Geopolitik
Lucas Myers
HIST 335
Exam 1 Essay
11/11/2013
Geopolitik Coming out of World War I, Germany was beaten back both emotionally and physically. Facing enormous reparations, Germany had to give up parts of their territory, mainly lands containing important pieces of Germany’s coal and steel industries. This led to hyperinflation of the German currency, the Mark. Faced with a lack of strategic resources, an unhappy populous stuck holding money with no value, and the fact that the German people were spread amongst multiple countries after borders were redrawn as a part of the Versailles treaty, Germany was in shambles (Authentic History Center). This led to Adolf Hitler rising to power with a geopolitical and military plan for restoring Germany’s former glory and advancing the German race. Geopolitik, the German geopolitical strategy outlined by Karl Haushofer and adapted by Hitler, was the basis for Hitler’s plans outlined in the Hossbach Memorandum to expand Germany. Geopolitik refers to the German geopolitical strategy developed during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The German geopolitical strategy was developed by Karl Haushofer and adopted by Hitler. Haushofer believed that geography was integral to the formation and growth of a nation. One of Haushofer’s favorite quotes was from Sir Thomas Holdich regarding “the absolutely immeasurable cost of geographical ignorance” (Weigert 732). Haushofer’s geopolitical strategy focused around two main ideas: lebensraum (living space) and autarkie. Lebensraum was the idea that Germany needed to strategically acquire more territory for its population to expand comfortably. Autarkie called for Germany to become entirely self-sufficient. The goal of Germany was to create a world with three super-powers: a pan-America hegemony over the western hemishpere, a pan-eurafrica hegemony where Germany ruled over Europe, Asia, and Siberia, and finally a pan-asian hegemony with Japan controlling east, south, and southeast Asia.
HIST 335
Exam 1 Essay
11/11/2013
Geopolitik Coming out of World War I, Germany was beaten back both emotionally and physically. Facing enormous reparations, Germany had to give up parts of their territory, mainly lands containing important pieces of Germany’s coal and steel industries. This led to hyperinflation of the German currency, the Mark. Faced with a lack of strategic resources, an unhappy populous stuck holding money with no value, and the fact that the German people were spread amongst multiple countries after borders were redrawn as a part of the Versailles treaty, Germany was in shambles (Authentic History Center). This led to Adolf Hitler rising to power with a geopolitical and military plan for restoring Germany’s former glory and advancing the German race. Geopolitik, the German geopolitical strategy outlined by Karl Haushofer and adapted by Hitler, was the basis for Hitler’s plans outlined in the Hossbach Memorandum to expand Germany. Geopolitik refers to the German geopolitical strategy developed during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The German geopolitical strategy was developed by Karl Haushofer and adopted by Hitler. Haushofer believed that geography was integral to the formation and growth of a nation. One of Haushofer’s favorite quotes was from Sir Thomas Holdich regarding “the absolutely immeasurable cost of geographical ignorance” (Weigert 732). Haushofer’s geopolitical strategy focused around two main ideas: lebensraum (living space) and autarkie. Lebensraum was the idea that Germany needed to strategically acquire more territory for its population to expand comfortably. Autarkie called for Germany to become entirely self-sufficient. The goal of Germany was to create a world with three super-powers: a pan-America hegemony over the western hemishpere, a pan-eurafrica hegemony where Germany ruled over Europe, Asia, and Siberia, and finally a pan-asian hegemony with Japan controlling east, south, and southeast Asia.
Cited: "The Road to War: Germany: 1919-1939." The Road to War: Germany: 1919-1939. The Authentic History Center, 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Lebensraum." Lebensraum. About.com, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. <http://history1900s.about.com/library/holocaust/aa110899.htm>. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143. Accessed on 11/10/2013 Weigert, Hans W. "Haushofer and the Pacific (Geopolitik Des Pazifischen Ozeans by Karl Haushofer)." Foreign Affairs July 1942: 732. Print.