Naturally, the common people don’t want war. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, a facist dictatorship, a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. this is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denouce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.
— Hermann Goering, Hitler’s Reich-Marshall at the Nuremberg Trials after WWII
