This will be one of the most difficult topics we will ever discuss in class. An Atrocity is an an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury. Unfortunately, World War II had some of the worst atrocities ever committed in human history, and discussing them will involve viewing some disturbing photographs, and looking at humanity at its worst.
We will be examining a number of atrocities that occurred during the Second World War, but only a couple of them really in depth, and both sides, Axis and Allies, took part in them. The most infamous one was The Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany systematically worked and gassed Jewish and other undesirable peoples to death during the 1930's-1945. The picture to the left is just some of the wedding rings at a single concentration camp which were confiscated from people whom the Germans killed. |
The Holocaust (Roughly 1933-May 8, 1945)
It is hard to even begin to talk about what happened during The Holocaust. As mentioned before, this was the targeted elimination of the Jews, and of other people whom the Nazis found undesirable, including Gypsies and the Disabled. Remember, what we discussed during the unit on Totalitarianism? The Nazis were Fascist, but their Fascism included racism as well, and not long after they gained power of the country in 1933, they began to torment those they felt were responsible for the country's problems.
During the rest of the 1930's, Jews were forced out of Germany and most of Europe as German influence grew, but many countries (including the U.S.) would not accept the sheer amount or refugees that were coming in. As a result, many had to stay in the country, or at least nearby. These were the ones who suffered the most. Jewish businesses, synagogues, and homes were ransacked and looted constantly.
These attacks were unofficially legal, because the government supported them almost completely. In 1935, Germany passed the Nuremberg Laws though, which isolated Jews from German life, and even took away some of their natural rights. They would no longer be allowed to hold German citizenship, or marry/have any kind of sexual relationship with people of "German or related blood." The Laws did not specifically define a "Jew" as someone who followed that religion's teachings though. Nazis called anyone a Jew who had three or four Jewish grandparents, completely regardless of whether that person actually identified themselves as a Jew or not. Many Germans who had not practiced Judaism in many years, or had converted to Christianity at some point, were defined as Jews, solely based on their heritage.
During the rest of the 1930's, Jews were forced out of Germany and most of Europe as German influence grew, but many countries (including the U.S.) would not accept the sheer amount or refugees that were coming in. As a result, many had to stay in the country, or at least nearby. These were the ones who suffered the most. Jewish businesses, synagogues, and homes were ransacked and looted constantly.
These attacks were unofficially legal, because the government supported them almost completely. In 1935, Germany passed the Nuremberg Laws though, which isolated Jews from German life, and even took away some of their natural rights. They would no longer be allowed to hold German citizenship, or marry/have any kind of sexual relationship with people of "German or related blood." The Laws did not specifically define a "Jew" as someone who followed that religion's teachings though. Nazis called anyone a Jew who had three or four Jewish grandparents, completely regardless of whether that person actually identified themselves as a Jew or not. Many Germans who had not practiced Judaism in many years, or had converted to Christianity at some point, were defined as Jews, solely based on their heritage.
It was not until 1937 and 1938 though, that the government actually began to eliminate them from ordinary society. The Nuremberg Laws had just isolated them and taken some of their rights. Starting in 1937, Jews were required to register all of their property, and any businesses which employed Jews had to dismiss them immediately. Jewish businesses themselves came under attack again, this time in that ownership was transferred to non-Jewish Germans who bought them at cheap prices set by Nazis. Furthermore, Jewish doctors were now forbidden from treating non-Jews, and Jewish lawyers were no longer allowed to practice law.
On top of all this, Jews were required to wear the Star of David on their clothes, and carry identity cards , just like everyone else in the country, but they had to have a special red "J" on them, and new middle names ("Israel" for men, "Sara" for females) for Jews who did not have an obviously Jewish-sounding first name. Keep in mind, this also applied to the other undesirables in society, such as Gypsies, and Blacks.
On top of all this, Jews were required to wear the Star of David on their clothes, and carry identity cards , just like everyone else in the country, but they had to have a special red "J" on them, and new middle names ("Israel" for men, "Sara" for females) for Jews who did not have an obviously Jewish-sounding first name. Keep in mind, this also applied to the other undesirables in society, such as Gypsies, and Blacks.
It was not until after the war started that the Holocaust practically everyone has heard about began. Though concentration and work camps existed prior to WWII, Jews and undesirables were not forced to go there to support the war effort until around 1939. They were also not specifically designed as "death" camps, though that is absolutely what they became over time. Originally, the point was to make work camps in which the Jews would be forced to work to create things the Germans needed, or to do labor that the Germans saw as beneath them, but eventually, this back-breaking work ended up being lethal.
