The Legacy of the War World War II ( ) Chapter 27, Section 5

Essential Questions: If YOU are told to do something by a teacher, and YOU do it, but then YOU get in trouble for it, are YOU responsible for YOUR actions?

WWII: The Human Cost Over 20 Million Soldiers Were Killed During WWII The Soviet Union Lost 7.5 Million Soldiers, the Most of Any Country! The United States Lost Over 400, Gold Stars at the WWII Memorial

World War II Memorial

In Memory of 400,000+

World War II Destruction WWII Was Fought w/ NO Limits/Boundaries: –Cities Were Bombed –Villages Were Destroyed –Millions of Civilians Were Killed! Fighting Took Place on 5 Different Continents Over 20 Million Soviet Citizens Were Killed! Over 10 Million Chinese Citizens Were Killed!

WWII Refugees Refugees Are Citizens Who Are Forced Out of Their Homes/ Country (War, Genocide, Floods, Earthquakes, Etc…) WWII Created Over 21 Million Refugees: –Orphans of Soldiers –P.O.W’s –Concentration Camp Survivors –Citizens Who Fled When Enemy Armies Arrived –Etc…

Post War U.S. Economy U.S. Economy was “Booming” After WWII WWII Ended the Great Depression No Attacks on U.S.: –U.S. Factories Were in Full Swing! –Everyone Had $$$ to Spend! Europe’s Economies Were in Ruins: –Factories Were Bombed –Cities/Villages/Ports/ Roads/Bridges/ Transportation Was All Destroyed!

Helping Japan? Really? At the End of WWII, U.S. Forces Occupied Japan for Several Years Made Japan Create a New Constitutional Monarchy(Democracy) The U.S. Provided Japan with $Billions of Dollars for Recovery! WHY Would We Do That?

The Marshall Plan In 1948, the U.S. Agreed to Give European Countries Over $13 Billion Dollars United States Wanted to Help European Countries Get Back on Their Feet! Or Was Their Another Motive? What Might the U.S. Be Afraid of?

The G.I. Bill of Rights When WWII Ended, Millions of Soldiers Returned Home! Wanted Their Jobs & Apartments Back! Competition Grew! (Racism too) U.S. Passed the G.I. Bill of Rights: –Provided $$$ for Veterans to Go to College –Provided a Living Allowance –Exists to This Day!

The Nuremberg Trials (1945) An International Court Case to Make Judgment of War Crimes Charged Against Nazi Leaders Trial was Held in Nuremberg, Germany 24 Nazi Leaders Were Charged with Crimes Against Humanity for Their Role in the Holocaust HUGE Trial!

Nuremberg Trails (1945) “I Was Just Following Orders” 19 Nazis Were Found Guilty, 12 Were Given the Death Penalty 185 Other Nazi Leaders Were Found Guilty in Later Trials RESPONSIBLENuremberg Upholds an Important Idea: You Are RESPONSIBLE for Your Actions, Even In Wartime!

Ethnic Cleansing/Genocide To Exterminate a Group Based on Race, Culture, Creed, Beliefs, Etc… Unfortunately Happens All Over the World! Major Genocides That Have Grabbed the World’s Attention: –Cambodia (1973) –Somalia (1990) –Rwanda (1994) –Bosnia (1995) –Darfur (2005)

The United Nations Created in April of 1945 “Nations Must Work Together in Order to Secure World Peace” Prevent Wars & Resolve Conflicts Peacefully!

NYC (East Side)

United Nations UN Still Exists Today: 65 Years & Counting! Headquarters Located in Manhattan (NYC) Works Every Single Day On Negotiating & Diplomatically Solving International Problems: –Prevent/End Wars –Genocide –Poverty –Natural Disasters –Economies –Nuclear Weapons –Etc…

The General Assembly

United Nations Outbreak of WWII Also Showed the Weakness of the League of Nations: –Created After WWI –14 Points = Wilson Why Did the US Choose to Stay Out of the League of Nations? The United States DID Join the United Nations & is a Huge Member to this Day!

International Tensions In 1948, the United Nations Created the Nation of Israel Wanted to Create a Homeland for Jewish in Palestine Palestinians Were Very Angry! Arab Nations Surrounding Israel Attacked Right Away! United Nations & United States Have Always Assisted in the Defense of Israel Fighting Dates Back Thousands of Years!

U.S. vs. Soviet Union At the End of WWII, 2 Countries Emerged as Super Powers: –United States –Soviet Union What Promise Did Stalin Break at the Yalta Conference? Why Did this Scare the United States? What Were We Afraid Of?

International Tensions 27.5 Million Russians Died During WWII –7.5 Million Soldiers –Over 20 Million Civilians Stalin Wanted a “Buffer Zone” to Make Sure the U.S.S.R. Couldn’t be Invaded Again (aka = East Bloc) Created Communist Dictatorships in Countries that the Soviet Union Freed (AGAINST YALTA!)

The Cold War Begins! In 1946 Winston Churchill Declared that an “Iron Curtain” Had Come Down Across Europe By 1949 All the Governments of Eastern Europe Except Yugoslavia Were Stalinist/Soviet Regimes The Cold War Was On!

Communism Today!

Essential Questions: If YOU are told to do something by a teacher, and YOU do it, but then YOU get in trouble for it, are YOU responsible for YOUR actions?