When people first hear about the Holocaust, they are very surprised to learn how horrible and sick the whole period was for the Jews. Everyone is truly shocked to learn that so many horrible and hateful things could be done. The idea that countries were conquered, families and children torn apart, and people tortured and murdered is unbelievable. Propaganda and psychological conditioning played a significant role in the genocide and general indifference toward Jews during the Holocaust. Not only were Hitler and his troops able to control armies, but he was also able to influence other countries through precise planning and strategic moves. The Holocaust took place over a prolonged period of time, causing irreversible physical and mental abuse. This happened over many years in a deliberate, step-by-step process orchestrated by Hitler. One of the first things people started to see and eventually believe was propaganda. The idea of ​​propaganda was to get people to believe something by showing illustrations sharing ideas. Typically, these ideas were negative or misleading, and if someone is exposed to enough propaganda, then they are more likely to start believing it. Hitler knew that using propaganda would be a way to influence the German people into believing that Jews were horrible and should die. Hitler's petty tactics not only diminished the Jews, but also kept people fearful for their lives and the lives of their loved ones and therefore willing to obey his rules. When people are afraid for their lives... they do crazy things. According to the Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust, "propaganda relies on emotion rather than logic, focuses on a few points presented in simple terms, and then hammers home those points... middle of paper." ..... People don't want to believe this is happening. Today, some people choose not to listen and ignore the bad things that happen in order to stay peaceful, and others just don't care. Genocides still occur and many corrupt leaders use the same tactics as Hitler. Psychological conditioning leads people to believe something when in reality it is false. Reinforcing negative thoughts and repeating over and over again that what they are doing is acceptable keeps these crimes of genocide alive. Indifference is ironically one of the worst emotions because it is not an emotion. It’s the idea that people don’t matter. For many, Jews did not matter. Works Cited “Resistant”. A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust. University of South Florida. 2005. Internet. April 28, 2008. “Psychological Conditioning.” Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011.Web. May 8 2011.