After capturing Poland, and other countries, the Nazis set up Ghettos, which are slums occupied by minority groups, in many major cities, and sent groups they did not want to see there. These ghettos were poorly maintained and supplied, so diseases were rampant, and thousands died. Others were sent to work camps and worked to death there as well.
After capturing Poland, and other countries, the Nazis set up Ghettos, which are slums occupied by minority groups, in many major cities, and sent groups they did not want to see there. These ghettos were poorly maintained and supplied, so diseases were rampant, and thousands died. Others were sent to work camps and worked to death there as well.
We now enter into the darkest chapters of the Holocaust. After the invasion of the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany began to actually eliminate the Jews altogether. SS units, known as Einsatzgruppen, moved in behind the main attack force and killed anyone they found undesirable. These soldiers shot around 60,000 Russian civilians, mainly Jews, between the months of July-November, 1941.
In December 1941, the first camps designed to be "killing centers" began to open in Poland, and over the course of 1942-1943, the Nazis deported around 700,000 Jews from France, the Netherlands, and Poland to death camps, primarily Auschwitz, and Treblinka. The Jews who arrived were worked to death if they were physically strong, and then killed. Those who could not work, were immediately killed in gas chambers. The bodies would be piled in huge mass graves, and more Jews would be brought in to replace them. Some Jews were even experimented on in these camps, and died of illnesses purposely given to them. This became known as "The Final Solution."
In December 1941, the first camps designed to be "killing centers" began to open in Poland, and over the course of 1942-1943, the Nazis deported around 700,000 Jews from France, the Netherlands, and Poland to death camps, primarily Auschwitz, and Treblinka. The Jews who arrived were worked to death if they were physically strong, and then killed. Those who could not work, were immediately killed in gas chambers. The bodies would be piled in huge mass graves, and more Jews would be brought in to replace them. Some Jews were even experimented on in these camps, and died of illnesses purposely given to them. This became known as "The Final Solution."
During May, 1944, the Germans deported another 440,000 Jews from Hungary to death camps and continued "The Final Solution." The next month saw the Allies landing in France though, and Russians making headway on the Eastern Front, so Nazi territory began to dramatically shrink. By January 1945, the Nazis had to force march 110,000 prisoners from Polish concentration camps farther into Germany as the Russians moved in. The Germans shot every prisoner they could before leaving, and then locked the other ones up inside the camps.
By the end of the month, the Russians had liberated Auschwitz, and began finding these camps all over the place on the Eastern Front, where most of them were. In April, American forces liberated Dachau, another infamous concentration camp, and the horrors of the Holocaust were made public.
By the end of the month, the Russians had liberated Auschwitz, and began finding these camps all over the place on the Eastern Front, where most of them were. In April, American forces liberated Dachau, another infamous concentration camp, and the horrors of the Holocaust were made public.
The Japanese-American Internment (February, 1942-January, 1945)
Though by all means far less bloody than the Holocaust, the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II was still an atrocity. Only two months after the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, anti-Japanese hysteria ran high in the United States, and people started to accuse Americans with Japanese descent of cooperating with the enemy. Even if they were friends and neighbors, people began pointing fingers at them, despite knowing them personally. Racism against the Japanese was so bad after Pearl Harbor that many Americans simply had a hard time believing that they had nothing to do with the attack on December 7, 1941. This was not rational, because nearly all were law-abiding and loyal U.S. citizens, but the people demanded that the government do something to protect the people at home, when they felt their most vulnerable. On top of that, most were simple farmers, and getting rid of them was also encouraged by other farmers who wanted to eliminate competition, politicians who were looking for a way to advance themselves, and by military authorities.
The problem was that Japanese-Americans had rights just like everyone else, and the government could not just lock them up based on accusations. There was no evidence that they had done anything wrong, and many were serving in the Armed Forces themselves. Unfortunately, President Franklin Roosevelt caved in to these demands, and on February 19, 1942, he signed Executive Order 9066, which ordered all Japanese-Americans, regardless of loyalty or citizenship, to evacuate the West Coast (not including Hawaii) immediately. To show how much racism had taken over, there was no order like this given to Americans with German or Italian ancestry, despite the U.S. being at war with them as well.
The problem was that Japanese-Americans had rights just like everyone else, and the government could not just lock them up based on accusations. There was no evidence that they had done anything wrong, and many were serving in the Armed Forces themselves. Unfortunately, President Franklin Roosevelt caved in to these demands, and on February 19, 1942, he signed Executive Order 9066, which ordered all Japanese-Americans, regardless of loyalty or citizenship, to evacuate the West Coast (not including Hawaii) immediately. To show how much racism had taken over, there was no order like this given to Americans with German or Italian ancestry, despite the U.S. being at war with them as well.
