...The Holocaust was an extreme incident of genocide as defined by the UN Genocide Convention that took place in the 20th century in Germany as a religious, political and economical manifesto targeting an ethnic, national or racial group such as the Jews. The plot of this heinous genocide however started back in the 1930 before the WWII when Hitler and the Nazis started spreading propagandas to wipe out Jews from Germany. This memo will give a critical overview on the purposes behind the holocaust, how propaganda were used to conduct such extreme genocide and the role played by the Nazis and the Germans, followed by a brief comparison between the genocide in different countries and the Holocaust. When we start talking about Holocaust, one of the basic terms to use is “Anti-Semitism” which refers to hatred against the Jews. Even though factual evidences hold Hitler’s strong hatred towards the Jewish population as a major reason behind the holocaust, it is still a debatable issue. One of the most interesting facts that come to attention is the wide support of many of the educated German elites in the Nazi propaganda. This might be result of the flourishing economic conditions of the Jews in the then Germany. The Jews were open to modern education, they flourished in business and basically not as much affected as the Germans after the WWI. This might have led to economic and political insecurity among the German elites as well as the common Germans who supported Hitler’s cause of wiping...
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...The book night is about a boy who was 13 named Elie Wiesel who him and his father were transferred from camp to camp by the green police. In these camps these two men were beaten elie’s father was eventually to weak to go on. Elie was to help his father survive and get strength to be able to continue . Elie’s father ended up too weak and died and Elie was to survive on his own at the final concentration camp he was transferred to . This is an example of what people went through in the holocaust .There are many causes to the holocaust , some causes are Hitler becoming chancellor, germany great depression , and Germany's world war one loss . The first cause of the holocaust was Adolf Hitler becoming chancellor .According to the website,...
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...outrage. These reactions to race can cause extreme divisions not only in our country but also our world resulting in prejudice and discrimination. There have been multiple events throughout history in which discrimination lead to widespread death. Prominent examples include the genocides of the Armenians, the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and most recently, the Darfur genocide. While it may be hard to imagine that one group of people could find themselves so...
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...World War II: Hitler’s Jewish Genocide It is regarded as the most widespread and deadliest conflict in human history, killing more than 50 million people. World War II was the largest armed conflict in history, spanning the entire world, and involving more countries than any other war. The war has been generally believed to start on September 1, 1939 and lasting until September 2, 1945. Historians are still arguing about the exact cause of World War II, however the common belief of fault resides on the implementation of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was possessed by a passionate set of ideals to expand Germany, and with his election as German chancellor in January 1933, marked the start of an accelerating progression towards world war. Under the dominion of Hitlers ambitions, Germany invaded western Poland as a result of the intransigence between both countries. World War II ravaged civilians more severely than any previous conflict, and served as the justification for genocidal killings by Nazi Germany, under the order of Hitler. To fully understand how Hitler attained the support of a nation to agree with his ideology, one must know the conditions before the wake of World War II, and how Hitler instilled influential ideas of national pride. In this essay, I intend on showing why it is important to understand a certain aspect of World War II. I will first focus on establishing the importance of knowing what events led Germany into the circumstances it was in prior to...
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...Imagine being brainwashed into agreement for a mass genocide. Though it may sound ludicrous, this was a reality for many Germans during the Holocaust. However, not all Germans supported Hitler’s quest to annihilate the Jews; some Germans opposed it or remained neutral towards it. The reasons for why Germans supported Hitler’s quest to annihilate the Jews was split between the distress of Germany that had been created by an economic crisis, threats that were carried out by the Nazi regime, and propaganda that was used to persuade Germans. Firstly, many Germans supported Hitler because during the Great Depression, which hit the citizens of Germany harshly, Germans were in need of a political savior. Therefore, they looked to Hitler and saw him as a determined leader who could save the nation (“Great Depression”). Furthermore, the Nazi Party threatened those who dared to oppose them. Some members of individual Nazi Party units were granted license to punish whomever they felt was against them, and perceived opponents were thrown in concentration camps (“Nazi Terror Begins”). In addition to pressuring the Germans with fear,...
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...natural knack for the killing of each other. Evidence of this can be seen in some of the greatest technological advancements that have originally stemmed from inventions meant for devastation. What causes these acts of violence towards one another? History indicates that these actions may be caused by a sense of religious justification, economic factors, or aspirations for strengthening of an empire. However there can be more reasons than those of a political or religious nature. In many ways personal bias, environmental and psychological factors play heavily into some of the worst atrocities ever envisioned by mankind. This is the case argued in Christopher R. Browning’s book Ordinary Men. Christopher Browning’s book focuses on a key part of World War II that took place behind the scenes of the war, The Holocaust. The Holocaust led to the systematic death of millions of people. These innocent people were only guilty of being labeled as “undesirable” by a supposedly “superior race.” These people consisted of not only Jewish people, who were the majority, but also gypsies, homosexuals, people with mental retardation and physical ailments, Polish people, Slavic people, communists, and Jehovah witnesses. Though the Holocaust is well known today, he primarily focuses on what could cause a group of seemingly ‘ordinary men’ from the Police Battalion 101 to transform into mass murderers. He uses the evidence of the 1960 war trials, thoroughly...
