Discussion What was the reason for the Nazis' imprisonment and murder of Jews? What was the reason for the Nazis' imprisonment and murder of Jews?

Discussion Discussion 

What was the reason for the What was the reason for the Nazis' imprisonment and murder Nazis' imprisonment and murder of Jews?of Jews?

Hitler viewed Jews as belonging to an Hitler viewed Jews as belonging to an inferior race and blamed Jews for the inferior race and blamed Jews for the German defeat in World War I and for German defeat in World War I and for the Great Depression.the Great Depression.

Acceleration of the HolocaustAcceleration of the Holocaust Death camps:Death camps: The  The EinsatzgruppenEinsatzgruppen began to build special camps to speed  began to build special camps to speed

up the killing of Jews. Beginning in 1942, the Nazis packed Jews into trains up the killing of Jews. Beginning in 1942, the Nazis packed Jews into trains and transported them to six extermination centers in Poland. The largest and transported them to six extermination centers in Poland. The largest was Auschwitz. Thirty percent of those rounded up were forced to work, was Auschwitz. Thirty percent of those rounded up were forced to work, while the rest were killed with poison gas. The Final Solution was still a while the rest were killed with poison gas. The Final Solution was still a priority even as Germany faced defeat.priority even as Germany faced defeat.

Death toll:Death toll: About 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis, more than 3  About 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis, more than 3 million of them in death camps. Another 9 million non-Jewish people—for million of them in death camps. Another 9 million non-Jewish people—for example, the Roma, or Gypsies, and leading citizens of countries the Nazis example, the Roma, or Gypsies, and leading citizens of countries the Nazis conquered—were put to death. Four million slave laborers died, as did conquered—were put to death. Four million slave laborers died, as did more than 3 million Soviet prisoners.more than 3 million Soviet prisoners.

Aiding the Jews:Aiding the Jews: Jews resisted the Nazis. Certain countries, such as  Jews resisted the Nazis. Certain countries, such as Denmark, helped to save Jews by issuing them exit visas. Friends and Denmark, helped to save Jews by issuing them exit visas. Friends and strangers also hid Jews or smuggled them to safe areas.strangers also hid Jews or smuggled them to safe areas.

Denial and collaboration:Denial and collaboration: Some people refused to believe the accounts  Some people refused to believe the accounts of the Nazi genocide, and others pretended that they did not know about of the Nazi genocide, and others pretended that they did not know about the Holocaust. Still others assisted the Nazis. The Allies concentrated on the Holocaust. Still others assisted the Nazis. The Allies concentrated on ending the war and did little about the death camps until after Germany's ending the war and did little about the death camps until after Germany's surrender.surrender.

Discussion Discussion 

Why did the Nazis continue to Why did the Nazis continue to bring Jews into the camps when bring Jews into the camps when Germany was losing the war?Germany was losing the war?

The Nazi leaders were focused on the The Nazi leaders were focused on the Final Solution.Final Solution.

Background Background 

Jewish resistance to the Nazis was greatly Jewish resistance to the Nazis was greatly hampered by the Jews' having few hampered by the Jews' having few weapons and being surrounded by hostile weapons and being surrounded by hostile populations. The Nazis also disguised the populations. The Nazis also disguised the fate of Jews being carried off to death fate of Jews being carried off to death camps. Although some Jews joined local camps. Although some Jews joined local resistance groups fighting the Nazis, the resistance groups fighting the Nazis, the most famous resistance was the Warsaw most famous resistance was the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, when Jews in Poland killed Ghetto uprising, when Jews in Poland killed hundreds of German soldiers in a futile hundreds of German soldiers in a futile effort to avoid extermination. effort to avoid extermination.

Japan's War Policy in AsiaJapan's War Policy in Asia

Economic resources:Economic resources: Japan demanded raw  Japan demanded raw materials from the countries it conquered. It also materials from the countries it conquered. It also forced conquered peoples to serve in local forced conquered peoples to serve in local military units, which caused hardship. In Vietnam, military units, which caused hardship. In Vietnam, more than a million people starved when Japan more than a million people starved when Japan sold Vietnamese rice overseas.sold Vietnamese rice overseas.

Dilemma for the nationalists:Dilemma for the nationalists: Japan had  Japan had promised to establish local governments, which promised to establish local governments, which local nationalists believed would lead to freedom local nationalists believed would lead to freedom from colonial powers. Yet Japan's military from colonial powers. Yet Japan's military controlled these governments and had little controlled these governments and had little respect for the people it had conquered. Some respect for the people it had conquered. Some nationalists turned against the Japanese.nationalists turned against the Japanese.

Discussion Discussion 

After promising "Asia for the After promising "Asia for the Asiatics," why did Japan not Asiatics," why did Japan not allow local governments to allow local governments to control the territories it had control the territories it had conquered?conquered?

Japan wanted to exploit both the Japan wanted to exploit both the resources and labor available in the resources and labor available in the lands it conquered.lands it conquered.