The major underlying question is if the systematic murder of the European Jews was formulated before World War II or during it. Was the destruction, removal, and annihilation of the Jews part of his overall plan for the German empire? This debate between the Intentionalists (Hitler had the idea of removal/murder all along) and the Functionalists (Other solutions towards anti-Semitism did not work; murder was the only option) is verbalized in the opinions of the three authors. Dawidowicz is an ultraintentionalist and argues that as early as 1919, Hitler had decided to exterminate the European Jews (Browning, 97). Schleunes argues that although Hitler had voiced, as early as 1919, his wishes to exterminate the Jews

Hitler believed that if Germany were to be strong, it must be united on the principle of racial unity. The Jews were an easy scapegoat for Germany losing World War I. What bothers me most is that the world was well aware of the German efforts to exterminate the Jews, first from Germany, then from the world. With his rise to political power, Hitler was very sensitive to global politics and sought first to emigrate Jews to other parts of the world. There was a conference or many global powers (US, Britain, France, etc) held in France to evaluate and discuss the growing number of refugee Jews which concluded with minimal action. This non-response sent a clear message to Germany as well as to the rest of the world that the “Allies” would not be assisting the fleeing Jews and would not be stopping Germany in their mass exodus of the Jews, and basically, not stopping the Germans at all. The clarity in the no decision made by this conference showed Hitler that forced emigration would not be possible. Thus, he needed a “final solution’.

Was Hitler an evil man? Yes. However, I strongly feel that despite his extremely strong anti-Semitism, the murder of the Jewish people was not only not his top priority, but more so, not his prime intention. He believed in a pure German nation and blamed the Jews on many of the faults and downfalls of the German state, yet he did not conceive, as early as 1919 to exterminate, by death, all the Jews in Germany and Europe. Yet, the order for a final solution could only come from Hitler himself, yet he had hesitated. Not only December of 1941, can most scholars and historians conclude, that he gave the final order for the mass annihilation of the European Jews. Relocation, Emigrating, and ruining life for the Jews was not enough, but the German Fuhrer was backed up in a tight spot. The United States had entered the War (upon attack of Pearl Harbor). The German army in Russia was stopped, not because of their fighting capabilities, but because of the Russian winter – their strongest weapon. He had Jews in concentration camps and he needed to bury his evidence. Hitler therefore had no choice but to order his final solution: death.

Some topics in this essay:
Final Solution, Jews Jews, Britain France, Jews Europe, Jews Germany, War II, Germany German, Mein Kempf, Harbor German, Intentionalists Hitler, final solution, world war, jews germany, european jews, strong anti-semitism, hitler’s anti-semitism, world war ii, war ii, germany world, formulation final solution, hitler blamed, exterminate jews, strong anti-semitism mein, murder european jews, germany world war,