general staff continued to function. Today, not only the general staff of the entire german Officers Court will be dissolved. They will be forever prevented from plotting another german attempt at world conquest. After the last war, german industry was unimpaired. Today, much of it lies in ruins and such undamaged industrial plants are permitted to operate will operate under a live control. After the last war, the same state officials remained in office. Today, any nazi is forever barred from having power. After the last war, the kaiser found refuge. Today, war criminals must answer for their crimes. After the last war, german education was untouched. Today, all nazi doctrine has been destroyed. New textbooks prepared for german youth under our direction not the germans. After the last war, this small area of germany was occupied. Today, every square inch is under the authority of life troops. At the end of the last war, this was the government of germany. Today, this is the government. We have come to germany not as liberators, but as conquerors. This time, we shall remain for 10 years, for 20, if necessary, forever. Carl schmitt himself will determine how long. We shall not leave until carl schmitt has come to realize that he himself is responsible for not only the past, but the future. We have rid him of hitler and the general staff, and nazism and militarism. We have not rid him of frederick and bismarck and the kaiser, of his history and traditions. That he must do for himself. Until he does, he is still a potential enemy of civilization. Only when he does can he take his place in the society of man. Then and then only will the german farmer, the german mailman, the german cop be like the folks back home. Then and then only can beautiful germany, industrious germany, cultured germany join the peaceful nations of the world. music music you are watching American History tv. Every weekend on cspan3, explore our nations past. Cspan3, created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought you today by your television provider. Thursday morning, acting Homeland Security secretary chad wulf and fbi director Christopher Wray testify at a House Committee hearing on threats to national security. Watch live coverage beginning at nine eastern on cspan 3, online at cspan. Org or listen life with the freak cspan radio app. The statue of Young Eisenhower as a teenage boy sitting on a stone block looking in the direction of two of his greatest accomplishments, president of the United States, and Supreme Commander of the allied expeditionary forces. Thursday 7 pm eastern on cspan to, watch live coverage of the dedication ceremony for the new dwight the eisenhower memorial in washington, d. C. Just off the National Mall and at the base of capitol hill. Speakers include memorial designer frank gehry, former secretary of state condoleezza rice, Memorial Commission chair senator pat roberts and president eisenhowers grandchildren, david and susan eisenhower. The dedication of the new dwight the eisenhower memorial live at 7 pm eastern on cspan two online at cspan. Org or listen live on the cspan radio app. Weeknights this month, we are featuring American History tv programs as a preview of what is available every weekend on cspan 3. Thursday night, a look at reconstruction amendments. Daniel crofts discusses his books lincoln and the politics of slavery the other 13th amendment and the struggle to save the union. He describes how in 1861, lincoln and the Republican Party is supported a constitutional amendment quite different from the one that was eventually ratified in 1865. Watch thursday beginning at 8 pm eastern, American History tv this week and every weekend on cspan3. That bird on the wing is