the nuremberg trials and postwar japan
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The Nuremberg Trials and Postwar Japan. In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms: Nuremberg Trials Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japanese Constitution. In June 1943, Allied forces landed in Italy and helped the Italians overthrow Mussolini. Mussolini was hanged. In - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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The Nuremberg Trials and Postwar Japan
In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:
Nuremberg TrialsHiroshima and NagasakiJapanese Constitution
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In June 1943, Allied forces landed in Italyand helped the Italians overthrow
Mussolini. Mussolini was hanged. In June 1944, Allied troops invaded
northern France on D-Day. By 1945,Germany surrendered.
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Hitler committed suicide. However, several of the most important Nazi
leaders were tried and convicted for“crimes against humanity”. The
Nuremberg Trials revealed to the worldthe full extent of Nazi atrocities.
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The trials established the principle thatthere was something superior to national
law. Germany was also divided and occupied.
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The Japanese began aseries of imperialisticattacks on mainland
Asia in order to becomea world power. Japan
brutally defeated China,Manchuria, Korea, and
lands in Southeast Asia.Japan even bombed theU.S. naval base at Pearl
Harbor.
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The Japanese launched a surprise attackon the U.S. fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor
in late 1941 because the United Statesthreatened a blockade that would
thwart Japanese aggression in Asia.
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Initially, the Japanese hadsweeping victories in Asia.However, the American forces began liberating
Pacific islands from Japan in 1943. After Germany was
defeated in 1945, the UnitedStates turned its full strengthagainst Japan. American
atomic bombs were droppedon Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Nearly 200,000 Japanese civilians
were killed. Fearingadditional attacks, Japan surrenderedon August 14,1945.
Japan was thoroughlydefeated. Its
military had been destroyed and its
cities were in ruins.
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In September, 1945, American GeneralDouglas MacArthur accepted Japan’sunconditional surrender. MacArthurwas assigned the task of rebuilding
and reforming post-war Japan. Important changes were introduced.
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Japanese war leaderswere punished. Japan’sability to wage war was
virtually eliminated. Japanwas forbidden to have
any army or navy, excepta small “self-defense force.”Japan also renounced theuse of nuclear weapons.
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Japan’s overseasempire was taken
away, leaving Japan with just
her home islands.
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A new constitution made Japan oneof the most democratic nations in theworld. War was renounced, and theconstitution removed power from theemperor. Control of the government
was placed in the hands of the Japanesepeople.
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Japanese women were given theright to vote.
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Questions for Reflection:
• What were the Nuremberg Trials and what principle was established at Nuremberg?
• What happened to Germany after its defeat?
• Why did the United States drop two atomic bombs on Japan?
• What task was General MacArthur given?• Describe postwar Japan.