World War Two Pictures – Photographs of History

World War Two pictures are a valuable resource for anyone who's interested in truly understanding what took place during this historic period. Photographs exist from nearly every country who participated in the war. Looking at the pictures from various entities offers many different viewpoints of what was happening. When you examine these pictures in the proper light, the evidence of the photos alone can tell a very compelling story. Here are some important questions to ask yourself as you're looking at World War Two pictures to help you get to the bottom of every story.

• Who took the picture? Ask yourself who is standing directly behind the camera. Is it an American fighter pilot, an SS officer, a Jewish mother, or an innocent bystander? Looking at where the photo came from will give you many clues. Pictures from a personal album were likely taken by the owner of the album or a close friend. Pictures for propaganda may have been taken by professional photographers.
• What was the purpose of the picture? This is especially important when you're examining war photos. Some pictures are not as reliable as others. Consider that the photo may have been staged in some way if it was advantageous to the person behind the camera. Nazi photos of Jewish ghettos and concentration camps are not always accurate depictions. Pictures taken by the Allies for the purpose of documenting what happened in the death and labor camps are more reliable.
• Do the subjects know they're being photographed? This is an interesting question to consider with any photo that you're looking at. When the subjects don't know they're being photographed, they're often caught in private or personal moments. You may be able to see facial expressions that tell what they're truly thinking. Posed photos are more likely to offer only what the subjects want you to see.
• When was the picture taken? Though this can't always be determined, placing the time of the picture will help you build an accurate timeline around what was taking place during World War II. Try looking at photos in chronological order to see how the war progressed.

If you don't enjoy dry reading and prefer visual stimulation, World War Two pictures have a lot to offer. This war was very heavily documented so there are lots of pictures to explore. It's possible to look back through the lens of time with these photographs.

World War Two Movies – Classic Selections for WWII Movies

World War Two movies abound in Hollywood, with a wide range of different portrayals. While documentaries and other factual historic compilations are sure to offer a more thorough understanding of the war, these films can be used for a broad imagining of what the war was like. Films like these are able to bring the war to life in a way that other accounts simply cannot. While it's true that writers and directors are forced to imagine the exact dialogues, a great deal of attention to detail and historical accuracies have been included in these films to make them as realistic as possible.

"Patton" is a classic World War Two film. Released in 1970, this movie tells the story of General George S. Patton. Patton serves as a tank commander in WWII. The film follows him through North Africa and into Europe, culminating in the fall of the Third Reich. This tale focuses on the personal life of Patton, while offering a glimpse into the bigger historical picture of the war. "Patton" won both "Best Picture" and "Best Actor." George C. Scott, who played Patton, was frequently complimented for his pitch perfect portrayal of the controversial general. Based on true life characters and events, "Patton" has a great deal of historical accuracy.

"Pearl Harbor," released in 2001, is both a war story and a love story. It follows two childhood friends through their time in the Army Air Corps during World War II. The bombing of Pearl Harbor, appropriately, plays a central role in this film. This is a great choice of World War Two movies because it shows a monumental part of the war from a very human standpoint. For viewers who want a sentimental element to compliment the harsh realities of war and extended battle scenes, this is a good choice. While the characters may not be historically accurate, the tale is touching just the same.

Another classic World War Two film that belongs in any collection of stunning movies about this period is "Saving Private Ryan." This movie takes place just after the invasion of Normandy. The story follows US Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller and his soldiers as they undertake a mission to retrieve Private Ryan. Ryan is the last surviving brother of four who have served in the military. The mission portrayed in this story is the Army's final attempt to bring some comfort to a grieving mother who has lost nearly all her children. The story is based loosely on the story of the Niland brothers.

Germany Holocaust – The Holocaust for German Jews

Though the horrors of the Holocaust would eventually travel throughout much of Europe, they began in Germany where Hitler was dictator and the Nazi party ruled. It was only after other countries were invaded by Germany that the Holocaust was able to spread. German Jews felt the persecution of Hitler's regime almost immediately. Many were fortunate enough to see what was coming and find ways to escape. There were approximately 522,000 Jews in Germany when Hitler took power in 1933. By 1939, about 304,000 of these Jews emigrated in an attempt to escape Nazi rule. Just 214,000 Jews were left.

