Unit 4 WWII Study Notes PDF

UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes ​Black Shirts ​Benito Mussolini ​Enabling Act ​Luftwaffe ​Winston Churchill ​Japanese ​Holocaust ​D-Day Internme...

UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes ​Black Shirts ​Benito Mussolini ​Enabling Act ​Luftwaffe ​Winston Churchill ​Japanese ​Holocaust ​D-Day Internment ​The Final Solution ​Battle of Britain ​Pearl Harbour ​Ghetto ​War Measures Act ​Holodomor ​Anti-Semitism ​Appeasement ​The Manhattan ​Adolf Hitler ​Josef Stalin Project ​President Truman ​Dieppe raid ​Zyklon B ​Phony War ​Blitzkrieg ​Non-Aggression ​Operation ​Little Boy & Fat Pact Barbarossa Man ​Miracle at Dunkirk ​Fascism ​Nuremberg Laws ​Aryan Race ​Total War ​S.S. St. Louis ​Stages of Isolation ​Nanking CAUSES OF WWII 1.​ Rise of Dictators The 1920s in Europe was marked by change, insecurity, and frustration, and then followed by an economic crisis in the 1930s. Living under these conditions impacted the way people voted for leaders, and the majority wanted a leader who would make change. A particular type of leader rose in the early 1930s in many countries around the world. They were defined as totalitarian leaders. Characteristics of a Totalitarian Leader (a leader who wants total control): 1.​ It was usually one leader/dictator who was often charismatic. 2.​ They have complete control of all aspects of the country, like political, military, economy, social, cultural aspects. 3.​ They were highly nationalistic, using flags, salutes, rallies, and uniforms. 4.​ They implement strict controls and laws.  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes 5.​ The military state involved secret police, army, and military. 6.​ They would control propaganda on the media; radio, newspapers, and posters. Totalitarianism has connections to other forms of government, like communism and fascism. Communism is a system of a government that holds the belief that all things are owned collectively by the community, and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs. Fascism is a system of government that holds the belief that their people are supreme to all others, democracy is bad, and obedience to one leader is necessary. ​ During this time period, dictatorships were popping up all over the world, including Europe. Many dictators eventually became allies, like Hitler and Mussolini. 2.​ The Treaty of Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was an armistice signed at the Paris Peace Conference which took effect on November 11th, 1918. This treaty mainly involved the big three; USA, Britain and France. The result of this armistice was that Germany had to admit that they were at fault, they had to surrender their land, they had to pay reparations, and they had to downsize their army and navy which ultimately led the German economy and morale to suffer greatly. Since they had to print lots of money to pay the reparations, it resulted in mass inflation in Germany. German money became worthless, and the price of basic goods increased. To control inflation, the big three decreased the reparations and lent Germany money. However, with the stock market crashing in 1929, Germany was practically ruined. By the early 1930s, Germans were suffering from poverty as six million workers were unemployed, causing them to lose confidence in the government. Additionally, new national borders that were created by the treaty meant that many minorities were stuck in other countries and were feared by the majority. Once Hitler was in power, he banned the Treaty of Versailles and vowed to rebuild Germany to its former glory. 3.​ Failure of the League of Nations The League of Nations was a union of countries with the goal to prevent future world wars. However, they failed to prevent wars in some countries which was evidenced by the Rape of Nanking, and the Ethiopia invasion led under Mussolini. The League of Nations took no action to prevent these events from occurring. The lack of action from the League of Nations suggested that world leaders could use force and be aggressive while taking over other countries because no one would step in to stop them, and therefore, the League of Nations became pointless.  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes 4.​ The Rise of Hitler Hitler was born in 1889 in a border town, Braunau, between Germany and Austria-Hungary and was upset that these countries were split as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. He was a nationalist and had a dream of becoming an artist. However, his parents did not approve and he was also rejected from art school. He had no money and lived in homeless shelters. It was believed that he developed a hatred for Jewish people during this time period. As a young adult, he was a veteran of WW1 and developed the belief that Germans were superior, should be entitled to rule other people, and should expand the empire. He joined the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi) in 1919 and within a year, he was their leader. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party promised to fix things and bring Germany out of their economic mess. He was a very persuasive speaker. His speeches stirred up public support and silent concern for the Nazi party, which spread his messages about the German “Master Race” known as ARYANS. His Nazi party never officially won any election, though in January of 1933, he became the chancellor (head) of a coalition government which led to him becoming leader of the German people. The Enabling Act was a law passed in 1933 in Germany that gave Adolf Hitler and his government the power to make laws without needing approval from the parliament. This allowed Hitler to quickly establish a dictatorship and take control of the country, essentially ending democracy in Germany. Many hoped that this new power would tame Hitler, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Once in power, Hitler ignored the Treaty of Versaille by building a large and powerful German military and he stopped giving money to the Allies. He then invaded and took control of Austria and Czechoslovakia, and because of appeasement, he was able to break the rules set out in the Treaty of Versailles. The Germans loved Hitler because he put people back to work and built the country. The Treaty of Versailles banned weapons and tanks but Hitler brought it back into Germany. Young men were able to join the army and all traces of democracy were destroyed in Germany. Anyone who spoke out against Hitler and the Nazis were sent to concentration camps, and the Gestapo, Hitler’s secret police, were everywhere. 