Before the Stock Market Crash of 1929, both Germany and America were extremely different countries. The American nation was one where economic individualism flourished, prosperity seemed endless and where confidence for the future abounded. The government had a policy of non-intervention and many believed the “American Way” of “letting things be” was infal

Hitler faced his opposition in a much different way. He had many groups such as the Secret Police and his Storm Troopers whose main function was to police the state and destroy opposition. “Those people or groups who sought to oppose were either suppressed, intimidated or eliminated.” (Cantwell, 1994: 274) The people who lived under Hitler were forced to take on his beliefs and accept his policies or face the very brutal consequences.

After the Crash of ‘29, Germany was plunged into further turmoil while America was faced with a situation it had never experienced before. The Stock Market resulted in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Unemployment soared, people lost their homes and life savings. In America, the government of the time was headed by President Hoover. He believed that, in time, the economy would regain its past position. However, many were dissatisfied with his apathetic attitude and lost all confidence for the future. In Germany, the Depression worsened conditions and people became even unhappier with the government. This atmosphere gave way to the rise of the popularity of extreme political parties such as the NSDAP or Nazi Party and the Communist Party, who offered control in a time of chaos. The tense atmosphere in both countries was perfect for the rise of both Hitler and Roosevelt.

Hitler also used the policy of government intervention in business and commerce. He advocated a policy of autarky, which involved government direction, self-sufficiency, limited imports and government spending channelled into industry. (Lacey and Shepherd, 1997: 126) Other methods that Hitler used to lower unemployment included the creation of new jobs by removing certain people from other ones. He encouraged women to remain at home with the introduction of marriage loans. (Newton, 1990: 207) Perhaps most brutal was the removal of Jewish people from their jobs. This allowed unemployment figures to drop, as unemployed people were then able to take the vacant jobs. Conscription was also introduced and much of German industry was centred upon the rearmament of the armed forces. All these methods reduced unemployment figures, yet

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