A staggering new poll reveals that more than 20% of Generation Z voters believe Adolf Hitler, one of history’s most notorious dictators, had some ‘good ideas.’ Despite Hitler’s role in the genocide of six million Jews during the Holocaust and the devastation of World War II, these startling results suggest that social media and misinformation may be distorting younger Americans’ views of historical figures.
The DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll asked 1,000 likely voters whether they agreed with the statement that Hitler had some ‘good ideas’ or if they believed he was ‘evil and had no redeeming features.’ While 77% classified him as purely evil, 11% said they believed Hitler had some positive ideas, and 12% were unsure.
Worryingly, the poll shows that among voters under the age of 29, 21% agreed that Hitler had ‘some good ideas,’ compared to lower percentages among older generations. Additionally, 21% of Black voters and 19% of Hispanic voters shared this sentiment.
James Johnson, the founder of J.L. Partners, expressed concern over the results, citing the role social media plays in shaping the views of young Americans. “If you need an example of the corrosive impact that social media can have on younger Americans’ view of the world, this is it,” Johnson said.
The poll reflects a broader trend of Gen Z’s sympathy toward controversial historical figures. Recently, TikTok had to remove AI-generated videos of Hitler’s speeches that were viewed over a million times, portraying the dictator in a more favorable light.
The increasing distortion of history through social media posts raises concerns over whether younger generations are receiving accurate education about events such as the Holocaust. A 2020 Pew Research poll found that while many adults knew what the Holocaust was, fewer than 50% could identify how many Jews were killed or when Hitler rose to power.
In a similar trend, a December poll showed that 20% of young Americans had a positive view of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. Social media, once again, was the vehicle for spreading his messages, leading to a viral resurgence of his controversial “Letter to America.”