9 Questions
What was the duration of the intense fighting on the island of Tarawa?
76 hours
How many Soviet POWs died in German custody during World War II?
3.3 million
What was the purpose of Dr. Fritz Klein's work at Auschwitz-Birkenau?
Selecting prisoners to be sent to the gas chambers
What was the fate of Dr. Fritz Klein after the war?
He was convicted of two counts of war crimes and executed
What was the primary reason for the need for a set of universal human rights?
The atrocities of World War II
Who chaired the Commission on Human Rights that drafted the UDHR?
Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States
How many languages has the UDHR been translated into?
Over 500 languages
Which country opposed the UDHR due to its perceived interference with national sovereignty?
Belarus
How many countries abstained from voting on the UDHR in 1948?
8 countries
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
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.
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