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...The Rise Growing up, whether it was in history class, social studies or simply just English, the topic of the Holocaust has been discussed. Our initial teachings of the Holocaust may involve the story of victim Anne Frank. We were taught that the Nazi’s were a very malicious group of German men that were leaded by the infamous Adolf Hitler. Eventually we come to think, how can one man convince numerous amount of men, women and children that these innocent groups of people were so evil, so evil that they had to be exterminated? One word, Propaganda. "Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea." Adolf Hitler wrote these words in his book Mein Kamp. The propaganda used was all just a matter of media control, the lie that Jews were the cause of all things wrong with the German business world. Then, racial purity, as if they’re such animals for having their certain beliefs. One of the main tools of the Nazi’s was the production of films. Their effectiveness with the use of films that looked like documentaries were carefully edited and presented exactly what and only what they wanted. Having the power to do that, these films helped them raise the support for the movement by brainwashing Germans to believe that the Jews were the cause of all corruption. Nazi propaganda provided a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining power, and...
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...Arguing Cause Essay In January 1993, Adolf Hitler became the chancellor of Germany and with this title came the harsh persecution and murder of 6,000,000 Jews and the destruction of 5,000 Jewish communities. These Jews were victims of Germany’s deliberate and systematic attempt to annihilate the entire Jewish population. In a time of economic hardship, after the loss of a large amount of territory in World War I, the Nazi party gained the advantage in the political system of Germany and used a vicious propaganda campaign against political opponents (Franklin). This government was soon consolidated and within a year of taking office, Hitler was in absolute control of Germany. With grassroots organization, a police infrastructure and secret police, the Nazis were blamed for Germany’s ills and terrorized, beaten, killed or sent to concentration camps in an effort to eliminate the race (Marrus). Many have questioned the motives of the Holocaust and tried to find a name to blame or an explanation for the actions the followers took who seemed to have no issues following their leader without questioning the actions they were being told to take. Naturally, people blame the key initiator and conceptualizer, Adolf Hitler (Marrus). Without hiding any hatred towards the Jews or showing any remorse or regret for his actions, Hitler lead a nation to believe that the Jews were a race of sin. Did one person shatter the ability of a world full of people to think for themselves? Was it the...
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...Dehumanization: Essential for the attempt to execute a population The Holocaust was one of the most devastating events leading up to World War II, was the Holocaust, which millions of people were tortured and murdered by the Nazis. Hitler was an anti-Semitic political leader of the Nazi regime, who believed that the Jewish “race” contaminated the Aryan population, and therefore needed to be eliminated. The Nuremberg Laws were laws that excluded Jews and non-Aryans from German citizenship as well as their natural rights. In addition, “Jewishness” was defined in racial terms. One strategy that allowed the Nazis to carry out the Holocaust was their disregard for non-Germans, treating them as less than human. Dehumanization is considered...
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...clock television updates on prevalent issues. At a time when technology limited forms of communication, newspapers accumulated a majority of the responsibility for informing the public. Surprisingly, America as a nation, usually well informed and considerate of global issues and situations, left the Holocaust, the genocide of over six million Jews, Gypsies and handicapped across Germany and Poland, in the shadows of the concurrent war. Beginning in 1939, European countries engaged in a war that America clearly seemed unprepared to participate in. When America finally entered the war, the domestic concerns it faced at the time held precedence, even though it received news of the atrocities in Europe. The Holocaust, initially neglected as front-cover news, now holds a major concern and memory in American history. Since the start of World War II, strengthened and advanced reactions to the horrors of The Holocaust have ensued from simultaneously increasing publicity. As war broke out across Europe, Americans laid back, hoping to continue isolationist efforts. Still recovering from the Depression, newspaper companies held a large monopoly of the public information distribution (Holocaust). American citizens simply remained unaware that millions of people were suffering from discrimination and hatred. The New York Times, one of the most prominent publishing powers in America, held a delicate, complicated stance on the situation as news of the victimization and mass destruction of thousands...