5.​ The Policy of Appeasement Appeasement means to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm or contentment by pacifying and soothing. It means to satisfy, allay, or relieve.  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes World War One caused nearly 9 million deaths and cost huge sums of money. Most countries in Europe were anxious and did not want another war. Western nations like Britain, France, Canada, and the U.S took an isolationist approach and were not willing to use military force to stop Hitler. The British Prime Minister believed in appeasement. In exchange for being given land, Hitler promised not to take any more land by force. However, Hitler did not keep his promise. In 1936, Germany sent troops into Rhineland which was just outside the French border. This demilitarised zone had been established under the Treaty of Versailles as a buffer between Germany and France. Britain does not see the occupation as a threat to its interests or overall security and does not respond militarily. France, already politically and militarily insecure, was left feeling isolated internationally and did little to resist the occupation. Hitler’s success encourages him to pursue an even more aggressive foreign policy. In 1938, Germany made Austria a part of its empire, and they took Sudetenland and all of Czechoslovakia later on. In 1939, Germany signed a Nonaggression Pact with Russia. In May of 1939, almost 1000 passengers, mostly Jewish refugees, boarded a ship called the S.S. St Louis in Hamburg, Germany. Their destination was Cuba. When the ship reached Cuba, they were refused and the ship was forced to leave the harbour and travel to the Florida coast. However, US Coast Guards patrolled the waters so that nobody could jump off the ship and swim to shore. The ship was not allowed to dock. The next stop was the Atlantic coast of Canada, where it was also refused. The S.S. St Louis is forced to return to Europe where Belgium, the Netherlands, England and France take the passengers as refugees. Most passengers ended up victims of the Holocaust and were killed in concentration camps. In September, Germany invaded Poland, which led to Britain and France declaring war. THE BEGINNING OF WWII The Axis Power ➔​ Germany ➔​ Italy ➔​ Japan The Allies ➔​ Britain (Canada) ➔​ Russia ➔​ USA  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes ➔​ France ➔​ China In 1939, Germany invaded Poland using a new military tactic called “blitzkrieg,” meaning “lightning war.” A blitzkrieg attack used fast-moving tanks to spearhead the German advance. The enemy forces were surrounded, cut off, and wiped out. Airplanes were used to dive-bomb enemy soldiers as well as to terrorize the general civilian population. The allied generals believed that trench warfare would be the way the war would be fought, and they were quickly defeated. After Poland, there were lots of actions due to the Blitzkrieg attack, and then there were no actions for months directly after this attack until the spring of 1940. We call this time period of no fighting from September of 1939 to the spring of 1940 the “Phony War.” Allied forces used this time to prepare for what would come next, and Germany used the time to move its forces from Poland to its next target. In the spring of 1940, Germany attacked. Denmark fell in 1 day, the Netherlands fell in 5 days, Belgium took 18 days, and France was defeated in 6 weeks. Essentially all of Europe, except Britain, were under German control. In addition to the soldiers fighting on both sides, the lives of civilians were changed. Average cities and towns became targets for air bombings, making this a total war. Throughout both WWI and WWII, Switzerland remained neutral. Total War: all aspects of life were involved in the war MIRACLE OF DUNKIRK As Germany made its way through France, retreating troops could only survive if they made it to Britain. The only way out was through the English Channel at the port of Dunkirk. The English Navy was still preparing for war and were therefore lacking ships at this time. English fishermen and pleasure sailors volunteered their ships and ended up saving 350,000 retreating soldiers and bringing them to Britain. This event was called the Miracle at Dunkirk. BATTLE OF BRITAIN - JULY 10, At this moment, Hitler wanted to invade Britain. However, Britain is an island and 1940 Germany had to cross the English Channel to do so. Germany needed control of the sky in order to pass the water without any threat from Britain. On July 10th of 1940, Hitler unleashed his German air force, the Luftwaffe, to battle against the British Royal Air Force. