Plan for Destruction

This documentary was nominated for an Academy Award and looks at the intentions of the Nazis in future globl domination had they successfully prosecuted WWII. Fascinating (and more than a bit chilling) look at just how detailed the plans were for the systematic looting of funds and resources on a global scale for their own benefit. Turner Classic Movies shows this as filler between films and almost invariably airs this each March as a part of the Thirty-one Days of Oscar they do annually. Highly recommended.

"Plan for Destruction" was included in the "Crime Does Not Pay" DVD collection from Turner Entertainment. However, this film really does not appear to be a part of the set and bears no similarity to the other films in the series. It really is just a wartime propaganda short from MGM--albeit a well made one.

The film is narrated by Lewis Stone and is a film showing the progression of Germany from the end of WWI to the power-made nation it was in 1943. However, it looked at this in an unusual manner--focusing on an actual but mostly forgotten general and college professor, Karl Haushofer (played by the familiar character actor Frank Reicher). Haushofer's notion of 'goepolitik' was that Germany was destined to rule the world and his teachings fit in wonderfully with the Nazis. However, the short-term benefit of such a policy is more than balanced by the resolve of the united nations of the US, Soviet Union, etc. according to this film.

This is clearly a WWII propaganda film that's meant to strengthen the resolve at home in the war effort. And, for what it is, it's pretty good. A novel way of assessing the Nazis, that's for sure.

This short subject from MGM that came out in 1943 was at the time a reminder we still had a long way to go for total victory. That was the message that Lewis Stone conveyed as narrator. It was a collective feeling in the German body politic that they were sold out by the ruling classes and made to bear the brunt of the onus of starting World War I. There was enough guilt on that to go all around.

A name that few Americans knew about a retired German general and university professor Karl Haushofer is identified as the intellectual father of the Nazi movement. This was wartime and not a time for subtleties. The real Haushofer was the professor of Rudolf Hess who introduced him to a rightwing activist named Adolf Hitler whom he felt would be in sympathy with Haushofer's ideas on an expansive and expanding and dynamic Germany. In German they called that Lebensraum.

The story of the real Haushofer was far more fascinating than what you see here and in the one dimensional portrayal that Frank Reicher gives him. He never joined the party, he had too many differences with them. Chiefly on their anti-Semitism and that would be natural since he married a woman whose father was Jewish. She had to be given the status of honorary Aryan due to whatever strings Rudolf Hess could pull.

Haushofer's son was picked up and executed in the Von Stauffenberg conspiracy. There's a lot more, but you get the idea this is not a short subject that has stood the test of time.

Plan for Destruction (1943)

*** (out of 4)

MGM, Oscar nominated documentary short about how Germany's defeat in WW1 led to Hitler trying to take the world over in WW2. This documentary offers quite a bit of information in its 22-minute running time. Most of the stuff is over-dramatic but that's just a part of these WW2 shorts from this period. Lewis Stone stars.

It's also interesting to see how they looked at war issues back then compared to today.

If you're interested in this film then Turner Classic Movies usually plays it during their "31 Days of Oscar" festival.

This just ran on Turner Movie Classics. Although I've seen a LOT of documentaries etc. on WWII and am familiar with Hitler's rise to power, I did not know about the Geopolitical influence on him, and the key elements of that theory. If all US citizens could view this movie, and even see it as part of students' school studies in Civics, we could have a better understanding of how people's need for power and control can become destructive plans for millions. It is important to remember that NOW a Dictator no longer needs to be a leader of a country to finance and organize an army to go out and spread terror to undermine the power of other countries. Don't you see this going on now? Osama Bin Laden is an example. Everyone wake up! The world has changed. We are no longer fighting the government of other countries in formally declared war - we are fighting an insidious plan to undermine the unity and confidence of US citizens to weaken us, making us more vulnerable for takeover. Also, look at the propaganda machines working to get other countries to "hate" Americans and protest against our country. Enemies know that our borders are impenetrable from the strength of our military. They've devised other ways to infiltrate, break down and dismantle our great country, America. Don't be naive and think that America is here forever, and nothing can change that.