In 1933, the German Parliament was set ablaze. Communists were blame and a crackdown ensued. But what was the truth of the fire? What was the truth of the three apartment bombings in Russia in 1999 that led to Putin's rise to power? If we do not learn from history . . .

1. The Reichstag Fire

2. A history lesson we must never forget.
On 27 February 1933, the German Parliament was
set on fire.
It is also considered an archetype for a terrorist
event staged by a political movement/individual to
be blamed on the opponent in order to consolidate
power and oppress opponents.
In this case, Hitler used it to focus hatred on
communists and other groups, while suspending
civil liberties.
The Reichstag Fire

3. The German Chancellor was named Adolf Hitler.
Arriving at the fire, he immediately proclaimed it the
work of Communists. Without any proof. Hitler
called it “a sign from God” that Communists were to
be exterminated.
The Reichstag Fire

4. The next day Hitler got President Hindenburg to
sign Article 48, the Reichstag Fire Decree, which
suspended most civil liberties in Germany. No more
habeus corpus, no freedom of the press, no right of
free association or protest, and tapping of all mail
and phone. Any publications not deemed friendly to
the Nazi regime were banned.
The Reichstag Fire

5. At the time of the fire, the Nazi party had roughly
33% of the vote. By suppressing Communists, they
were able to increase that to 44%. Still not a
majority, but enough.
The Reichstag Fire

6. By 27 March, just a month later, the Enabling Act
gave Hitler the right to “rule by decree”. Hindenburg
was out and Hitler was dictator. Democracy was
over in Germany in just a month. We all know the
results and what it took to stop this.
The Reichstag Fire

7. Historians disagree who was behind the fire.
Recent evidence supports the claim that the Nazis
set the fire themselves and used it to leverage Hitler
into power when the majority of the country was
against them and Hitler. But everyone in Germany
paid the price. As well as tens of millions of others.

8. In 1999, bombs blew up 3 apartment complexes in
three different Russian cities, killing 293 people and
wounding over a thousand. Similar devices were
used in all bombings. A fourth, similar bomb was
found and defused before it could explode. Local
police arrested three FSB (the new KGB) officers
for planting this last bomb.

9. Despite that arrest, Prime Minister Vladimar Putin,
who had been elected to that office, blamed these
attacks on the Caucasus Islamic Institute and used
them to start the Second Chechen War. More
importantly, he used these acts of terror to leverage
his way into the Presidency a few months later and
pass stringent laws giving him control over the
populace he has never released since.

10. Calls for investigations were made by the Russian
Parliament, of course. These were not supported by
the government, which was now Putin’s controlling
party. Two key legislators who pushed for
investigations were later assassinated.
It is widely believe the FSB did all the bombing on
Putin’s orders.

11. Think of the outrage a large terrorist attack will have
here? President Bush, under whose watch Nine-
Eleven occurred, wasn’t blamed for the attack. His
popularity rating went to over 90%. He was able get
the Patriot Act passed. Start a war against a
country that had nothing to do with the attack.

12. This is history. History repeats itself.
It can happen here. It will happen here.
Unless we are vigilant and act now while we still have
a democracy to right our course. And when it does
happen, to not fall into the trap of outrage that will
destroy our country and our way of life.

13. How did Jefferson and Hamilton, two political rivals,
band together to write a document, the Jefferson
Allegiance, to prevent an imperial presidency? Where
is it now?
The deadly race to uncover it is on.

14. More Free Information
I constantly update free, downloadable
slideshows like this on my web site for
preparation and survival and other
topics.
www.bobmayer.com/workshops
Also, I conduct Area Study workshops
for those interested in properly
preparing for their specific
circumstances.

15. New York Times bestselling author, is a graduate of West
Point and former Green Beret. He’s had over 80 books
published, including the #1 bestselling series Green Berets,
Time Patrol, Area 51, and Atlantis. He’s sold over 5 million
books. He was born in the Bronx and has traveled the world.
He’s lived on an island off the east coast, an island off the
west coast, in the Rocky Mountains, the Smoky Mountains
and other places, including time in East Asia studying martial
arts.
He was an instructor and course developer/writer for years
at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School which trains
Green Berets and also runs the SERE school:
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape.
www.bobmayer.com