Given a chance would you kill baby Hitler?

[abaris]

What about Pol Pot?

What about him? Another set of consequences one man's demise wouldn't solve.

[abaris]

Yes, WWI was terrible for Europe.  But terrible for Europe in 1914-1918 was ultimately good for the world.

Nothing like that. Colonialism prevailed unti after 1945 and well into the 50ies. Took a second world war to put an end to that.

[brewer]

What about Pol Pot?

What about him? Another set of consequences one man's demise wouldn't solve.

Well, that was my thought. Just checking. You know how some people have a specific thing for Hitler.

[Rhondazvous]

Persecution of Jews in Germany goes way back. Consider the Hep Hep Riots of 1815 that involved both destruction of Jewish property and the killing of Jews.  Again, we are not disagreeing. We both agree that Hitler was just a spearhead f8r anti-Jewish sentiments that were already in the public sphere.

In 1815, it wasn't Germany. It were territories with different allegiances. There were 2 dominant powers. One Austria and the other Prussia. Differrent goals, opposing policy, different religions. One catholic, the other protestant. Until 1866, when Prussia became the only dominat power. It's misunderstanding history to speak of Germany when talking about any period before 1848/49. It only became a nation in 1871, after the French/Prussian war. But with a largely federal structure.

And did that war involve a complete repopulation of the geographic region that then became known as Germany? I'm not talking about the geopolitical designations. I'm talking about the people. Did the Germans people just all the sudden pop up in 1871? Did they rush in from somewhere else and supplant the Prussians?

[Losty]

New thread, if given the chance would you save Franz Ferdinand and would it have changed everything

No. There were still many less invasive opportunities to stop WWI in the month after the death of FF.

So....it's better to let poor Franzy die and then stop the war?

[abaris]

And did that war involve a complete repopulation of the geographic region that then became known as Germany? I'm not talking about the geopolitical designations. I'm talking about the people. Did the Germans people just all the sudden pop up in 1871? Did they rush in from somewhere else and supplant the Prussians?

First, Germany is still as federal and diverse as they come. Secondly, compare German antisemitism to contemporary antisemitism and you come up with the same picture in every country, except the Osmanic empire. In fact, the first ones to kill jews on German soil were the French crusaders of 1096.

Persecution in thge Western parts of what was Russia back in the 19th century was much worse. But that's an entirely different story.

[IATIA]

One possible result is that by going back in time to kill baby Hitler, you actually create Hitler.

[TaraJo]

So, if time travel were possible and you were given the chance to kill baby Hitler (or any other human you find comparable) would you?

If time travel were possible and, therefore, you were able to kill baby Hitler, wouldn't you also have the ability to change things in such a way that Hitler still lives but doesn't kill millions?

[Thumpalumpacus]

Little -known fact: Hitler narrowly survived an auto accident in 32 or 33, by dint of deciding to sit in the back seat rather than stand up from the front seat as was his norm.

[Anomalocaris]

Yes, WWI was terrible for Europe.  But terrible for Europe in 1914-1918 was ultimately good for the world.

Nothing like that. Colonialism prevailed unti after 1945 and well into the 50ies. Took a second world war to put an end to that.

WWI caused the seed of anti-colonialism to germinate. Native anticolonial movements was active and organized in the 20s and 30s in ways it never was before 1914. WWII facilitated their full flowering. Since WWII was a probable outcome of WWI, one might as well say WWI both germinated the seed and facilitated its eventual flowering.