With Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 28, our nation and our world remember the horrors of World War II primarily from the perspective of the victims. But during this solemn time, it is also important to remember those naive contributors to Hitler's war effort: the children of the Hitler Youth. In Austria and other countries controlled by the Third Reich, eligible children were required by law to join the Hitler Youth or the League of German Girls. A child's eligibility depended on whether he or she met specific race, age, and physical criteria. Despite these restrictions, the Hitler Youth organization became popular during the war. The peer pressure and praise the children received for belonging helped this group of young people grow. Adolf Hitler was therefore able to use these groups as a means of spreading his propaganda and increasing his own power. The children of the Hitler Youth were taught to hate Jews and anyone who opposed the Nazi war effort. Although many members of the Hitler Youth were extremist Nazis, others were simply misled children who had been drawn against their will into a war they knew nothing about (the Hitler Youth). This report will describe the effects of World War II on Austrian children and explain the purpose and procedures of the Hitler Youth organization. It will use books, online sources and first-hand accounts on the subject. World War II was the result of a combination of many factors, including the Treaty of Versailles, communism, and the Great Depression. These and other elements left Europe vulnerable to the rise of dictators such as Adolf Hitler. Once Hitler became dictator, he established the Third Reich, the name of the Nazi regime in Germany (Gaynor and Esler 553). Hitler... middle of paper ... wanted to imply that he wanted to avoid being punished for not joining the group. If the Holocaust taught us anything, it is that there is good in every group, every person and every situation. Once you have searched for and found this positive element, major conflicts can be resolved. Showing understanding and acceptance towards another human being will earn you understanding and acceptance in return. Bibliography Gaynor Ellis, Elisabeth and Esler, Anthony. World History: The Modern Era. The United States of America. Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009. “The Hitler Youth: An Effective Organization for Total War” Military History. December 2006. Online. http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/effectiveorganization.aspx March 16, 2014. “The Nazi Party: Hitler Youth” Jewish Virtual Library. Online. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/hitleryouth.html March 17 2014.