7.4 Summarize the economic, humanitarian, and diplomatic effects of WWII, including the end of the Great Depression, the Holocaust, the war crimes trials, and the creation of Israel.

Introduction to the Holocaust ***German action against the Jews was part of the Nazi propaganda machine and was based on both Social Darwinism and longstanding prejudice against the Jews. ***Anti-Semitism- became the official policy of the German government in the early 1930’s with the Nuremburg Laws, which restricted the rights of Jews in Germany and culminated in the Holocaust. ***Hitler made an effort to rid Europe of its entire Jewish population. ***The program of genocide carried out by the German government resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 5.5 million others. (handicapped, mentally ill, etc.)

Nuremburg Laws- stripped Jew of their citizenship, could not own their own business, and had to wear a yellow star and carry papers ***At first, the Nazis just wanted all Jews to leave Germany ***As they conquered more of Europe, they ran into the same Jews

The Final Solution- to rid Europe of the Jew…every person, thought, anything Jewish The result was the Holocaust Death Camps were built all over Europe (mostly in the east) to exterminate Jews, gays, Jehovah Witnesses, opponents, etc. The physically and mentally ill were also killed

The Allied Response Before the end of the war, the response of the United States and its allies was severely limited. Although passage of the Nuremburg laws and organized attacks on Jews such as Kristalnacht were widely reported, little action was taken by the world community to stop the Nazi’s. Immigration laws were not eased to grant asylum to the Jews seeking to leave Germany. No military action was taken to stop the shipment of Jews to the death camps.

Front gate to Auschwitz

Furnaces at Auschwitz

Ovens at Auschwitz today

Bales of Human Hair cut at Auschwitz

Inmate Orchestra (Jewish prisoners)

Barracks at Birkenau where prisoners slept

Toilets for prisoners at Birkenau

Train tracks leading to the gate of Birkenau

Children used in Medical experiments

German citizens being forced to view bodies

Survivors

The Nuremburg Trials ***As the war ended the death camps of Final Solution horrified the soldiers who liberated these death camps and the public. ***The allies responded to the war crimes committed by Hitler and the German Nazi’s by identifying war criminals and putting them on public trial. ***Nuremburg War Crime Trials- 24 Nazi officers and civilians were charged with crimes against humanity. Although many pleaded that they were “just following orders,” the conviction and death sentences of 12 Nazis demonstrated that individuals are responsible for their own actions. The Nuremburg Trials established a precedent for future trials on war crimes. The trials have not brought an end to genocide.

Reich Marshal Hermann Goering's body. October 16, 1946  Reich Marshal Hermann Goering's body. October 16, 1946. He killed himself a day before he was to be executed with a poison pill. It is alleged he got the pill from his wife who visited him in prison

Impact of the Holocaust The Establishment of the state of Israel after the war, the prompt recognition by the United States of Israel and the U.S.’s continuing support of Israel in the Middle East are a result of the impact of German war crimes on the conscience of the world and the United States.