Is Fullmetal Alchemist based on Nazi Germany?


It may be because I'm Jewish (yes, Madara is Jewish), but I couldn't help but
noticing the similarities between Fullmetal Alchemist to the German Nazi
regime.

  * German names (Edward, Alphonse, Olivier, Bradley)
  * A Fuhrer
  * "Dogs of the Army"
  * Very militarized
  * Blond hair and blue eyes
  * Extermination (Ishvals)
  * War on multiple fronts
  * Human experimentation
  * An obsession with the occult among high ranking officials

Is it just me? Or is there a connection? Is there some written reference to
that? Has the mangaka said anything about it?




The [FMA
Wiki](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_%28franchise%29#Production)
states that:

> When creating the fictional world of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa was
> inspired after reading about Europe during the Industrial Revolution period;
> she was amazed by how different the people from different countries were, in
> terms of their culture, architecture and clothes. She was especially
> interested in England during this period and "added to it her own original
> flavor to turn it into a fantasy world".

["Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of
Shamballa"](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa)
— the movie that follows the first anime series — is set in 1923 Germany, and
depicts the beginning of the Nazi Party within German politics, being only an
extremist group at that point.

Other than that, I know of no such inspirations. But it may well be that
Arakawa has said something more concrete about that.




The [FMA
Wiki](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_%28franchise%29#Production)
states that:

> When creating the fictional world of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa was
> inspired after reading about Europe during the Industrial Revolution period;
> she was amazed by how different the people from different countries were, in
> terms of their culture, architecture and clothes. She was especially
> interested in England during this period and "added to it her own original
> flavor to turn it into a fantasy world".

["Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of
Shamballa"](http://fma.wikia.com/wiki/Fullmetal_Alchemist_the_Movie:_Conqueror_of_Shamballa)
— the movie that follows the first anime series — is set in 1923 Germany, and
depicts the beginning of the Nazi Party within German politics, being only an
extremist group at that point.

Other than that, I know of no such inspirations. But it may well be that
Arakawa has said something more concrete about that.

