Ben Carson suggests Holocaust might have been stopped if Jewish people had guns

Republican candidate claims Hitler's ability would have been 'greatly diminished' if victims had been armed

Dr Ben Carson has defended gun ownership in the US by suggesting the Holocaust might have been prevented if Jewish people had been armed when Adolf Hitler rose to power.

Dr Carson, a former neurosurgeon, linked gun control to the Holocaust when he appeared on CNN to discuss his book, A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties.

Ben Carson speaks during church in Des Moines, Iowa. (Justin Sullivan/Getty)

The Republican candidate is one of the frontrunners in the Presidential race, polling second behind the equally controversial business magnate Donald Trump. Neither candiate has held a political office before.

Dr Carson's book uses Nazi Germany as an argument for the second amendment. He was quizzed on this claim by CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, who asked him: “What is the point you are trying to make? If there were guns in Germany, there might not have been a Holocaust?”

“My point is that was only one of the countries I mentioned,” Dr Carson responded. “There were a number of countries where tyranny reigned and before it happened they disarmed the people - that was the point.”

Later, Blitzer asked: “Just clarify, if there had been no gun control laws in Europe at that time, would six million Jews have been slaughtered?”

Dr Carson replied: “I think the likelihood of Hitler being able to accomplish his goals would have been greatly diminished if the people had been armed. I’m telling you that there is a reason that these dictatorial people take the guns first.”

Dr Carson’s claim comes just days after he provoked outrage by suggesting the victims of the Oregan school massacre could have done more to tackle the shooter, telling Fox News: " I wouldn't just stand there. I would say, ‘Hey guys, everybody attack him. He may shoot me, but he can’t get us all.'"