Europe and Japan in Ruins

World War II had: Caused more deaths and destruction than any other conflict in history Left 60 million dead One-third of these deaths occurred in one country, the Soviet Union Another 50 million people had been uprooted from their homes and wandered somewhere else to live. Property damages ran into the billions of U.S. dollars

Devastation in Europe Cities suffered much destruction: The Battle of Britain had left much of London in ruins. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, was almost completely destroyed. In 1939, the population was 1.3 million people, however in January 1945, when the Soviet soldiers entered the city, about 153, 000 people remained. 95% of Berlin was destroyed

Many people, such as those displaced survivors of concentration camps, prisoners of war, and refugees found themselves in the wrong countries due to post war treaties. They wandered Europe looking for loved ones. Much of the war-time production cost agricultural output. And so, harvests were not planted and with transportation at a minimum many died in the post war years of famine and disease.

Postwar Government and Politics In countries such as Germany, Italy, and France a return to the prewar governments that had left them in ruins was not desirable (Nazis left Germany in ruins, Mussolini led to Italy’s defeat, and France’s Vichy government had collaborated with the Nazis). After the war, the Communist Party promised change and millions were ready to listen. In both Italy and France Communist Party’s membership increased dramatically. However, alarmed French and Italians voted for anticommunist parties and so the Communist Party influence began to decline.

The Nuremberg Trials During 1945 and 1946, an International Military Tribunal representing 23 nations put Nazi war criminals on trial in Nuremberg, Germany. In the first of these Nuremberg Trials, 22 Nazi leaders were charged with waging a war of aggression. They were also accused of committing “crimes against humanity”-the murder of 11 million people. Adolf Hitler’s SS chief Heinrich Himmler and the Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels had committed suicide long before the trials began. However, Hermann Goring, the commander of the Luftwaffe; Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s former deputy and other high ranking Nazi leaders remained to face the charges.

Hess was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Goring received a death sentence, but committed suicide before he faced the executioner. Ten other Nazi leaders were hanged on October 16, 1946. Hans Frank, the “Slayer of Poles,” was the ONLY Nazi to express remorse. The bodies of those that were executed were burned in the concentration camp of Dachau. They were cremated in the same ovens that had burned many of their victims.

Postwar Japan 2 million lives had been lost Major cities: Tokyo, largely destroyed and Hiroshima and Nagasaki were turned into wastelands by the atomic bombs General Douglas MacArthur took charge of the U.S. occupation of Japan. He wanted to be fair and not plant seeds for a future war. He began a process of demilitarization (disbanding the Japanese armed forces). He left a small police force.

MacArthur brought war criminals to trial. Out of 25 surviving defendants, former Premier Hideki Tojo and 6 others were condemned to hang. MacArthur then worked on democratization, the process of creating a government elected by the people. In February 1946, he and his American political advisors drew up a constitution changing the empire into a constitutional monarchy like that of Great Britain.

MacArthur also helped the economy, his plan: Required absentee landlords with huge estates to sell land to the government. The government then sold the land to tenant farmers at reasonable prices. Occupation Brings Deep Changes The most important achievement of the occupation as the new constitution. Traditionally, Japanese saw their emperor as divine. He was now had to declare that he was NOT divine. His power was also reduced. Like the rule of Great Britain, the Japanese emperor had become more of a figure head.

The constitution gave the people the power. A two party house was elected called a Diet. All citizens over 20, including women, could vote. The prime minister was chosen by a Diet majority vote. A constitutional bill of rights protected basic freedoms. Article 9 stated the Japanese could no longer make war. They could fight only if attacked. In September 1951, the United States and 47 nations signed a formal peace treaty with Japan. The treaty eventually ended the war. After the war, enemies became allies but also allies became enemies. The Soviet Union and the U.S. were allies and two super powers, however, with different postwar goals they would generate conflicts that would shape the modern world for decades.