Effects of WW2 in Europe and North Africa Flashcards
Effects of WW2 in Europe & North Africa
- Post-war trials
- Effects on civilians
- Military casualties
- Border changes
- New political realities
- Decolonization
- The Cold War
Give an overview on the effects of WW2 in Europe and North Africa
The Second World War had profound and long-lasting impacts for all nations involved; millions were dead, infrastructure was destroyed and political systems had been dismantled.
Explain how post-war trials were an effect of WW2
- German political and military leaders were imprisoned and prosecuted for war crimes.
- The Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, beginning with the trial of 24 men, most of whom were found guilty and executed, and continued until 1949.
- Poland tried German officials for the Holocaust in 1947 and the USA held the Dachau Trials between 1945 and 1948, finding over 1400 Germans guilty.
In which ways were civilians affected by WW2 in Eu and nA?
- Casualties
- Destruction
- Population transfer
Give an example of how civilians were affected by WW2 through casualties
Civilians died in numbers greater than in any other modern war. This included:
- Over 11 million people dying in concentration camps
- Close to 17 million people dying in the USSR
Explain how civilians were affected by WW2 through destruction
- Major cities across central and eastern Europe had been destroyed, leaving millions homeless.
- Destruction of infrastructure made it difficult for civilians to get access to vital supplies even once the war had ended, hindering a return to any economic normality.
Explain how civilians were affected by WW2 in Eu and NA through population transfer
- Millions of civilians had been forced to move to occupied areas of Europe to support the German war effort.
- The Soviet government removed people from their home regions if they were suspected of being pro-German or not fully committed to the Soviet war effort.
- This resulted in millions of Koreans, Finns, Poles, and many more groups being moved to central Asia or Siberia.
- Most surviving Jews left Europe and settled in the USA and the British mandate of Palestine, part of which later became the Jewish state of Israel in 1948.
Example of military casualties as a result of WW2
- E.g. 30% of Germany’s soldiers died
- Millions of soldiers died during the Second World War. Many died fighting, but many died from disease or starvation or as a result of dire conditions, such as freezing temperatures.
Territorial changes after WW2 in Eu and NA
- Territorial boundaries were adjusted after the war, causing some populations to be forcibly moved and some nations to be completely absorbed into other states.
- E.g. The USSR acquired territory in Finland and seized all of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
- E.g. The Saar region of Germany was placed under the French administration.
What were the USA’s and the USSR’s political attitudes after WW2?
- Attacks by Axis powers brought both the USA and USSR into the Second World War, something both countries were keen to avoid.
- Public opinion in the USA was primarily isolationist; the public did not want to see their country involving itself in European affairs.
- The USSR was desperate to avoid another conflict such as the First World War, which had been so destructive.
- However, once both nations were involved, the conflict was undoubtedly a global one, and after the war’s end, both the USA and the USSR decided they should both be involved in diplomacy for the best chance of lasting peace.
Explain how the UN was a political reality after WW2
- The United Nations (UN) was formed after the war and was initially made up of the Allied powers.
- It replaced the unsuccessful League of Nations and included some important changes to help make it more effective.
- For example, both the USA and USSR joined, a Security Council of fifteen member states was formed that had the ability to undertake peacekeeping missions, and the UN had the right to authorize the use of military force in certain situations.
Which countries’ colonies experienced decolonization after WW2?
- Britain
- France
- Italy
How did WW2 weaken Britain’s ability to hold a large empire (decolonization)?
- Britain could no longer produce enough goods to be consumed and traded within its colonies, but instead had to import products from the USA.
- Britain was also heavily indebted to the USA as it had to buy so many raw materials and armaments during the war.
- Many colonies felt they deserved independence from Britain due to the contributions they had made during the war, and subsequently, pro-independence movements grew.
Give examples of how decolonization became an aim for the British government after the war as it could no longer afford to maintain its empire
- India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were granted independence in 1947.
- Egypt became independent in 1952. French colonies.
Explain how French colonies were decolonized after WW2
- Japan had taken over French Indochina during the war and France’s Middle Eastern mandates either declared independence or were occupied by Britain.
- France attempted to reassert control in Indochina once Japan had been defeated; however, it was eventually defeated by communist guerrillas in 1954.
- France’s North African colonies, such as Morocco and Tunisia, gained independence in the 1950s.
