This clip uses a visual metaphor of a shell game to illustrate how some individuals are easily exploited, while others actively scheme to take advantage of them. It defines 'suckers' as those who are easily fooled and 'other people' as those who stay up nights figuring out how to take what others have.

The Sucker Metaphor

A demagogue delivers a fiery speech, claiming to be an 'American American' whose blood boils at the sight of 'foreigners' and 'Negroes' holding jobs. He distributes pamphlets promising 'the truth' about these groups and the Catholic Church, inciting fear and division.

The Demagogue's Divisive Speech

A demagogue's speech escalates, calling for a country 'without Negroes, without alien foreigners, without Catholics,' and then 'without Freemasons.' The young man listening, Mike, suddenly realizes the speaker is targeting him directly, highlighting the insidious nature of unchecked prejudice.

The Personal Betrayal of Prejudice

An older professor warns a young man about the dangers of divisive rhetoric, drawing parallels to his experience in Berlin in 1932. He explains how the Nazis, initially dismissed as 'crazy people,' strategically used prejudice to split Germany into small, warring groups, ultimately crippling the nation.

The Professor's Warning: Germany's Downfall

A Nazi speaker promises prosperity to 'Aryan Germans' by eliminating 'the Jew,' 'the Catholics,' and 'the Freemasons.' The professor explains how these promises fooled ordinary Germans like Hans, who believed he would become a 'superman' in the 'master race,' leading to the division and ultimate swindling of the entire nation.

Nazi's False Promises & The 'Master Race' Lie

A professor directly challenges the Nazi concept of an 'Aryan race' and a 'master race' in a classroom setting. He uses visual examples of Nazi leaders to debunk the idea of correlating physical traits with superiority, asserting that there is no scientific basis for such claims and that individuals should be judged on their own merit.

The Scientific Truth Against Racism

The professor explains that Germany's downfall began when its people allowed themselves to be divided by prejudice, leading to their helplessness against the Nazi threat. He illustrates the devastating consequences through the personal fates of Carl, Heinrich, and Hans, who lost their freedom, livelihoods, and lives in Hitler's wars, demonstrating the ultimate cost of gambling with others' liberty.

The Cost of Division: War and Loss

The professor delivers a powerful concluding message, urging Americans to learn from Germany's mistakes and never allow themselves to be divided by race, color, or religion. He emphasizes that America's strength lies in its diversity and the personal freedom of its minorities, advocating for the active protection of everyone's liberty as a matter of 'good hard common sense.'

Don't Be a Sucker By U.S War Department