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, was determined that his people would fight with “blood, toil, tears and sweat.” Every British plane was used in this battle. In August of 1940, RAF made a surprise attack on Berlin, a German city. Germany made a revenge “Blitz” on Britain  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes beginning in September 1940, and Germans made nightly raids on Britain for 57 nights straight. Germany wanted to terrorize the British. People of England had to relocate and spent days in bomb shelters or underground. Britain and the allies grew strong despite constant attacks and having less planes. On September 15th, 1940, RAF defeated the Luftwaffe which led to Hitler calling off his plan to invade Britain. The Battle of Britain was won by only a few hundred pilots that included Britains, Canadians, Poles, Australians, New Zealanders and South African pilots. As a result, Hitler sets his sights on Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. Hitler and Stalin had signed a nonaggression pact which stated that they would stay out of each other’s way. OPERATION BARBAROSSA - JUNE The Soviet Union was a multi-nation state led by communist Joseph Stalin 22, 1941 (included Russia in this territory). Despite having a pact with Stalin, Hitler needed more land and resources as his army was suffering after the Battle of Britain. Russia was a huge country and had natural resources his army could use, specifically oil. In June 1941, the Nazi’s invaded. ➔​ In the early stages, the Nazis scored amazing victories. However, they were stopped before they reached Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union.​ ➔​ With Russia’s enormous size, horrible weather and vast amount of people, it gave them an advantage over Germany.​ ➔​ Joseph Stalin was willing to sacrifice anything to win and forced millions into military service, including women.​ ➔​ Stalin also implemented the “No One Step Backward” rule which allowed scared/feeling Russian soldiers to be shot on the spot.​ ➔​ Historians estimate that Stalin had killed about 150,000 of his own fleaing men. 2.5 million German soldiers faced 5.5 million Soviet soldiers. ➔​ Russians defend their country by implementing the Scorched Earth Policy. Their tactic was to burn and destroy everything as they go so there is nothing left for the enemies. This includes factories, homes, bridges, crops and other infrastructure so that the enemy cannot use resources left  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes behind. ➔​ Eventually the Germans are defeated and turn back and march towards Germany. Russians begin marching in Berlin as well. ITALIAN CAMPAIGN/BATTLE OF FLASHBACK.. The Black Shirts were a paramilitary group that played a key role in ORTONA - 1943 Benito Mussolini’s rise to power in Italy. They were formed in the early 1920s as part of Mussolini's Fascist Party and were named for the black uniforms they wore. Their primary goal was to support Mussolini’s vision of a fascist state by using violence and intimidation to suppress opposition, particularly left-wing groups like socialists and communists. The Black Shirts would often disrupt strikes, silence political protests, and even engage in street battles with opponents. Their violent tactics helped create an atmosphere of fear and instability, which Mussolini used to justify the need for strong, centralized control. In 1922, they helped facilitate Mussolini’s March on Rome, which ultimately led to his appointment as Prime Minister of Italy. Once Mussolini gained power, the Black Shirts continued to serve as a paramilitary force, helping to enforce fascist policies and suppress any resistance. Their actions were critical in the early establishment of Mussolini’s authoritarian regime, which led to the creation of a totalitarian state in Italy. The Black Shirts were disbanded after Mussolini's fall from power in 1943, but they are remembered as a symbol of fascist violence and oppression. Italy was led into war by Fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, who formed an alliance with Hitler in 1936. Canadians participated in the Italian Campaign which began in July of 1943, with the invasion of Sicily. Mussolini was still in power at this point, but his popularity was slowly slipping away from him, and by late July, he was overthrown and Italy surrendered to the allies. Mussolini was eventually arrested and killed. However, the Germans had heavily armed many areas of Italy to avoid its loss to the allies. The Italian government officially surrendered in September of 1943, yet German presence and fighting continued. Over 90,000 Canadian soldiers served in this campaign and over 20,000 were wounded or killed. Despite the grueling battle for southern Italy, the Allied forces had to continue north to Rome, the capital. In December of 1943, Canadians endured one of their toughest battles in the ancient town of Ortona. The battle lasted a month with fights happening in the streets. Over 2,300 Canadian troops were lost, as well as many innocent Italian lives. Canadians had to blow through walls in order to get from building to building. The battle continued over Christmas Day of 1943, but 3 days later, the Germans withdrew from Ortona. Following the fall of Ortona, the Allies focused on moving to the western front. They needed to take control of the capital city, Rome, if they wanted to beat the Germans  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes stationed in Italy. It took four major attempts between January and May 1944 before the Allies, including British, American, French, Polish, and Canadian Corps broke through the German army stationed in Rome. Rome was declared an open city by the German army, and the Allies took possession on June 4th, 1944. Finally, Mussolini was executed and hung in a public square for all to see. In March of 1941, America got involved, mainly because of the attack on Pearl Harbour. The Lend-Lease Act stated that Americans could provide munitions and financial release to any country suffering from the axis of enemy powers. Britain, Soviet Union, China and other allied countries received weapons and money from Americans. Approximately 2 million Americans fought in Europe before the end of the war. On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis ship during WWII was bombed by the Japanese. 