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The information here comes from books written by legitimate historians along with reputable news media and/or internet sources. The first amendment of our Constitution allows me to express these facts and opinions.
Adolf Hitler was born to a relatively poor family in Austria-Hungary. After moving to Germany, he enlisted in the Bavarian Army at the outset of World War I, ultimately rising to the rank of Gefreiter, which is comparable to a Lance Corporal (above Private, below Corporal). He served as Regimental Message Runner, often in the trenches. An exploding shell damaged his left leg, removing him temporarily from the front. Later he suffered temporary blindness and loss of his voice from mustard gas. He was honored twice for bravery.
Harboring resentment about the outcome of the Great War and the Versailles Treaty, Hitler rose to power in the 1930s on a platform based on intense nationalism, and on the notion of the superiority of the Aryan "Race," something he genuinely believed to be true (despite his own physical shortcomings -- he was no Adonis). Over time he became obsessed with hatred of Jews and revenge against England, France and Russia. Enabled by an "inner circle" of like-minded advisors, he developed a lust for unchecked power. Chronic physical pain and a dependency on experimental drugs administered by his doctor had a profound effect on his mental state.
Donald Trump's father was a very wealthy businessman, giving nearly half a billion dollars to Donald over time through various types of trust funds and business transactions. He avoided being drafted during the Vietnam War through student deferments and a medical deferment after a podiatrist diagnosed him with bone spurs in his feet. The only battles he would fight were against banks, lawyers and competing businessmen.
Late in life, Trump rose to power in 2016 by erecting a platform based on right-wing populism, offering to "drain the swamp" of corrupt politicians. He appealed to white, mainstream voters in less educated states through conspiracy theories, especially about the previous President, Barack Obama. After losing his bid for reelection and being indicted for several crimes, Trump went about the business of superloading conspiracy theories, asserting the 2020 election had been stolen. As the economy was slow to improve after Covid, a weakened President Joe Biden stepped away and Kamala Harris became the democratic candidate in 2024. Trump found the opening he needed to regain power in 2024.
There is no excuse for what Hitler did. He masterminded the most horrific and brutal attack on humanity in history. Nevertheless, to ignore the circumstances leading up to World War II and the rise of Hitler is to invite a repeat performance.
The Treaty of Versailles was overly harsh, placing full responsibility on Germany when, in fact, all the major powers in Europe were involved in the kind of arms escalation and greed-driven imperialism in Africa and Asia that was bound to trigger a major conflict.
My point is that Hitler's ambition was rooted in an ideology, a world view that his country had suffered a terrible injustice. It was incumbent upon him to see her rise from the ashes. It was, at least in the beginning, not about him as an individual. It was about the Fatherland, and it was Hitler's voice that would lead the people home.
Trump's ambition comes from a very different place. There is no ideological basis, unless it has something to do with white superiority (which I don't think he really cares much about). He doesn't embrace the ideals of brotherly love, or Christian compassion, or alms and empathy, or even real patriotism. He has no sense of the Arts beyond how they translate into profit. The Art of the Deal is nothing like Mein Kampf - it is devoid of the kind of soaring idealistic rhetoric that characterized Hitler's over-the-top love of country. Trump's power game is simpler; it's about material gain, about ego, about revenge, about reducing others as a means of elevating himself.
One of these men's legacy might be summed up as follows: He was a megalomaniac who was able to tap into the raw emotions of a disheartened nation and to spur the people into unspeakable acts of violence and inhumanity through his charisma and rhetorical strength, thus making him one of the most notorious leaders in history.
The other might go something like this: He was a narcissist who was able to either fool or bribe or collude with enough of the population in order to enrich himself and become the most corrupt capitalist and brazen con-man in history.
Pete Howard, author of “Rosebud Dreamworld,” lives in Dunkirk.