Hitler was wrong to use German kids for his own pleasure, and protection for his army. These kids’ lives were changed for the worse. Many kids did not even get to finish their education. Kids did not even get to do anything fun, because Hitler banned it. Hitler used youth to ensure that his legacy would be carried on, because their minds are easier to manipulate.
Many German children were part of Hitler’s youth movement. Kids of all ages were part of the Hitler youth. There were six to ten-year-old boys that mostly did outdoor activities like “hiking, rambling and camping”, which prepared them for military training when they got older (History on the Net). Among the Hitler youth, there were also ten to thirteen-year-old boys, and military training was more of a priority than outdoor activities. Although military training was higher in priority, these boys also learned how to look at different things, like race, from a Nazi point of view. Trying to get as many kids as possible, Hitler also had fourteen to eighteen-year-old boys.
They were trained to be soldiers “by doing military activities” (History on the Net). Surprisingly, Hitler used girls as well, but the girls did not train like the boys did. Girls ages ten to fourteen were part of “the Young Maidens” (History on the Net). The girls were also taught good health practices, Nazi views and how to be “good mothers and house wives” (History on the Net). Girls ages fourteen to twenty-one were part of a different league called “the League of German Maidens” (History on the net). Girls furthered their training here. Hitler wanted to shape young minds, so that people believed what he did.
Also, when the kids got older and had kids, the parents could tell their kids about Hitler and what they needed to believe. Convinced to teach all the children to believe as he did, Hitler used both boys and girls, because boys can do some things that girls cannot and girls can do some things boys cannot. Boys, who were in the Hitler youth, did more physical training. They also had basic training with weapons. Girls did not do military things like the boys. Also, girls were part “of the League of German girls” (Chen). Boys were normally expected to do more than girls, because the boys needed to be ready to go and fight on the battle front.
While Hitler targeted both boys and girls, he used propaganda, which worked, to make both genders believe as he did. “The Nazi party targeted German youth as a special audience for its propaganda messages” (Indoctrinating Youth). Hitler used propaganda, because it was one of many ways to get some to believe the same thing he did. Above a certain age, minds are really hard to manipulate, so Hitler used children. Hitler drastically changed kid’s lives. Amazingly, Hitler even changed up what kids were taught. Trying to gain power, he banned boy scouts and other “children’s groups associated with political movements” (Blackmore). Hit with a great idea, Hitler knew that if he could change certain things, kids would listen to him, because they would know that he has power.
It soon was realized that the true goal of the Hitler youth was to use the kids to make more soldiers for the German Reich. Starting in 1943, boys that were seventeen and older had to serve in the military. At this time, Hitler needed more soldiers for the Reich. Irritated by the war, Hitler did not seem to care later; how old the kids were that he put on the front line of the Reich. Since allied armies were coming into Germany, Hitler got even younger boys than before to go on the front line. Surprisingly, Hitler used the kids for the protection of the Reich.
Hitler used kids to make sure his legacy would continue, because younger minds are easier to influence than an older mind. Therefore, Hitler had to use younger kids rather than adults. If Hitler used adults, it would have been much harder to convince them that he was teaching the right thing to do.
