Hitler Youth was a huge method of propaganda towards children. This was the easiest way to promote Nazi ideas because children were more vulnerable than adults were. Propaganda was one of the reasons why there was little opposition.
There were also other reasons why there was little opposition towards the Nazi regime. Although the Nazis did try to prevent opposition, they could never completely get rid of it. Many people feared Hitler and the Nazis were afraid to speak their minds if they didn’t agree with what they were being told (propaganda), because they would suffer the consequences. The Nazis didn't want Germans, who were meant to believe in propaganda, ruining their reputations and risking the loss of their followers. Many ordinary Germans resented the fact that the Nazis were always interfering in their lives and trying to ‘score points’ and make everybody come on their side. They saw propaganda as being fake and false. People’s personal experience told them that the Nazis were telling lies and they could therefore question propaganda and challenge what was being said. Although many that questioned or didn’t agree with propaganda often emigrated or were forced to live in another country (exiled). The Nazis didn’t welcome people who chose to oppose Hitler, they didn’t want people to hear the full side of the story, they any wanted them to hear things from their point of view, how they believed it to be, how they saw it. Another reason why the Nazis didn’t prevent opposition was because people in Germany were generally satisfied with the Nazis and the Nazi way of life. Hitler had improved Germany; he had rebuilt them and made them good once again. They found no reason to doubt them as they were happy with the way things were, and they therefore didn’t oppose to Hitler, as they saw no reason to do so.
I agree with this statement that propaganda was an important reason in why there was little opposition, although I don’t think it was the most important reason. Propaganda was put across in many ways, but no amount of censored media or twisting of the truth would change or doubt people’s own experiences. If they were being told one thing but had experienced another, they would stand by what they believed in although would not speak out, in fear of the consequences that would follow. Telephone conversations were tapped, mail was read and people were spied on, so therefore many chose not to speak their minds out loud. They either kept quiet or emigrated. If people, however, had chosen to speak out and oppose Hitler, they may have been tortured, blackmailed, beaten up or sent to concentration camps, the Germans knew better than to speak their mind, they were frightened and knew the Nazis could overrule them. They had unlimited power to arrest people without trial.
Another main reason was that the Nazis, did actually have a lot of support within that period of time. In fact, by 1932, the Nazis were the best-supported party in the Reichstag. Many believed Hitler was doing his job and doing it well, e.g. he re-established Germany’s reputation within Europe, he re-armed Germany in 1935 and gave 6 million unemployed people jobs.
There were, therefore many reasons why there was little opposition towards the Nazi regime, some were more important then others. I agree that propaganda was an important reason, but not the most important reason. I think it was important as well as the fact that Germany had many supporters and that people who didn’t agree with propaganda did not speak out and therefore didn’t affect the rate and amount of opposition.