Causes and Effects of World War II
The cause of the World War II initially was World War I. The devastation of World War I had greatly hurt Europe, and as time went by, this vast area grew into seeing how many unresolved issues had been left behind by World War I. After the Axis powers were defeated in World War I, The Treaty of Versailles came into play. Many nations like Japan and Italy, were left with bad feelings towards the Allies. This was because the nations of Italy and Japan felt they had sacrificed so much during World War II, and in return, gained nothing. Neither Italy nor Japan achieved what they thought was enough land or money in the treaty. Along with harsh feelings and hate came the feeling of wanting to get revenge on Germany as well. Germany was not even present for the treaty, yet this was the country that had the most land and money stripped from it. In particular, the political and economic instability in Germany, and lingering resentment over the harsh terms imposed by the Versailles Treaty, fueled the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and his dominating Nazi Party. The real cause of World War Two was when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. This was the first attack that the World had seen from Germany, and initially, this lead to the United States getting into the war, after the Japanese forces bombed them at Pearl Harbor. The effects of World War II were devastating. World War II proved to be the most horrific international conflict in all of World history. More than six million Jews lost their lives at the hands of the Nazis, while another 60 million civilians and soldiers lost their lives during the battles of World War II. Millions of more humans lost their homes, property, and thousands upon thousands of men and women were injured. The legacy of World War II would then include the spread of communism from the Soviet Union all the way into the eastern part of Europe. Communism then took reign is China as well. The main outcome of World War II was the global shift in power. This power once coming straight from Europe ceased and headed straight into the hands of Europe’s two rival superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union.
French Resistance Interview
Please click on the file to the right,to download the personal interview of three members of the French Resistance.
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Background Information on Nazis(Himmler, Goering, and Goebbels, Hess, Eichmann)
Heinrich Himmler was the Reich Leader of the Nazi party from 1929 until 1945. Himmler was the key and senior Nazi official responsible for conceiving and overseeing implementation of the Nazi plan to murder the Jews of Europe. Himmler was born into a middle-class, conservative Catholic family in Munich, Germany, on October 7, 1900.. On January 6, 1929, Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the Nazi party, appointed Himmler Reichsführer SS. Himmler also introduced internal security and guardianship over racial purity. Himmler expanded his authority during the war. On October 7, 1939, Hitler appointed Himmler Reich Commissar for the Strengthening of German Ethnic Stock. In July 1941, Hitler extended Himmler's authority for both security and settlement operations to the occupied Soviet Union. In December 1944,Hitler appointed him commander-in-chief of Army Group Upper Rhine in southwestern Germany. In April 1945, Himmler asked Count Folke Bernadotte, the Vice President of the Swedish Red Cross, to transmit an offer of surrender on the western front to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. When Hitler heard this he stripped Himmler of all of his offices and ordered his arrest. Captured by Russian soldiers on May 20, 1945, he was turned over to the British, to whom he eventually confessed his identity. On May 23, 1945, while undergoing a body search, Himmler killed himself by biting down on a cyanide capsule hidden in his mouth for that very purpose.
Hermann Goering was the highest-ranking Nazi official tried at Nuremberg. A decorated fighter pilot during World War I, Goering joined the Nazi party in 1923 after hearing a speech by Adolf Hitler. He eventually found his way into the inner circles of Nazi power. Goering took on Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe , Director of the Four Year Plan in the German economy, and, at the outbreak of war in Europe, Hitler's acknowledged successor. The International Military Tribunal charged Goering on all four counts (crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity). He was convicted and sentenced to death. On the eve of his scheduled execution, he committed suicide in his prison cell.
Joseph Goebbels served as minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich under Adolf Hitler—a position from which he spread the Nazi message. He is responsible for presenting a favorable image of the Nazi regime to the Germans. Goebbels organized a boycott of Jewish businesses. The following year, he led the burning of books. Following Adolf Hitler's suicide, Goebbels served as chancellor of Germany for a single day before he and his wife, Magda Goebbels, poisoned their six children and took their own lives.
