Download Section I: Analysis of the Personality of Adolf Hitler with ...

- 15 -
often been as follows: (i) §motional outbur~t;
tantrum of rage and accusatory indignation ending
in tears and self-pity; succeeded by (ii) pe~iods
_C?;_~..!2e':'ti~_,
exhaustion, melancholy and indecisiveness
(accompanied sometimes by hours of acute dejection
and disquieting nightmares) leading to reQupe.ration;
and finally (iii) .£onfi.:l~nt ~l!d resolut~ __ 9..~
c~~~o~ to couni..eratt8.ck wi th great force 8.no. ruthlessness&
The entire cycle may ru~ its uourOB in
24 hours; or it mAy be weeks befoTe the aggressive
decision of tho thi~d stege is reachcd ~
For yea:r8 thin patte:'~1 of reaction to frl:l.stra- •
tion has met with success; each counteTsttack has
brought Hitler nearer to his goal . Since the turn
of fortune on the Russian :'ront, howover, the number
of frustrations have increased and Hitler ' s counterattacks
have failed) at times disastrously. There
is no structure for defen~e in 3itler'o personality :
he can only ~trike
when inf~at;EJd '_wi to confidence,
or .£.ollapse ".,1ben confidence abandon.£3_ h:'rr...
As time goes on, therefore, we can anticipate
an increase in the intensity, frequency and duration
of Hitler's periods of collapse, and a decrease in
the confidence and power of his retaliations .