1200 men were on board and the ship sank in 12 minutes with 300 men dead in that time frame. The rest of the crew clung to debris of the ship for the next 4 days in the water. They had to resist the heat from the sun, dehydration and hunger. It got so bad that some crew began to hallucinate. Some men committed suicide in the water, as they believed help would never come. The most grim part about the ordeal was the fact that men were being eaten by sharks. The sharks were attracted to the wreckage due the shock waves and the blood in the water. It is estimated that 150 men were eaten by sharks, and only 316 men survived the ordeal. Unlike WWI, Canada declared war after a vote in Parliament. The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of declaring war on Germany. The War Measures Act was passed before they even declared war (September 1). Civil rights were suspended and Canada saw Nazi Germany as a threat to Canada. This gave the government the right to arrest and detain suspected enemies. They were allowed to censor the news and control the economy. Munitions companies were immediately authorized to begin producing bombs, grenades, and bullets. The laws were passed by the prime minister and the cabinet, not the parliament. Having experienced nearly twenty years of neglect, Canada’s armed forces were small, poorly equipped, and unprepared for war. Once war was declared, Canada’s forces expanded rapidly. ➔​ In September alone, 58,330 people volunteered for service, including 3000 Aboriginals and 72 women. ➔​ Black Canadians were rejected at the onset of the war because they were not considered British subjects or “white”. Though, as war continued, they were accepted. After the Great Depression, many signed up for financial reasons. They would be given $1.30 a day along with $60 a month for dependent spouses and $30 a month for every child. Unlike WWI, everybody knew this war would not end quickly or without sacrifice. The first Canadian troops sailed to Europe September 10, 1939. PM King wanted to contribute to the war effort by starting a program to train pilots  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes from all over the Commonwealth. The clear skies and small population of the Canadian prairies were perfect. By 1943, 97 Training schools were in operation. The program graduated 49 808 pilots, 29 929 navigators and over 50,000 other air crew. Prime Minister King wanted Canada to contribute to the war effort but aimed to keep Canadians off the front lines. Canada agreed to cover the expenses of the plans but insisted that the British publicly declare that air training would take priority over other parts of the Canadian war effort. The total cost amounted to over 2.2 billion dollars, with the Canadian government covering more than 1.6 billion, which was three-quarters of the total. In July of 1941, the CWAC, Canadian Women’s Army Corp, was established. Women were enrolled to provide vital support by driving vehicles, running communication equipment, and performing admin work. The government soon realized that this war would require all of Canada’s resources, and that limited involvement was not possible. Women played a vital role in working in factories to replace men serving overseas. The economy was coordinated to produce weapons of war and the government took control in all aspects of the economy. Victory bonds were sold to pay for war, and supplies like gas and food were rationed because of overseas priority. Metal, wood, and fat were recycled for war use. The federal government passed the National Resource Mobilization Act. This act gave them emergency powers to mobilize all of the resources in the nation to defeat the enemy. This was a policy of total war. HOLOCAUST ➔​ A sacrifice totally burned by fire. It was the international annihilation of Jewish and other groups of people of Europe under the Nazi regime during WWII. For hundreds of years, Christians living in Europe had regarded Jewish people as those who killed Jesus Christ. At one point in time, Jews had been driven out of almost all European countries. Jewish people were abused, mistreated, and denied basic rights because of their religious beliefs. Prejudice towards Jewish people was not new to people during WWII, but the way in which Hitler dealt with Jewish people was never before seen and arguably WWII’s greatest tragedy. In the 1900s, prejudice against Jews was still strong, especially in Germany, Poland, and Eastern Europe, where the Jewish population was very large. After WWI, German Jewish people were blamed for the country's defeat. Prejudice against the Jews grew during the economic depression which followed, and many Germans were poor and unemployed and wanted someone to blame. Jewish people were often rich and successful in business, making them scapegoats. Hitler’s racial ideology stemmed from what he called the basic principle of blood; stereotypically blond hair and blue eyed. This meant that the blood of every person and every race contained the soul of a person and likewise the soul of his race, the Volk. Hitler and many others believed that the Aryan race,  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes to which all true Germans belonged, was the race whose blood was of the highest degree. They believed that God Himself had created the Aryans as the most perfect men, both physically and spiritually. During the Holocaust, 11 million people were killed, with 6 million of them being Jewish people. This event lasted from 1933 all the way till 1945. The Holocaust caused the death of 63% of the Jewish population in Europe, and 91% of the Jewish population in Poland. Auschwitz-Birkenau was rescued by Soviet troops on January 27th, 1945. The Soviets found 836,255 women’s dresses, 348,000 men’s suits, 38,000 pairs of men’s shoes, 14,000 pounds of human hair, but only 7,650 live prisoners. People were shot, starved, gassed and burned. The Holocaust was a progression of actions leading to the annihilation of millions: Stage 1: Fostering Biased Attitudes Following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Hitler established a Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda headed by Joseph Goebbels. The Ministry’s aim was to ensure that the Nazi message was successfully communicated through art, music, theatre, films, books, radio, educational materials, and the press. Through propaganda, Germans were reminded of the struggle against foreign enemies and Jewish