Lecture Notes: Historical Insights on WWII and the 1930s

The 1936 Berlin Olympics

• Berlin hosted the Olympics, projecting a positive image of Nazi Germany.
  • Anti-semitism was kept under wraps.
  • No signs of persecution were visible during the games.
• Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, Jewish American athletes, were excluded from the relay team.
  • Suspected political motives to avoid embarrassing Hitler.
• Jesse Owens, an African American athlete, won four gold medals.
  • His victories challenged Hitler's racial superiority ideas.
  • Hitler left the stadium in anger after Owens' win.
• Germany won many medals, boosting national pride.

The Rise of Media Influence

• FDR used mass media to lift spirits during the Great Depression.
  • Hired photographers to document the era.
  • Use of radio and the Fireside Chats to communicate with the public.
  • Newsreels showcased positive government actions and advancements.

Nazi Germany's Propaganda Machine

• Joseph Goebbels controlled the press and utilized mass media.
  • Radios and loudspeakers disseminated Nazi propaganda.
  • Films like Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will deified Hitler.
  • Propaganda films portrayed Germans as the superior