 

Those Jews who remained in Germany were subjected to increasingly stringent laws. Here's a brief timeline of the persecution of Jews in Germany:

• 1933 – The "Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service" excludes Jews from state service. Civilian Jewish workers are fired from the Army. Jews are further excluded from many legal and medical positions. The number of Jewish students at schools and universities is restricted.
• 1943 – Jewish actors are prohibited from appearing on stage or screen.
• 1935 – The "Nuremberg Laws" are passed which strip Jews of German citizenship and prohibit them from marrying non-Jewish people. Jews cannot vote or hold public office. Jewish officers are expelled from the Army and Jewish soldiers cannot be listed among the dead on WWI memorials.
• 1937 – Jews are banned from working as dentists and accountants. Jewish teachers may not teach non-Jews. Tax deductions and child allowances are stripped from Jewish families.
• 1938 – Jews are required to register all wealth, property, and businesses. Jewish men are required to add Israel to their names, and women must add Sarah on all legal documents. Passports of Jews are stamped with a red "J." Jewish students are expelled from non-Jewish schools.
• 1939 – Jews are forced to surrender all silver and gold possessions. Jewish families are prohibited from being tenants with Aryan landlords. A curfew is enacted for all Jews in Germany.

In 1941, the Nazis began to systematically deport German Jews to Nazi-occupied Poland. Jews were sent to Warsaw, Lodz, and transit ghettos like Izbica and Piaski. Many were ultimately transported to the extermination camps of Treblinka, Belzec, and Chelmno. What began as discrimination eventually escalated to organized extermination of the Jewish population. By 1934, Germany had less than 20,000 Jews left. Those who survived often had to live in hiding. Very few were considered exempt from the Nazi extermination efforts.

Nazis

Many historians and scholars identify Nazis as far-right politicians for the sake of their political agenda. However, the ideology behind this following is based in fascism, anti-Semitism, anti-Capitalism, and the belief that a superior master race is necessary to ensure the success of a society. The Nazis believed that Aryans were superior to all other races, religions, and creeds, and deemed it necessary to do away with any 'inferiors' that compromised their ideologies or challenged their political agenda. Their targets included:

-Jews

-Romani, Polish, and other ethnic groups

-Homosexuals

-Jehovah's Witnesses

-Mentally and physically disabled

-Blacks and other races

The Nazis, in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, were ruled by Adolf Hitler. First he was the leader of the Nazi Party, and eventually he developed a political agenda to rise to power and become the chancellor of Germany. Although there was a belief in socialism, it was a socialism of the 'racially sound' Aryan men to their country, not the typical socialist belief in equal rights and justice for the under-privileged or oppressed.

The Nazis were firm in their beliefs, and with a leader like Hitler on their side, it was easy for them to take over Germany, and then many other countries throughout Europe, implementing their 'cleansing' and doing away with anyone that did not meet their needs for the master race that they believed was necessary. This is known as the Holocaust, and involved the genocide of more than 11 million people over the course of 12 years, making it one of the largest cases of genocide in history and the largest in the 20^th century.

At first, the Nazi party was slightly disorganized, and began with simple things like discrimination and alienation of Jews and other inferiors from society. Over time, they developed more organization in their plan, created concentration camps, and started systematically murdering anyone who didn't meet their ideology of what the Master Race should be. The Nazis mostly disbanded after the demise of Adolf Hitler and his leading men, but there are still those that follow the ideology today. Anti-Semitists and self-proclaimed Nazis view Hitler as a martyr and still believe in the Aryan supremacy. They are spread around the world and have a variety of different ideals and views based in traditional Nazism. Many of these people are attempting to deny the Holocaust and claim that such an event never happened, regardless of the historical facts that showcase the largest genocide in the 20^th century. 

Himmler

Heinrich Himmler was a military member, leading member of the Nazis, and Reichsfuhrer of the Schutzstaffell, or the leader of the SS Men, during Hitler's reign in Germany from 1933 to 1945. Heinrich was born in 1900 in Munich, to a family that was conservative, middle class, and devoutly Roman-Catholic. He was named after his grandfather and went to grammar school in Landshut, which is where his father worked as deputy principal. At age 15, he started training with the Cadet Corps, gaining acceptance through his connection to the royal family of Bavaria, courtesy of his father.

Himmler was still in training when Germany was defeated in the First World War in 1918, which denied him the chance to see combat or reach officer's rank. Once discharged, Himmler went home to finish his grammar-school education. In 1871, when Germany was unified, most of the discriminatory laws and regulations were done away with. Still, anti-Semitism ran rampant simply because taking away the laws didn't take away people's views. Heinrich Himmler was an avid anti-Semitist by the second year of university, and went on to join the Reichskriegsflagge, an anti-Semitic national group.