subversion. Propaganda campaigns created an atmosphere tolerant of violence against Jews, particularly in 1935 before the Nuremberg Race Laws. In the educational system, Jewish children were forced to sit at the back of the class to reiterate their inferiority. They were used by teachers as examples in biology lessons about racial purity. Jewish children would be told to stand at the front of the class, whilst teachers would point to their eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hair, comparing these two characteristics on Nazi propaganda sheets. Eventually, the Jewish children were completely segregated from the non-Jewish German children in schools. From this point onward, schools heavily used propaganda to teach children into Nazi ideology. Textbooks and posters were used to teach German youth the importance of racial consciousness. Students' school work was often following these themes. Stage 2: Stripping of Rights Beginning in 1935, Hitler created a set of laws that all Jewish people were to follow. These were called the Nuremberg Laws. Not following these Nuremberg Laws resulted in punishment, including death. NUREMBERG LAWS: ​ All Jewish People must publicly identify themselves by wearing the star of David The Nazis supplied Jewish people with patches to place on their clothing. These patches were the form of the Star of David. The star had the word “Jew” written in the center in the Hebrew Language. This  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes form of identification made Jewish people easy targets in their communities. Those who refused to wear the badge risked severe punishment from the Nazi’s, including death. ​ Jewish people were to lose their basic rights; they could not vote, and they lost all protection from the legal system ​ Jewish people were banned from marrying non-Jewish people ​ Jewish people were forbidden from using public spaces ​ Jewish people had to follow strict rules when socializing. They had to attend their own Jewish schools, and they had to have a curfew Stage 3: Segregation Jews were forced to live in designated areas called “ghettos” to isolate them from the rest of society. Nazis established 356 ghettos in Poland, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Hungary during WWII. Ghettos were filthy, with poor sanitation and extreme overcrowding. Disease was rampant and food was in such short supply that many starved to death. Warsaw, the largest ghetto, held 500,000 people and was 3.5 square miles in size. Stage 4: Concentration Throughout WWII, Hitler and the Nazi’s created many “camps” where Jews, Communists, homosexuals, opponents, Roma/Gypsy, union members were held until their unfortunate deaths. Once the war began, the Nazis rounded up Jewish and other people in conquered countries and temporarily placed people in ghettos of Polish cities. In 1943, they were moved from ghettos to concentration camps. They were sent via train and were crammed in like cattle, and once unloaded, families were separated into male and female lines, and nazi doctors carried out the selection process: Send to Extermination (death) camps: ​ Elderly ​ Women & children ​ Children aged 14 and younger Send to Work Camps: ​ 20% of all Jewish people ended up in work camps ​ Men & boys over the age of 14 ​ Those thought to be “fit” for work Once in the camps, people were numbered and were given tattoos. They lost their names and identities. Their body hair was all shaved off, and they were disinfected and forced through extremely  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes hot and cold showers. They were given uniforms to wear which were often striped pyjamas. While in the camps, people were starved and forced to work. Living conditions were cramped and very dirty. Many nazis doctors and scientists performed cruel health experiments on the people with the excuse that it was for research purposes, but it was just acts of cruelty and torture. Those that were too weak to work from starvation were killed. Stage 5: Extermination Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units) had begun killing operations aimed at entire Jewish communities in the 1930s. Euthanasia Aktion T-4 program was a Nazi policy to eliminate “life unworthy of life” (mentally or physically challenged) to promote Aryan “racial integrity” - Aktion T-4 was also referred to as Eugenics. The death factories were nazi extermination camps that fulfilled the singular function of mass murder. In Berlin of 1942, there was a Wannsee Conference which established the “complete solution of the Jewish question”. It called for the complete and mass annihilation and extermination of the Jews as well as other groups. They used Zyklon B which is poison gas. Adolf Eichmann was the architect of the final solution, and he had a list of people to exterminate. Prisoners were sent to gas chambers disguised as showers. Zyklon B gas was used to gas people in 3-15 minutes, and up to 8000 people were gassed per day at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest death camp with 4 operating gas chambers. Gold fillings from victims' teeth were melted down to make gold bars. Prisoners moved dead bodies to massive crematoriums. Anne Frank and her family were in hiding for nearly 2 years before they were found and taken to camp, where males and females were separated. It is said that both Anne and her sister died of Typhus, an infectious, bacterial disease that is transmitted through mites, ticks or lice. Anne and her sister died about a month before Allied soldiers came and rescued all people still left in these camps. Anne’s father, Otto, was the only one in the family to survive. Upon returning home, he found Anne’s diary and published it. Anne’s retelling of the war is one of the most popular books in the world. By 1945, the Nazis began to destroy crematoriums and camps as Allied troops closed in. Between 1944 till 1945, Nazis ordered marches over long distances. Approximately 250,000 to 375,000 prisoners perished in Death Marches. On January 