United States’ Perspective on The Holocaust

Should the Holocaust be defined as a Genocide?

Hum. 10 Block ___ 12/13/13J. NeubergerM. OrnerK. O’RourkeJ. Stassen

Historical Context/FactsHolocaust: 1933-1945

Holocaust: from the Greek words: "holos” = whole "kaustos” = burned

*Jewish people excluded from public life on September 15th, 1935…Nuremberg Laws*lost citizenship & right to marry.

*Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) November 9 & 10, 1938.

*Nazis burned synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, & attacked Jewish people.

*11 million people were killed during the Holocaust. Six million of those victims were Jewish

*Two-thirds of Jewish people living in Europe were killed by Nazis.

J. Neuberger

U.S.A.’s Past PerspectiveDuring W.W.II

Political, Social, Economic

U.S. Initial Response:• Rescue of Jews & others targeted

by Nazi’s = NOT a priority for U.S. gov’t.

• Unsure how to attempt large-scale rescues in Europe.

• US State Dept. policies make it difficult for refugees to obtain entry visas.

• State Dept. influenced by U.S. Economic Depression (isolationists)

December 17, 1942: U. S., Great Britain, & Allied gov’ts denounce Nazi implementation of “Hitler's intention to exterminate the Jewish people in Europe.”

M. Orner

U.S. Modern Day PerspectivePolitical & Social

“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.”― Elie Wiesel

"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's and world’s history century's history.” - Dan Quayle

"There must be people who remember World War II and the Holocaust who can help us get out of this rut." - Martin Scorsese

Remarks by President Obama at the Holocaust Memorial MuseumAs a President, as a father, We must tell our children about a crime unique in human history. The one and only Holocaust -- six million innocent people -- men, women, children, babies -- sent to their deaths just for being different, just for being Jewish.

K. O’Rourke

Premeditated Genocide

• Nazis established killing centers

• "extermination camps" or "death camps” were "death factories.”

• German SS and police murdered nearly 2,700,000 Jews in the “death camps”

• Murdered by asphyxiation with poison gas or by shooting.

*Did the Nazi’s premeditate the Holocaust?...YESNuremberg Laws, Kristallnacht, Final Solution.

*Should the Holocaust be titled a Genocide?...YES

J. Stassen

Check for Understanding

• 1. What laws restricted Jewish people’s rights in Germany?

• 2. What was the U.S.’s perspective on the Germany’s actions towards the Jews during WWII? How did the U.S. Respond after the war?

• 3. What was the Nazi’s intention behind the Holocaust?

Whole Group

Works Cited"The Holocaust." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2012.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/?ModuleId=10005143. Accessed on 05 Dec. 2012

Whole Group

Notes• Each student in the group is responsible for 1 slide (#1-4)• All students in the group are responsible for:

1) “Questions” and 2) “Works Cited” Slide 3) being able to answer questions on the topic

*Place your First initial and last name in the bottom corner of the slide you createex: J. Neuberger

• Each slide should have at least 1-2 image and 2-4 bullet points.

• Retrieve evidence from eye witnesses, politicians, historians, military personnel & put them on the slide cited.