“The newspapers tell nothing except by indirect suggestion. They are all under government control.”
William E. Dodd, United States Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Dodd’s Diaries, August 1, 1933
DAY 114 of Efrain Rios Montt’s Presidency (Guatemala)
“The extent of opposition to his policies is difficult to assess, since freedom of expression was one of the constitutional guarantees suspended…Under the state of siege, too, press censorship prohibits the dissemination of news that ‘may cause confusion’ or reporting anything about the civil war except what the Government says…Describing General Rios Montt as ‘fanatic’ and ‘messianic,’ a business leader nonetheless said businessmen were generally happy with the situation. He said restrictions on meetings had not been applied to business groups….’He is absolutely honest,’ a physician said of the Guatemalan leader. This judgment is often expressed here.”
Raymond Bonner, The New York Times, July 14, 1982, page 1
DAY 12 of Benito Mussolini’s term as Prime Minister (Italy)
“A mean frown cut across the brow of Mussolini when some one called the Fascisti movement reactionary. ‘That’s idiotic,’ the premier said. ‘Had I been reactionary, I should have established a dictatorship. I could easily have done so. Where is there a reactionary movement which reconvenes the Chamber and asks parliament to endorse the administration of affairs in the country?”
The Charlotte News, November 11, 1922, page 9
DAY 2 of Adolph Hitler’s Chancellorship (Germany)
“In the political realm it will be impossible for the new Chancellor to make good the madly demagogic program that succeeded in attracting the support of the German people. But it is certain that if Hitler would remain in power he must bring something to the millions of Germans who have put their faith in him, or else in his turn confess his inability and resign himself to failure.”
The New York Times, February 1, 1933, page 10