27th, 1945, the Soviet army entered Auschwitz and liberated more than 7,000 remaining prisoners, who were mostly ill and dying. Shortly after Germany surrendered and WWII ended, the camps were closed. Any survivors were set free. Following WWII, there was a massive, international legal trial called “The Nuremberg Trial” which concluded that any surviving Nazis were tried and found guilty of assault and murder. While not all Nazis were arrested and charged, the Jewish people felt a sense of justice. Following the trial, the United Nations voted in favour of creating a new country for the Jewish people. A part of Palestine was taken and re-named Israel  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes because the ancient Israelites originated from this part of the world. Approximately 40% of the world’s Jewish population now live in Israel. HOLODOMOR ➔​ Extermination by hunger. It was a genocide of the Ukrainian people carried out by the Soviet Union. An estimated 2.5 to 7.5 million Ukranians died from starvation. In 1929, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin made the decision to collectivize agriculture, meaning he joined several small farms, leading to famine in Ukraine. Teams of Communist Party agitators forced poor farmers to give up their land, personal property, and sometimes housing, to collective farms, and they deported anyone who resisted collectivization altogether. Collectivization led to a drop in production, the disorganization of the rural economy, and food shortages. It also sparked a series of rebellions, including armed uprisings in some parts of Ukraine. These were led mostly by Kulaks, who were wealthier peasants. This made Stalin nervous and angry as he was worried that others would follow and that they would lose grip in Ukraine so in response, the Soviet Forces, under Joseph Stalin, placed whole towns in Ukraine on a blacklist and prevented them from receiving food. The Soviets used terror-starvation against the Ukrainian people, including rejection of outside aid, confiscation of all household food, and restriction of population movement. There was more than enough food to sustain the population but the Soviets withheld food from the Ukrainians to starve them to death. The crisis reached its peak in 1933 when organized groups of police and communist party supporters ransacked homes and took everything edible, from crops to personal food supplies to pets. Stalin intended to eliminate all nationalistic aspirations (desire for freedom and independence) of the Ukrainian people and subjugate them to Soviet rule. This genocide is compared to the Holocaust as an entire race of people was targeted for elimination. From 1934 to 1940, Stalin carried out the Great Purge to rid the Soviet Union of all undesirable elements. Millions of Soviet citizens were targeted with some being executed and the majority being sent to prison camps in Siberia. Most living in these prison camps did not survive as conditions were horrible. Stalin's brutal dictatorship led to the deaths of at least 20 million Soviet citizens. JAPANESE ATROCITIES ➔​ The atrocities committed by the Japanese during WWII. During the 1930s, Japan was being ruled by Emperor Hirohito, who was cruel and wanted expansion. He was determined to never be colonized by Western powers. Their resentment of the west was further  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes fanned by the rejection of the Japanese Racial Equality Proposal in the 1919 treaty of Versailles and other racist laws which enforced segregation and barred Asians from citizenship, land ownership and immigration to the U.S. Japan modernized its entire country, from industry to military, in 50 years. Many Japanese died in this process as the economy was rebuilt from one of handmade goods and crafts to a fully industrialized factory system. Once Japan’s army was equal to any in Europe or the US, they assisted the Allies in WWI and invaded Russia and China and often invented reasons to attack. In February 1933, Japan stunned the world and withdrew from the League of Nations. Japan had been at war with nearby countries since 1931, beginning with the invasion of Manchuria (taken by the army without the knowledge or approval of the Japanese government). Slowly, Japan seized islands and other territory in Asia and created their own Japanese Empire. In 1937, China was weak and divided so Japan decided to expand its empire there. Japan became increasingly aggressive in the Pacific and joined Hitler's cause in 1939 when WWII officially began. Once France fell to the Germans in 1940, Japan moved into the French Colony of Indochina. Once Hitler attacked the Soviet Union, the Japanese knew they had nothing to fear from the North, so they attacked Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaya, Philippines, Burma, and Singapore which led to Anti-Japanese sentiment increasing around the world. They were known as cruel and brutal masters, and often raped and tortured those who came into their power. This was especially true of the Rape of Nanking, a city in China where citizens were tortured and murdered. To this day, Japan refuses to acknowledge the Rape of Nanking ever happened. The Japanese government has refused to apologize for these and other World War II atrocities, and a significant sector of Japanese society denies that they took place at all. Between December 1937 and March 1938, at least 369,366 Chinese civilians and prisoners of war were slaughtered by the invading troops. An estimated 80,000 women and girls were raped; many of them were then mutilated or murdered. By September 27, 1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, thus entering the military alliance known as the “Axis”. After the invasion of China, Japan strategically invaded Indochina. Their plan was to stop all imports into China coming from Indochina, especially war supplies purchased from the US. In response, the United States, Britain and the Netherlands froze all Japanese financial assets. The effect was to