1. Devastation of Europe and Japan
Post-WWII

2. War Cost High Price 60 million dead 50 million homeless
Billions of dollars in damage

3. Europe in Ruins 40 million Europeans died
Two-thirds were civilians
Constant bombing left many cities in ruins
Ground war destroyed much of countryside
Many people who fled war found it difficult to come back home

4. Harvest of Destruction
Only a few cities escaped damage
Paris, Rome, Brussels
Most suffered terrible destruction
London: 60,595 civilians died in German raids
Warsaw, Poland: before war, pop. 1,289,000; after war, 153,000 remained
Berlin, Germany: Allied bombs destroyed 95% of city
Destruction left no water, no electricity, very little food, no jobs to make money to buy food, clothing
Few remained during war to plant food – massive famine, disease spread
August 1945, 4000 citizens of Berlin died every day

5. Postwar Governments Many leaders blamed for the war and aftermath
In some countries, prewar governments returned
Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway
Others found difficulties
Germany, Italy, France

6. Communists Grow
After war, communist parties in France and Italy promised change
Membership skyrocketed
Communists made huge gains in first post-war elections
Wanted to speed things up, staged violent strikes
Citizens were alarmed, voted for anti-Communists parties
As economies recovered, membership declined farther

7. An Attempt at Justice
World struggled with how to deal with Germany’s guilt in the Holocaust
Wanted to ensure it would never happen again
1946, an International Military Tribunal put Nazi war criminals on trial in Nuremberg, Germany
23 nations represented
Nuremberg Trials

8. Nuremberg Trials
22 Nazi leaders were charged with waging a war of aggression
Also for violating laws of war and for “crimes against humanity”
Of the 22, 12 were sentenced to death
11 hung October 16, 1946 (one committed suicide)
Bodies burned in the same ovens used at the Dachau concentration camp
Hitler and other high ranking officials escaped trial by committing suicide

9. Effects in Japan Two million lives lost in the war
Major cities destroyed
Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki
Stripped of colonial empire, lost all land
Some had been Japanese territory for centuries
U.S. now occupied Japan
MacArthur in charge of reconstruction

10. Demilitarization
MacArthur wanted to ensure fighting would end, began process of demilitarization
Disbanding of the Japanese armed forces
Japan was only left with small police force
War criminals put on trial
7 out of 25 condemned to hang

11. Democratization
MacArthur and American advisors now wanted to create a government elected by the people
New constitution created February 1946
Changed empire to parliamentary democracy like in Britain
Japanese accepted and it went into effect May 3, 1947

12. Other Changes MacArthur was told to NOT revive economy
Still bitter over Pearl Harbor, U.S. did not provide much aid in rebuilding Japan
Gave $2 billion in emergency relief
Small amount to rebuild entire country
Emperor no longer seen as god
Only a figurehead, no power

13. New Government Japan elected a two-house government
Called Diet
All citizens over 20 had right to vote
Constitutional bill of rights protected freedoms
Article 9 – Japan could no longer make war
Only fight if attacked

14. Peace Treaty
September 1951, U.S. and 48 other countries signed a formal peace treaty with Japan
Officially ended the war
No armed forces, Japan agreed to U.S. military protection to continue
Lasted for 6 more months
U.S. did not make Japan repay for occupation
Japan’s economy recovered more quickly
With end of war, United States and Japan became allies