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World War II. The Impact of Total War. Economic Damage: Western Europe. Impact of Strategic Bombing 75% of Berlin Uninhabitable 20 million homeless in Germany Dutch lose 219,000 hectares of land French lose 40% of pre-war transportation systems Norway lost 14% pre-war capital.
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World War II The Impact of Total War
Economic Damage:Western Europe • Impact of Strategic Bombing • 75% of Berlin Uninhabitable • 20 million homeless in Germany • Dutch lose 219,000 hectares of land • French lose 40% of pre-war transportation systems • Norway lost 14% pre-war capital Dresden After Allied Bombing
The Human Cost 36½ million Europeans die! Deadliest and Most Destructive Conflict in Human History
Military Deaths D-Day Invasion
Eastern Europe • Soviet troops physically occupied E. Europe at end of WWII. • USSR viewed E. Europe as essential to its security… It wanted a sphere of influence.
Yalta(February, 1945) • U.S. & GB formally accept Soviet domination of Eastern Europe • Left out issue of Germany b/c it was so divisive • Did FDR sell out? The “Big Three” at Yalta
PotsdamJuly 17-August 2, 1945 • Agreement to prosecute Axis war criminals (Nuremberg Trials) • Temporary division of Germany into 4 zones • German question to be decided at final peace conference, which never occurs. Atlee Truman Stalin (GB) (USA) (USSR)
Divided by Default Divided Berlin • US came to favor a unified Germany w/ reconstructed economy. • USSR still saw a restored Germany as a major threat. • Britain, France, USA merged zones to form West Germany (May, 1949). • USSR established East Germany as a satellite state (Oct. 1949). East Germany West Germany
The Nuremburg Trials (1946) • First known war crimes trial. • No clear legal precedent. • Most suspects claimed the court had no jurisdiction… Claimed it was “victor’s justice” • In all, about 1800 Germans tried after WWII • Similar trials were held in Japan & Italy
The United Nations • UN founded Oct. 1945 • Security Council • Five permanent members w/ vetoes: United States, Great Britain, France, USSR & China Truman Addresses the UN Conference (1945)