prevent Japan from purchasing oil, which would, in time, cripple its army and make its navy and air force completely useless. The Philippines was an American protectorate (a state controlled and protected by another) at the time,  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes and was also a Japanese target. Knowing very well that an invasion of the Philippines would provoke an American military response, the Japanese decided to attack Pearl Harbour first in order to weaken American forces needed to support the Philippines. They attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7th and on December 8th, they launched their assault on the Philippines. The Battle of Hong Kong ➔​ Hong Kong surrendered to Japan on Christmas Day 1941. ➔​ Of the 1,975 Canadians, 290 were killed and 493 wounded. A further 260 died in the awful conditions of prison camps in Hong Kong and Japan. The battle of Hong Kong raised a lot of concern and anti-Japanese sentiment in Canada. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the population of British Columbia included around 21,000 Canadians of Japanese origin, 75% of whom had residence rights. Common belief held was that the Japanese are unable to assimilate into Canadian society as easily as those of European heritage. Prime Minister Mackenzie King himself expressed a belief in “the extreme difficulty of assimilating Japanese persons in Canada” Political cartoons depicted the Japanese as savages. This carried over into public discourse (written or spoken communication or debate) as suspicion of Japanese Canadians grew. Japanese submarines are known to have been operating off the coast of BC. Although the RCMP and military evaluations suggested that there was no imminent threat by Japanese Canadians, this assessment was not accepted by all. Resentment against Japanese Canadians exploded into panic and anger in British Columbia. 1,200 fishing boats were seized by the Canadian navy in fear of spying. The war offered a convenient excuse for Canadians to address the Japanese Canadian question. The War Measures Act meant that the government had the power to send people away to internment camps if they were believed to be a risk. All Japanese people in Canada were imprisoned under the War Measures Act with most being sent to camps in the interior of British Columbia but some men were sent to labor camps in other parts of Canada. National Security means that the government may hold the power to: ❖​ Separate you from your parents ❖​ Determine what groups are illegal and arrest members of illegal organizations ❖​ Make you move elsewhere in Canada ❖​ Choose a job for you and make you work in it ❖​ Restrict your travel both inside and outside of Canada ❖​ Control your eating and drinking habits ❖​ Arrest and hold people in prison without laying any specific charges. ❖​ Sell your families possessions including your home without compensation. ❖​ Take more powers if they see it fit in the interest of national security.  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes The movement of 23,000 Japanese Canadians was the largest mass exodus in Canadian history. HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI ➔​ THE BOMBING THAT ENDED THE WAR As the Japanese continued to attack nearby countries, the American Navy “island hopped” along the Pacific slowly, and they pushed the Japanese off each island. This was a slow and extremely bloody process. Japan tried to fight hard against the American allies, and the kamikaze fighter pilots fought to the death. MANHATTAN PROJECT 1.​ Rumors rose that Germany was developing a weapon based on atomic energy, and in response, the USA began the top secret “Manhattan Project.” 2.​ Using Canadian uranium, many of the world’s top scientists met in the deserts of the state of New Mexico to build the world’s first Atomic Bomb. The allies knew that whoever could successfully create an Atomic bomb could rule the world. ➔​ When TNT explodes, it produces a temperature of a few thousand degrees, but when an atomic bomb explodes it produces a glowing ball of fire (mushroom cloud) which can read up to temperatures of millions of degrees. The radiant energy travelling from the fireball travels at the speed of light that includes visible, ultraviolet and infrared rays. Everything within two km of the hypocentre can turn to dust. Fallout may occur after an atomic bomb has exploded or it may be delayed for weeks, months or even years. When an atomic bomb explodes near the earth’s surface, dirt is sucked up into the fire ball. The dirt is coated in radioactive fission fragments and is carried aloft in the mushroom cloud. This radioactive debris drifts back to earth after the explosion. The height of the mushroom cloud determines how high the debris is taken and how long it takes to fall back to earth. This debris is very dangerous to humans. 3.​ Four atomic bombs were made; a test bomb “the Gadget,” “Little Boy,” “Fat man,” and a fourth bomb that was never used. President Roosevelt created the project, and after he died, Harry Truman, the new American president, was responsible for making the decision about the use of the atomic bomb. The Manhattan Project cost approximately 2 billion dollars (22 billion today) to create so they felt like they had to use the bombs as so much money went into the project. 4.