This was one of the most flagrant violations of civil liberties in American History, because nearly all of the Japanese-Americans were U.S. citizens, and they had been arrested and detained without a trial or due process. After the order had been given, many were forced to sell their property or businesses at a severe loss, and could only bring a single suitcase with them when they were evacuated. Due to this, most of them had to leave their homes without many of their prized possessions or belongings, and once they had left, their houses were ransacked by looters. Almost everything that was left behind was stolen once they departed, and nothing was done to stop it.
About 120,000 Japanese-Americans were sent to relocation camps in California, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Arkansas, and were forbidden from returning to the West Coast where an "Exclusion Area" was created. Traditional family structures were ignored in the camps, and only American-born children were allowed to hold positions of authority. Basically, the Issei (immigrants) were deprived of their traditional respect when their children, the Nisei (American-born), were considered more important, which is completely backwards in Japanese culture. Around 6,000 Nisei renounced their U.S. citizenship in response, even though a judge ruled that renunciations made behind guard towers was not legal. Additionally, these camps were poorly supplied, and often in desert locations, so growing food was extremely difficult. Many of their basic needs were barely met the entire time they were interred. It was immensely cruel, and was absolutely an atrocity.
About 120,000 Japanese-Americans were sent to relocation camps in California, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Arkansas, and were forbidden from returning to the West Coast where an "Exclusion Area" was created. Traditional family structures were ignored in the camps, and only American-born children were allowed to hold positions of authority. Basically, the Issei (immigrants) were deprived of their traditional respect when their children, the Nisei (American-born), were considered more important, which is completely backwards in Japanese culture. Around 6,000 Nisei renounced their U.S. citizenship in response, even though a judge ruled that renunciations made behind guard towers was not legal. Additionally, these camps were poorly supplied, and often in desert locations, so growing food was extremely difficult. Many of their basic needs were barely met the entire time they were interred. It was immensely cruel, and was absolutely an atrocity.
Even though interred, the American government knew they needed as many men who were willing to volunteer for the Armed Forces as possible, so they allowed around 3,600 Japanese-Americans to join the military from these camps, as well as another 22,000 from Hawaii and areas not in the relocation zone. Many were assigned to the famous all-Japanese 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who were assigned to fight in Italy after the Allied landings there. They had a lot to prove to the people back home, and consistently did their best to distinguish themselves whenever possible while they fought in Italy, France, and Germany. In an even crueler twist, some Nisei soldiers were taken prisoner by German forces during fighting in France, and were sent to horrible POW camps. They became a few of the only handful of Americans to experience the Holocaust themselves. These Nisei were victims of two atrocities, The Holocaust and the Japanese-American Internment.
Regardless of these difficulties, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team proved themselves time and time again in combat. They are still the most decorated unit in American military history! Unfortunately, their actions did little to persuade most people back home. They returned to the U.S. as almost second-class citizens, and were welcomed back home with signs which read: "No Japs allowed." Anti-Japanese sentiment continued even into the 1960's, and their struggle did not end with the war.
Regardless of these difficulties, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team proved themselves time and time again in combat. They are still the most decorated unit in American military history! Unfortunately, their actions did little to persuade most people back home. They returned to the U.S. as almost second-class citizens, and were welcomed back home with signs which read: "No Japs allowed." Anti-Japanese sentiment continued even into the 1960's, and their struggle did not end with the war.
Early in 1945 though, the evacuation order was lifted for most of the interred, and Japanese-American citizens of undisputed loyalty were allowed to return to the West Coast. Most camps closed soon after, but the last one did not close until March, 1946, seven months after the war had already ended.
A law passed in 1948 gave reimbursement for the property losses of those interned, but it was not much, and could not replace so many important personal belongings stolen by looters after they left. Furthermore, their livelihoods had been ruined, it was difficult to restart their careers, and few people trusted them when they returned home. Forty years later, in 1988, the United States government issued a formal apology for violating the civil liberties of its own citizens. Congress awarded restitution payments of around twenty thousand dollars to each survivor of the camps, an estimated $1.6 Billion. It was hoped that this compensation would at least help mend some of the wounds still left open after the war.
A law passed in 1948 gave reimbursement for the property losses of those interned, but it was not much, and could not replace so many important personal belongings stolen by looters after they left. Furthermore, their livelihoods had been ruined, it was difficult to restart their careers, and few people trusted them when they returned home. Forty years later, in 1988, the United States government issued a formal apology for violating the civil liberties of its own citizens. Congress awarded restitution payments of around twenty thousand dollars to each survivor of the camps, an estimated $1.6 Billion. It was hoped that this compensation would at least help mend some of the wounds still left open after the war.