Transcript Civilian suffering in the Second World War

Civilian suffering in the Second World War
WW2 was the first war in history where
more civilians died than soldiers.
Nazi officers execute a civilian.
WW2 featured a horrifying loss of civilian life.

The French village of
Oradour sur Glane was
destroyed by Nazis on
June 10, 1944.

All the houses were set
on fire.

The women and children
were locked in the church
which was also set on
fire.

All but six of the
residents were murdered.

The village stands
untouched and ruined as
a memorial.
Allies
Great Britain
60,000
France
360,000
United States
Minimal
USSR
7,700,000
Belgium
90,000
Holland
190,000
Norway
Minimal
Poland
5,300,000
Greece
80,000
Yugoslavia
1,300,000
Czechoslovakia 330,000
China
10,000,000
Total
Axis powers
Germany
3,810,000
Austria
80,000
Italy
85,000
Rumania
465,000
Hungary
280,000
Bulgaria
7,000
Finland
Minimal
Japan
360,000
Total
5,087,000
25,410,000
Total civilian casualties Allies + Axis = 30,497,000
These heavy losses were due to:

Massive bombing raids on cities

People caught in battle zones

Starvation and loss of homes
However, many civilians were simply murdered
by brutal conquering nations.
Japanese soldiers use
bayonets to stab Chinese
in Nanking, 1937.
A German soldier shoots a
Russian woman as she
holds her child.
1: extremely wicked, brutal, cruel, barbaric
2: appalling, horrifying <the atrocious weapons of modern war>
3: utterly revolting, abominable <atrocious working conditions>
Atrocity (n) an act of brutality or cruelty
Atrociously (adv)
War crimes are typically called ATROCITIES.

Germany murdered at least 12-14 million civilians in
a campaign to “clean out” the “weaker” racial groups
in Europe.
Murdered victims:

Jews
 Gypsies
 homosexuals
 Slavs
 handicapped
Mass grave of Nazi victims in the USSR.

The murder of the Jews is specifically called
“The Holocaust.”
 But there were many millions of other victims.
Concentration Camp
Scenes
According to historian Martin Gilbert, 2.5 million
Soviet prisoners of war were killed by poison gas.
Nazi armies wiped out entire villages in many
countries. The intent was to kill every last person.
Nazis used public hangings to intimidate civilians.
CRIMEAN VILLAGES DESTROYED BY NAZIS.
Acibulat, Hocasala, Sahmirza, Argin, Kamisli, Savatka, Armutluk, Kandor,
Selen, Arpat, Karalez, Sirli Köprü, Asagi, Çorgun, Karasubasi, Soyun-Aci
Asagi Taygan, Kalintay, Star-Suli, Avci, Köy, Kaymak, Stila, Ayan,
Kaynavut, Suri, Aylanma, Kesek-Karatuk, Suvuksu, Aytodor, Ketaut,
Suyu-Aci, Badrak, Kermençik, Tama, Bahçeli, Kilsadik, Taskora, Bahsan,
Kislav, Tatar-Köy, Bakatas, Kizilkoba, Tatar-Osman, Bakes, Kobazi,
Tavbadrak, Baydar, Kokköz, Tavdayir, Besuy, Kokluz, Tav-Eli, Biyesala,
Konrat, Tav-Kipçak, Bora, Koktas, Temirci, Burunca, Kos Degirmen,
Teskondu, Büyük-Laka, Köprülü Köy, Ters-Kondu, Büyük-Onlar, Kovus,
Toban-Eli, Büyük-Özenbas, Koyüs, Totay-Köy, Büyük-Yanköy, Kozi-Eli,
Ulakli, Cafer-Berdi, Küçük Özenbas, Ulu-Özen, Cansaray, Kuçka,
Ulusala, Çardakli, Kutlak, Urkusta, Çavke, Kutluk, Uppa, Çerkez-Kermen,
Kumüslük, Uppi-Köy, Çirmalik, Maltoy, Veyrant, Çokrak, Mambet-Ulan,
Veyrat, Çorgun, Mangus, Yanci-Köy, Çorgun-Yukari, Mamut-Sultan,
Yanibardak, Çormalik, Molbay, Yani-Köy, Deren Ayir, Navdayir, Yeni-Sala,
Ekitas, Ortalan, Yeni-Saray, Elbuzlu, Payli-Yar, Yukari Taygan, Eskisaray,
Piçki, Yüzümlük, Fotsala

Japan murdered many millions of civilians, especially
in China.
 Japan also did medical experiments on civilians—
mostly Chinese. (“UNIT 731”)
JAPANESE “DOCTOR” WITH A VICTIM OF HIS EXPERIMENT.

Japan kidnapped young women and sent
them off to remote Pacific islands.
 The Japanese Army forced these women to
be slave girlfriends for Japanese soldiers
(“Comfort Women”).
“Comfort Women” who
survived the war protest
against Japan for
compensation. Other
comfort women were killed
when their islands were
invaded.
Japanese treatment of POWs and captured westerners was appalling.
Beating captured soldiers
(drawing by an eyewitness)
Starved Prisoner of War

When the war ended, the Allies put leading
Nazis and Japanese on trial.
 Trials were held in Tokyo and Nuremberg.
 Many defendants were convicted and hanged.
High ranking Nazis
sitting in court, 1946.
Some of the accused committed suicide
before they were tried or sentenced.
SS GENERAL HEINRICH HIMMLER
AIR FORCE GEN. HERMANN GOERING
It is difficult to find another time in history
when nations acted so brutally.
A JAPANESE SOLDIER PROUDLY STANDS AMONG HIS VICTIMS.
Therefore, there should be no surprise that Allied nations
used horrible brutality to fight back against the Axis.
EXECUTION OF AUSTRALIAN POW
HIROSHIMA, 6 AUGUST 1945
“They that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”
Hosea 8:7