Rudolf Hess was a prominent politician in Nazi Germany. After hearing Adolf Hitler speak in a small Munich beer hall, Hess joined the Nazi Party, July 1, 1920, becoming the sixteenth member. Hess took part in Hitler's failed Beer Hall Putsch in which Hitler and the Nazis attempted to seize control of Germany. Hess was arrested and imprisoned along with Hitler at Landsberg prison. While in prison, Hess took dictation for Hitler's book. Hess served for several years as Hitler's personal secretary in spite of having no official rank in the Nazi Party. In 1932, Hitler appointed him Chairman of the Central Political Commission of the Nazi Party and SS General as a reward for his loyal service. On April 21, 1933, he was made Deputy Führer, a figurehead position with mostly ceremonial duties. Hess went crazy but despite of this he was sentenced to life in prison. He committed suicide in 1987 at age 92, the last of the prisoners tried at Nuremberg.
Adolf Eichmann was a German Nazi lieutenant colonel and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust. Eichmann was charged by Reinhard Heydrich with facilitating and managing the logistics of mass deportation of Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in German-occupied Eastern Europe during World War II. Eichmann drew up plans for a Jewish reservation, first at Nisko in south-east Poland and later in Madagascar, but neither of these plans were ever carried out. Eichmann and his staff became responsible for Jewish deportations to extermination camps, where the victims were gassed In 1960, he was captured in Argentina by the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service. Following a widely publicized trial in Israel, he was found guilty of war crimes and hanged in 1962.
Hermann Goering was the highest-ranking Nazi official tried at Nuremberg. A decorated fighter pilot during World War I, Goering joined the Nazi party in 1923 after hearing a speech by Adolf Hitler. He eventually found his way into the inner circles of Nazi power. Goering took on Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe , Director of the Four Year Plan in the German economy, and, at the outbreak of war in Europe, Hitler's acknowledged successor. The International Military Tribunal charged Goering on all four counts (crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity). He was convicted and sentenced to death. On the eve of his scheduled execution, he committed suicide in his prison cell.
Joseph Goebbels served as minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich under Adolf Hitler—a position from which he spread the Nazi message. He is responsible for presenting a favorable image of the Nazi regime to the Germans. Goebbels organized a boycott of Jewish businesses. The following year, he led the burning of books. Following Adolf Hitler's suicide, Goebbels served as chancellor of Germany for a single day before he and his wife, Magda Goebbels, poisoned their six children and took their own lives.
Rudolf Hess was a prominent politician in Nazi Germany. After hearing Adolf Hitler speak in a small Munich beer hall, Hess joined the Nazi Party, July 1, 1920, becoming the sixteenth member. Hess took part in Hitler's failed Beer Hall Putsch in which Hitler and the Nazis attempted to seize control of Germany. Hess was arrested and imprisoned along with Hitler at Landsberg prison. While in prison, Hess took dictation for Hitler's book. Hess served for several years as Hitler's personal secretary in spite of having no official rank in the Nazi Party. In 1932, Hitler appointed him Chairman of the Central Political Commission of the Nazi Party and SS General as a reward for his loyal service. On April 21, 1933, he was made Deputy Führer, a figurehead position with mostly ceremonial duties. Hess went crazy but despite of this he was sentenced to life in prison. He committed suicide in 1987 at age 92, the last of the prisoners tried at Nuremberg.
Adolf Eichmann was a German Nazi lieutenant colonel and one of the major organizers of the Holocaust. Eichmann was charged by Reinhard Heydrich with facilitating and managing the logistics of mass deportation of Jews to ghettos and extermination camps in German-occupied Eastern Europe during World War II. Eichmann drew up plans for a Jewish reservation, first at Nisko in south-east Poland and later in Madagascar, but neither of these plans were ever carried out. Eichmann and his staff became responsible for Jewish deportations to extermination camps, where the victims were gassed In 1960, he was captured in Argentina by the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service. Following a widely publicized trial in Israel, he was found guilty of war crimes and hanged in 1962.