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...Religious background of Holocaust 1. Introduction Anyone who bothers to investigate in any depth the Holocaust, and its many involved attendant subjects, inevitably encounters intellectual and emotional difficulties not usually met in other fields under examination. When studying the Holocaust, it is extremely difficult to maintain the same level of professional distance and objectivity that one practices with other subjects. Obviously, the magnitude of the destruction and suffering, the millions of lost lives and their untold stories, their unfulfilled hopes and dreams can be overwhelming. Furthermore, thoughtful and honest investigators will occasionally find that they have encountered an area of the Holocaust wherein are found agonizing personal ramifications. That is to say, the scholar is studying an event or a complex of issues that share key components of one’s personal background, beliefs, and values. It is highly unlikely that the scholar will be able to maintain absolute objectivity, feeling completely uninvolved in what is being examined. Instead, the person will most likely be compelled to ask some rather pointed personal questions, or probe into realms in which the investigator has close personal ties. When this occurs, it can be very distressing and painful. 2. A short insight on the background of Jews in Poland, Germany and Russia Several Polish noblemen of the middle ages showed special favour to Jews who immigrated because of persecution in Germany...
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...Holocaust Essay The Holocaust is one of the worst tragedies in our history. Millions of people had died and thousands were left with mental or physical disabilities. All of this was simply because of intolerance and hatred towards Jews and other “minorities” The Holocaust is a very significant part of our history. It gave us an example of how prejudice our society can be. Today we are taught that we shouldn’t discriminate other people based on their religion, race or gender. Most countries don’t have dictators anymore, but instead give the power to their people. Discrimination, prejudice and racism are often frowned upon these days. Those are just a few examples on how the Holocaust has really affected us in ways that we haven't really given...
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...Wars are constantly being fought in the world. Bloodshed had taken place as top leaders ponder their every move in their game of victories and conquests. Behind each and every war that has taken place, there will always be a reason for it. The most predominant causes are greed and rising ambitions. Greed is inborn and present in the character of every human being. Hence we can see unscrupulous leaders, at the expense of the people, go to wars as a result of their quest for power and territorial gains. One example will be the recent internal strife in Angola, Africa. Foday Sankoh exploited the country's natural resources---diamonds for his personal wealth, which resulted in the deaths of many innocent parties. World War II was also started by Hitler's rising demands for territorial gains, conquering states after states. Hence wars that were fought for personal gains are the most common. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) can step in here. In face of such unscrupulous leaders, the countries in the organisation can stop trading with them and place an international boycott on such countries. For example, Iraq was slapped with an international boycott whereby countries such as Britian, France and America refused to buy oil ffom them during the invasion of Kuwait in the nineties. Next the fight for basic human rights is also one of the main reasons as to why wars were fought. In some countries, citizens do not enjoy equal rights. Widespread discrimination of minority can easily spark...
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...Companies that Help in the Holocaust Throughout history, there have been important events that have distinct a particular ethical issue within various companies. One of these horrific events was the Holocaust, which is defined by Michell R Marrus as “the systematic mass murder of European Jewry by the Nazis”, which “sits uneasily in the history of our time” (Marrus, 1987). To many people the Holocaust is still a source of remorse. Consequently they feel embarrassed, since many were apathetic towards the people suffering, but many also believe that historical investigations can bring about additional insight regarding companies and their commitments. The Holocaust is a part of the history that produces an uncomfortable sensation because of the horrible that happened in this era. As Nora Levin stated, it is not only the magnitude of the destruction- the murder of six million Jews- but because the events surrounding are in a very real sense incomprehensible. No one can understand how mass murder in such a scale could have happened or could have been allowed to happen. The purpose of this paper is not to talk about the Holocaust, however, to create a profound analysis of the German automobile companies that helped the Nazis to perform and gain profits from this holocaust of innocent people. Examples of these companies are the Ford Company, BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke), Daimler Benz, and Volkswagen. From 1930-1945, these companies aided the Nazi cause and took advantage of not...
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...Kyle Andre March 21, 2013 20th-21st humanities 11:00-12:15am Response Paper War has proven to be a major cause for change in our society throughout history. During the time of World War I (1914) and World War II (1939), an era emerged for artists to express themselves through the wars’ heart wrenching stories which fueled their poems, novels, and short stories. During the First World War some of our history’s greatest writes emerged. American literature came about through writers’ emotions and responses to the war. Sentiments ranged widely. Some writers felt that the war kept peace within nations and believed dying for your country was a noble thing to do; while some became frustrated and felt that the war was a useless and evil cause. British officer Wilfred Owen is a great example of World War I poetry. He expressed his feelings of anger and towards the war though his poem called “Dulce Et Decorum Est”. His poem discussed the horrific acts of the war and the excitement as not pleasant, but merely cruel. In Owen’s words, war was a “senseless waste of human resources and a barbaric act of human behavior”. These men were the writers that experienced the firsthand accounts of the war through being on the frontlines and experiencing firsthand what the soldiers had to go through. Some writers were more fictional than others. Hathaway wrote the novel “farewell to arms” which expressed the physical and emotional heartaches that he and his fellow soldiers experienced at the...
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