Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the duration of the intense fighting on the island of Tarawa?
What was the duration of the intense fighting on the island of Tarawa?
How many Soviet POWs died in German custody during World War II?
How many Soviet POWs died in German custody during World War II?
What was the purpose of Dr. Fritz Klein's work at Auschwitz-Birkenau?
What was the purpose of Dr. Fritz Klein's work at Auschwitz-Birkenau?
What was the fate of Dr. Fritz Klein after the war?
What was the fate of Dr. Fritz Klein after the war?
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What was the primary reason for the need for a set of universal human rights?
What was the primary reason for the need for a set of universal human rights?
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Who chaired the Commission on Human Rights that drafted the UDHR?
Who chaired the Commission on Human Rights that drafted the UDHR?
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How many languages has the UDHR been translated into?
How many languages has the UDHR been translated into?
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Which country opposed the UDHR due to its perceived interference with national sovereignty?
Which country opposed the UDHR due to its perceived interference with national sovereignty?
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How many countries abstained from voting on the UDHR in 1948?
How many countries abstained from voting on the UDHR in 1948?
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Study Notes
World War II and Its Aftermath
- The Battle of Tarawa resulted in over 6,000 American and Japanese troop deaths after 76 hours of intense fighting
- At least 3.3 million Soviet POWs died in German custody during WWII
- The Liberation of Bergen-belsen Concentration Camp occurred in April 1945
- Dr. Fritz Klein, a Nazi Party member and SS officer, was convicted of two counts of war crimes and executed in December 1945
- The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively
Preceding Events to the UDHR
- The atrocities of WWII, including the Holocaust, brought attention to the need for a set of universal human rights
- The League of Nations, created after WWI, established the Permanent Mandates Commission, the first international human rights body
- The United Nations, established in 1945, aimed to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars
Creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- The UDHR was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948
- The Commission on Human Rights, chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, drafted the UDHR over two years
- The draft was circulated among UN member states, who provided feedback and suggestions for revisions
- The final draft was adopted by a vote of 48 in favor, none against, and eight abstentions
- The UDHR has since been translated into over 500 languages and is one of the most widely recognized human rights documents
Abstentions and Points of Contention
- Belarus, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Ukraine, USSR, and Yugoslavia opposed interference with national sovereignty
- Saudi Arabia objected to certain articles contradicting the Quran, including freedom to change religion and certain gender and marriage rights
- South Africa opposed the right to racial equality, which conflicted with apartheid policies
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Description
This quiz covers the brutal realities of World War II, including the Battle of Tarawa and the atrocities committed in Nazi concentration camps. Test your knowledge of this pivotal period in history.