In 1923, Himmler joined the Nazi party and began a life of politics. After the coup failed to overtake the government, he lost his job and ended up living with his parents in Munich, which fueled his aggression, opinions, and need for political power. The Nazi party was appealing to Himmler because it was aligned with his own views. He wasn't instantly swept up by Adolf Hitler's charm and charisma, but as he learned about the man he saw how useful Hitler could be in the political realm. Himmler grew his ranks in the Nazi party and then joined the SS Men (Hitler's personal protection team) in 1925.

He rose to a position of leadership within the SS during Hitler's rise to power and became his right-hand man once Hitler was elected into office. He was responsible for the set up and control of concentration camps during the Holocaust, under Hitler's orders. His organizational skills and ability to pick competent men for the Nazi party is what made him such a useful force. Himmler built extermination camps and was responsible for directing the deaths of more than 11 to 14 million people throughout the entire Holocaust. He attempted to have peace talks behind Hitler's back with the Allies near the end of World War II, whereupon he was dismissed from his posts. He was forced into hiding by the ending of the war and eventually captured by British forces when they discovered who he was. Heinrich Himmler committed suicide in May 1945. 

Movies about the Holocaust

The Holocaust is a black mark on history, but it is also an event that captures a lot of attention around the world. This event happened between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler was in power in Nazi Germany. It involved the systematic genocide of more than 6 million Jews and a total of more than 11 million people, and has since become an event that the world remembers and wants to learn more about. Movies about the Holocaust date as far back as the 1940s, when the first documentaries were released in countries like Germany and Poland.

There were more documentaries than narratives in the early years, but both did exist and provided people with valuable insight as to what happened behind the 'walls' of Nazi Germany. Many people simply couldn't fathom how one man could develop such a following that he could convince them that such horrible things were necessary, and even allowable, for the future of the country. Thanks to movies that have been made, people can see firsthand what things were like rather than just reading the facts in a textbook or learning about them through other means.

Movies that deal with the Holocaust cover everything from the concentration camps and the Nazi regime to the children that were involved in this massacre. There were nearly 1.5 million children that were killed as a result of this 'Final Solution', as it was dubbed by the Nazi party and their leader. They saw a need for all of the inferiors to their supreme Aryan race to be eliminated, which started with simple discrimination laws. After taking away rights, businesses, and homes, however, the Nazis moved forward into a systematic murder of the Jews and others that were deemed less than, eventually industrializing the killings in camps like Auschwitz.

There are many movies about the Holocaust that aren't safe for young viewers or those who are sensitive to certain topics. Because of the horror of the situation, the documentaries are made as tastefully as possible, but they still convey the facts. Many include pictures or video of the people in the concentration camps, the facilities, and other graphic scenes that often haunt people for a long time. Even dramatic movies and action films can be harrowing for some people. Movies for educational purposes and younger audiences have been made throughout the years, with a focus on providing the facts without the graphic images or horrifying tragedy on the screen. 

About Hitler

Adolf Hitler (also spelled 'Adolph' in some cases) was born in 1889 in Braunau, Austria. His upbringing was nothing notable, aside from losing four siblings in childhood. Hitler's father was 51 when his son was born, causing them to have vast differences as Adolf grew and became interested in things like art and creativity rather than business and success. Hitler had a bright future ahead of him, with a high level of academia and leadership qualities that outshone the rest with ease. Hitler ended up rebelling in secondary school and leaving at age 15 with the permission of his mother.

At age 18, Hitler received his inheritance from his father's estate. He used the money to move to Vienna to study art, but could not get accepted into art school since he had quit secondary school before finishing. He pretended to be an art student in Vienna until his mother died in 1907 so as not to disappoint her. At that time, he registered for military service but did not want to serve in Austria. He managed to evade authorities for 4 years and fail the physical exam due to 'weakness', at which point he moved to Germany.

Hitler had always idealized Germany, likely due to a German nationalist teacher he had during secondary school. He felt that World War I was his chance to get involved in proving the country's superiority to other European unions. He volunteered for the army and didn't have to undergo such a medical exam because demand for soldiers was high. He became a decorated war hero, suffering two injuries but also earning medals for bravery. When Germany surrendered at the end of the First World War, Hitler took it very personally.

