Hegseth calls rare meeting of large number of generals and admirals – ABC News…. https://share.google/JlCMRAtFQSKml0zLP

When I  heard this I immediately did research to see if this was another step that mirrors past horrific sins of a nation nearly 100 years ago.

Adolf Hitler transformed Germany’s military system by openly defying the Treaty of Versailles, purging political rivals, demanding a personal oath of loyalty from soldiers, and installing himself as the military’s Supreme Commander. He also modernized the armed forces and changed its tactical approach to warfare. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] 
Expansion and consolidation of power • Defied the Treaty of Versailles. The 1919 treaty severely limited Germany’s military, including its size, armaments, and the prohibition of an air force. Hitler’s rearmament program reintroduced conscription in 1935 and created the Wehrmacht (defense force), greatly expanding the army, navy (Kriegsmarine), and a new air force (Luftwaffe).
• Eliminated internal opposition. Hitler and the military leadership viewed the Nazi Party’s own paramilitary force, the Sturmabteilung (SA), as a threat. During the 1934 “Night of the Long Knives,” Hitler had the SA’s leadership, including Ernst Röhm, murdered. The military remained neutral in exchange for a guarantee that it would remain the sole national military organization.
• Demanded a personal loyalty oath. After President Paul von Hindenburg’s death in August 1934, the military’s traditional oath to the German constitution was replaced with a new one swearing “unconditional obedience” to Adolf Hitler personally. This created a personal bond of fealty that bypassed state authority.
• Became Supreme Commander. Following the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair in 1938, Hitler purged two top military leaders who opposed his aggressive military plans. He then abolished the War Ministry and declared himself the Supreme Commander of all German armed forces.
• Micromanaged command. As the war progressed, Hitler’s mistrust of his generals grew. He became increasingly involved in operational decisions and even took direct command of the army in December 1941. [1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] 

Ideological and tactical changes • Political indoctrination. Under Hitler, the military became more politically extreme. Nazi propaganda, including racist and antisemitic ideology, was systematically spread throughout the armed forces via army newspapers, films, and lectures from “educational officers”.
• Purged Jewish members. In 1935, the military was forced to comply with Nazi racial laws, prohibiting Jewish individuals from joining its ranks and dismissing those already in service.
• Developed Blitzkrieg tactics. The Wehrmacht combined ground and air assets in a “combined arms” approach known as Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”. This tactic relied on tanks, motorized infantry, and air support to achieve rapid encirclement and conquest.
• Increased ruthlessness in military justice. Believing a collapse of morale had cost Germany World War I, Hitler ordered draconian measures to enforce military discipline. During the war, military courts dramatically increased the number of death sentences handed down to soldiers and civilians for infractions like desertion. [3, 5, 6, 11, 12] 

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.ushmm.org/m/pdfs/German-military-context-sheets.pdf
[2] https://www.cfr.org/video/lessons-learned-hitlers-rearmament-germany
[3] https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-german-lightning-war-strategy-of-the-second-world-war
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichswehr
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Germany
[6] https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-german-military-and-the-holocaust
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_career_of_Adolf_Hitler
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler
[10] https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/december-19/hitler-takes-command-of-the-german-army
[11] https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-german-military-and-the-holocaust
[12] https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/images-of-war-hitlers-anti-tank-weapons-1939-1945/