Reconstruction Era South vs. Post WWI Germany

Taking this class has helped me refine a thought I have long held- the story of Reconstruction Era South parallels that of post WWI Germany.

Think about it- both nations had suffered utter defeat at the hands of their enemies. Both were forced to sign unconditional surrenders, the South at Appomattox, Germany at the Treaty of Versailles. In both cases, each nation was forced to pay reparations in one form or another. The South had to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, while Germany was forced to repay the Allies for money spent fighting the war. Both nations were also subject to legal and military restrictions as well.

The South and Germany both felt humiliated before those that defeated them. Southerners would feel a long distrust and animosity with the North that continues to this day. Germans resented the treaty and felt open hostility against the rest of Europe that would later resurface in WWII.

The similarities get even uglier. Both the remnants of the Confederate states and the nation of Germany would find a convenient scapegoat for their troubles- blacks in the South and Jews in Germany. In each respective case, the blacks and Jews were the most powerless class. Easy to blame, racial and ethnic violence would begin to spread. We see the uprising of the Ku Klux Klan and rise of the Nazi party.

Here's the scary thought- what separates these nations is a great leader. In Germany, a charismatic firebrand by the name of Adolf Hitler would unite the country and in a short time, turn it into a world power once more. Despite the slogan "the South Will Rise Again", it never did. I believe this is because there was never a leader to galvanize the Old South and challenge the North for states' rights.

The Civil War was a long time ago, but I believe the results of Reconstruction could have been a bit more frightening when you compare it to the aftermath of WWI.

Jason Herbert
AMH 1041
TR 10:05