Initially, Hitler felt that socialism was part of Jewish conspiracy because so many that practiced it were Jews. However, when he joined the German Workers' Party in the 1920s and turned it into the Nazi party, he did utilize the term and implement some socialist ideals into the Nazi ideology. He became chancellor, then dictator, of Germany in 1933 and 1934 respectively. He used this power to fuel his political agenda and create a 'Master Race'. Although no direct, official orders were ever handed down, Hitler is known to be the cause behind the Holocaust, the Second World War's beginning, and the genocide of more than 11 million people. He was removed from power by Allied invasion in 1945 and committed suicide shortly thereafter. 

Holocaust Denial

Since the mass genocide of more than 6 million Jews during World War II, there have been conspiracy theorists and anti-Semitists who rebuke the entire idea that such a thing even happened. In the mid-20^th century, they were few and far between. Today, there has become a much more cohesive movement towards Holocaust denial by those who are attempting to negate the facts of this historical event to prove that such a thing never happened. Even more are attempting to distort the facts since a complete denial doesn't seem logical or possible given all of the historical evidence of what happened during Adolf Hitler's reign over Germany.

For example, some people will claim that the statistics on how many people died are exaggerated, that the deaths in camps were only a result of starvation or disease rather than outright murder, and even that Anne Frank's diary is a forgery. Considering that the Holocaust is one of the most accurately documented events in modern history, denial is basically outlandish and motivated by hate in many cases. People usually are trying to build on the claim that this event was created or exaggerated by the Jews to help advance their own interests or power in the world.

This viewpoint of Holocaust denial based on hatred or distaste for Jews is the perpetuation of long-standing stereotypes that are founded in Anti-Semitism, which is exactly what laid the foundation for the beginning of the Holocaust in the first place. There are a lot of different reasons that people deny or distort the Holocaust. Like all propaganda, there are usually goals or means behind people's stories. People often are trying to:

-Plant seeds of doubt in others' minds

-Draw attention to certain views or issues

-Undermine the State of Israel (as some view this to be compensation for the Jews suffering in the Holocaust)

-Reduce the perceived sympathy of the public

While the U.S. has freedom of speech and there isn't really anything legally wrong with this type of denial or distortion, other countries aren't so free and willing to listen. In many countries, especially where parts of the Holocaust took place or affected lives, there are hate laws in place that criminalize the open denial of the Holocaust or any hate speech related to the event. Nonetheless, it does still happen. It has become increasingly difficult to uphold the integrity of the Holocaust as a historical event on a global scale with these challenges and varying laws on hate speech and denial, but it is an ongoing battle.

Hitler Facts

There's a lot to learn about Adolf Hitler when you are exploring the Holocaust and World War II era. This man was not always the fascist dictator that he became, and getting the facts can help you learn more about his life. Known as the leader of the Nazis and the cause of World War II along with the genocide of more than 11 million people, Hitler started out as a simple child with simple interests. Here are some facts to know:

-Hitler was an Austrian national, but moved to Munich during his 20s. He was born in Braunau, Austria in 1889.

-Adolf Hitler's father was 51 when he was born, and on his third marriage to a wife that was 23 years his junior.

-Hitler always dreamed of becoming an artist. Though he did well in primary school, he dropped out of secondary school. Thus, when he applied to the Vienna Academy of Art (twice, no less), he was denied admission for not having a school-leaving certificate.

-Hitler's mother spoiled him throughout his childhood, allowing him to leave school at age 15 and otherwise supporting him in anything that he wanted. He pretended to be an art student until her death in 1908 to spare her the disappointment.

-When Hitler moved to Munich to avoid service in the Austro-Hungarian army, he got away with it for four years. When caught, he was sent away because of 'weakness'. He still volunteered, but for the German army, at a time when things were less strict.

-Hitler was recovering from a gas attack when he found out Germany had surrendered. He felt personally stabbed in the back by his leaders, and that the country had been duped. This is what fueled his decision to enter politics.

-Hitler was the 55^th member to join the German Workers Party in 1919. He quickly rose to a leadership position and renamed it the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party).

-Hitler gained citizenship in 1932 and was appointed chancellor in 1933. When the president died in 1934, Hitler took total power and became dictator of Germany.

-In 1938, Hitler annexed Austria into Germany without having to fire a single shot.

-The attack on Poland in 1939 is what started World War II. Thus, Hitler is blamed for starting the Second World War.

-Hitler married his long-time girlfriend Eva Braun on April 29, 1945. They committed suicide the following day, to avoid capture and to live up to the Nazi ideology of death before surrender.