​ The Germans ended up surrendering before the bomb was completed. Emperor Hirohito was not willing to surrender despite being asked by the U.S. President Truman and his advisors to figure that continuing the attack on the Japanese was becoming too costly–in lives and  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes money. Planning an actual attack into Japan could take years. The US was running out of money. Before dropping the bomb, the US tried to warn the Japanese of what was to come and in early August of 1945, thousands of flyers were dropped over large Japanese cities. At 8:15 AM on August 6th, “The Little Boy” was dropped over the center of Hiroshima (a city located 500 miles from Tokyo). It dropped for 45 seconds and exploded before hitting the ground and had a blast the equivalent to 13 kilotons of dynamite. Roughly 70,000-135,000 people died. It is estimated that due to radiation, approximately 150,000 additional people have died since this first attack happened. Despite the devastation, Japan did not immediately surrender. The second bomb, the “Fat Man”, was dropped on August 9, 1945. Over 200,000 people died between the two bombings. On August 15th 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender over the radio. Although the Japanese surrendered on August 15th, 1945 they officially signed papers on September 2nd. Speculation today suggests a third bomb would’ve been dropped on Kokura, Japan a few days later had Japan not surrendered. There are claims that a total of 9 more atomic bombs were being produced to be dropped on 9 more Japanese cities to force surrender. The destructive effects of the atomic bombs in Japan were not simply like those of an equivalent tonnage of conventional bombs. Some short term effects were radiation sickness, including death within a few days among the heavily exposed. Symptoms reported by the Japanese: ​ epilation (loss of hair) ​ petechiae (bleeding into the skin) ​ other hemorrhagic manifestations ​ oropharyngeal lesions (inflammation of the mouth and throat) ​ vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. After the immediate crisis had passed, by December 1945, most people who had suffered from radiation poisoning had either died or apparently recovered. However, it soon became obvious that exposure to radiation created long-term health problems such as: ​ Keloid Scars ​ Anemia and Blood Disorders ​ Cataracts ​ Sterility in both Sexes (inability to procreate) ​ Menstrual Irregularities ​ Children Exposed to high doses of radiation while in womb face 20% risk of birth defects ​ Cancer - Leukemia, Thyroid, and many other solid cancers. The dropping of the atomic bombs on the Japanese ended all fighting associated with WWII, and it  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes ended on September 2, 1945. As a result of WWII, the United Nations (UN) was created. It is an organization (group) made up of representatives from different countries. Their goal is to create peace, international cooperation and prevent future conflicts. China, France, The Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States all became members of the UN. However, soon after the end of WWII, a power struggle between the U.S and Soviet Union was established and these two nations faced off against each other in the 1950s, which is known as the Cold War. The Cold War ended on December 26, 1991. WAS THE BOMBING JUSTIFIED? No, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not justified. Americans saw the bombing as an event that would essentially save everyone from the prolonged war as Emperor Hirohito was not willing to surrender. However, they failed to recognize how many Japanese lives were affected by the bombing. Hundreds of thousands innocent civilians lost their lives as a result of the nuclear bombing for the goal of saving the rest of humanity. They justified this by saying that this could prevent a ground invasion of the U.S which could have resulted in the death of over one million Americans, though at the same time, they weren’t sure of that actually happening. Either way, people still ended up dying; if the Japanese emperor did not surrender, the war would continue and many more lives would still be affected, and by forcing the Japanese emperor to surrender with atomic bombs, many lives would still be affected. There is no way to justify the bombing with the fact that the bombing could prevent further deaths because the bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki still caused the death of many individuals, who were innocent, in Japan, and continues to harm some with the effects of the radiation. THE BUTCHER KNIFE ➔​ In the 1980s, an Atomic Scientists named Fisher suggested that instead of a briefcase containing the nuclear launch codes, the means to launch a bomb should instead be carried in a capsule embedded near the heart of a volunteer. ➔​ That person would carry a heavy blade with them everywhere the president went. Before authorising a missile launch, the commander-in-chief would first have to personally kill that one person, gouging out their heart to retrieve the codes. When Fisher made this proposal to friends at the Pentagon, they argued that this act would distort the president’s judgement. Though to Fisher, that was the point. Before killing thousands, the leader must first “look at someone and realise what death is – what an innocent death is. Blood on the White House carpet”. Killing a person with a butcher’s knife may be morally unacceptable, yet leaders have justified their atomic acts as politically and militarily necessarily for the greater good. When the bombs were dropped, the decision was justified in terms of its outcome instead of its morality.  UNIT 4 - WWII Study Notes 1.​ The bombing ended WWII and prevented further death from a prolonged war 2.​ Prevented a ground invasion which could have resulted in the death of more than one million US Soldiers. In 1945, 85% Americans approved the bombing 3.​ Discouraged the descent into nuclear war for the rest of the 20th century. It was so brutal, it was outlawed - never before had the world seen such destruction Although there were positive results, it cannot obscure the fact that on the 6th and 9th August 1945.. -​ Two of humanity’s most destructive objects brought the horrifying power of the atom onto two civilian cities. -​ We can attempt to describe the events through numbers: at least 200,000 people killed by the flashes, firestorms and radiation; tens of thousands more injured; an unquantifiable inter-generational legacy of radiation, cancer and trauma. -​ We can remember the individual stories – of mothers and children, of priests and doctors, of ordinary lives transformed in a moment