Atrocities of WWII

Atrocities Horrific acts of aggression Senseless violence Involved every nation in WWII War Crimes Any crimes committed during war violation of preset rules of warfare Performed against civilians or prisoners of war (POW’s)

Allied Atrocities American & British Civilian Mistreatment 1.Fire-Bombing of Dresden 2.Atomic Bombing of Japan a.Japan’s refusal to surrender = choice: invasion or A-Bombs b.Shortened the war c.Civilian targets Mistreatment of POW’s 1.Some POW’s were killed after surrendering—areas of intense combat 2.Revenge was a factor 3.Asian-American Internment Camps Soviet Atrocities Civilian Mistreatment 1.“Dangerous” elements in “liberated” countries 2.Control territory 3.Eliminated resistance to Soviet control 4.Executed non-Communists 5.Revenge was a factor in Germany Execution of POW’s 1.Revenge against Germans 2.Weakened armed forces of “liberated” countries Cold War begins due to events like these

In Africa Civilian Mistreatment 1.Executed nearly 1 million civilians 2.Believed they could control the country better Mistreatment of POW’s 1.Some were killed after surrendering 2.Revenge was a factor 3.Severe treatment/starvation In Italy Civilian Mistreatment 1.Means of controlling the people 2.Maximized war effort 3.Eliminated political Rivals Hurts Mussolini 1.Weakens hold on Italy as the war drags on 2.Citizens riot/oust him— eventually executed him Italian Atrocities

Japanese Atrocities Acts on Civilians Nanking ( ) 1.Nearly 500,000 civilians were executed 2.Over 10,000 Chinese were raped Occupied Territories 1.Eliminated cultural/religious leadership—try to install Japanese lifestyles 2.Resistance suspects were rounded up and killed 3.Enslaved civilians for war industry Treatment of POW’s Wounded were often killed Food/Water rations were minimal Often used for forced Labor Torture/Brain-washing for information and propaganda Varied greatly within the Japanese military

Nazi Atrocities Concentration Camps 14 million civilians were killed by the Nazis 1.Racial/Ethnic Minorities 2.Political Opponents 3.Resistance/Underground leaders 4.Intellectuals/Clergy Were used by the Nazis 1.As slave labor 2.In experiments on nutrition, pain, genetics— Dr. Mengele Were executed as Nazis retreated ( ) The Holocaust 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis Nazis blamed Jews for all the hardships of German History Nazi “Final Solution” for the Jews (1942) 1. Death Camps were built to carry out mass executions 2. Used less as slave labor— starvation rations 3. Carried out by the SS— Adolph Eichmann 4. Executions increased as the Nazi Army retreated

Nazi Atrocities Hitler’s Special Prison Special prisoners were dealt with directly by Hitler & Nazi Leadership 1.Leaders of the resistance movements 2.Political enemies 3.Assassins and conspirators Used unusually cruel methods 1.Decapitations 2.Hangings: Piano Wire, Meat Hooks, Barbed Wire 3.Prisoners were belittled and mocked Executions and Mock Trials were filmed 1.Used to torture/intimidate other prisoners 2.Hitler/Nazi leaders viewed films in his theatre

Nazi Atrocities Treatment of POW’s Enemy POW’s were often executed by SS death squads 1.Especially in E. Europe 2.More common late in WWII 3.Most famous incident was Malmade (Battle of the Bulge-1944) 4.Part of overall strategy— terror Were human shields 1.Located near factories 2.Located near military bases 3.Less likely to be bombed Evidence By 1942 Rumors were worldwide Byproducts 1.Stockpiled items: shoes, glasses, clothing, etc. 2.Made things from corpses: soap, candles, rope, dyes, lamp shades, fertilizer 3.Mass graves and ashes from crematoriums Found by advancing Allied Armies Nuremberg trials 1.Many Nazis committed suicide 2.Claimed to be following orders—Nuremberg Defense