War Crimes of World War II

War Crimes of World War II

Rape of Nanking

Bombing of London

Japanese Internment

Bataan Death March

Firebombing of Dresden

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Key Definitions

Crimes Against Peace: Planning and waging an aggressive war.

War Crime: Acts against the customs of warfare such as the killing of hostages and prisoners, the plundering of private property, or the destruction of towns and cities.

Crimes Against Humanity: The murder, extermination, deportation, or enslavement of civilians.

Rape of Nanking

December 13, 1937 Japan captures Chinese capitol of Nanking

Burned city to ground Raped 20,000 women Killed @ least 200,000

civilians Only 7 Japanese

leaders including Hirohito were tried & convicted of war crimes

Rape of Nanking

Why, do you suppose, only 7 Japanese commanders were

convicted of war crimes considering the magnitude of this atrocity?

Bombing of London

Summer of 1940 German Luftwaffe

began series of air attacks on England

Nazi purpose: make British feel there was no way to win war

Night raids on London Meant to hit civilian

centers & cause as much loss of life as possible

Bombing of London

How can a country, during times of war, justify targeting civilian

centers?

Japanese Internment Camps

Early 1942 Executive Order 9066 112,000 men, women

& children shipped to camps

National Security Interest

Loss of civil rights, houses, businesses, etc.

Retribution paid did not match that of what they lost

Japanese Internment Camps

During times of war, which has precedent: National Security or

Civil Rights?

Bataan Death March

1942 76,000 US and Filipino

POW’s captured by Japan

Force-Marched 63 miles to prison camp

Only 54,000 lived to reach camp

Starved, beaten, killed, tortured or fell ill due to dysentery

1946 Japanese commander convicted and executed

Bataan Death March

How would you defend the Japanese commander who ordered the “death

march” during the war crimes tribunal?

Firebombing of Dresden

February 1945 British & US Forces

attack Dresden in 3 short raids

Dropped more than 900,000 pounds of incendiary bombs

Temps rose to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit

No military centers were intended to be hit

Firebombing of Dresden

Discuss the reasons why the British and the Americans should or should not have been held responsible for

the deaths of the Dresden population?

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

August 6th 1945 4 Sq Miles of Hiroshima

was obliterated (9000 degrees Fahrenheit)

80% of buildings and people disappeared

78,000 killed instantly August 9th, 1945 –

Nagasaki 35,000 people killed 60,000 people wounded Lasting effects for years

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Discuss: Do the ends justify the means?

Winners vs. Losers

Should the Allies have been tried for the crimes committed against the

Japanese and Germans?