Changes

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

This lecture focuses on World War II:  before, during and after.  No war in the history of the world has had as big an impact as World War II.  We still feel some of its effects to this day, more than 60 years later.

This lecture focuses on World War II:  before, during and after.  No war in the history of the world had as big an impact as World War II.  We still feel some of its effects to this day, more than 60 years later.

==The Rise of Fascism in Europe==

==The Rise of Fascism in Europe==

The world in the early 1930s was suffering from the effects of the Great Depression.  This created discontent and encouraged change.  National governments were in place in Italy and Germany, but the people were not happy with them.

The world in the early 1930s was suffering from the Great Depression.  This created discontent and encouraged change.  National governments were in place in Italy and Germany, but the people were not happy with them.

Nationalism had been developing for decades, but it turned into an extreme form known as “fascism”.  Fascism is defined as 'a political philosophy that elevates the nation and its ethnicity above the individual, and uses a dictator to impose economic and social regimentation'.  Often symbols are used for the purpose of mind-control, like the swastika in Germany.  Special salutes are also required to inculcate complete devotion to the national ruler.  Mass rallies were common.  All opposition was suppressed.

Nationalism had been developing for decades, but it turned into an extreme form known as “fascism”.  Fascism is defined as a political philosophy that elevates the nation and its ethnicity above the individual, and uses a dictator to impose economic and social regimentation.  Often symbols are used for the purpose of mind-control, like the swastika in Germany.  Special salutes are also required to inculcate complete devotion to the national ruler.  Mass rallies were common.  All opposition was suppressed.

Fascism is the opposite of communism, and fascist countries were the mortal enemies of communist countries.  Communism sought a [[worldwide revolution]] that would abolish national identity, while fascism sought exactly the opposite.  Communism opposed different social classes, while fascism encouraged it.  Communism hated wealth, while fascism encouraged the creation of wealth to make the nation stronger.  Communism pushed women into male roles of industrial workers and even soldiers, while strongly nationalistic cultures like Japan imported foreign male workers from Korea and China rather than force women into industrial jobs.  The only thing communism and fascism had in common was their use of a dictator and demands for complete allegiance to the state ruler, rather than to God.

Fascism is the opposite of communism, and fascist countries were the mortal enemies of communist countries.  Communism sought a [[worldwide revolution]] that would abolish national identity, while fascism sought exactly the opposite.  Communism opposed different social classes, while fascism encouraged it.  Communism hated wealth, while fascism encouraged the creation of wealth to make the nation stronger.  Communism pushed women into male roles of industrial workers and even soldiers, while strongly nationalistic cultures like Japan imported foreign male workers from Korea and China rather than force women into industrial jobs.  The only thing communism and fascism had in common was their use of a dictator and demands for complete allegiance to the state ruler, rather than to God.

The first signs of fascism were in Italy, where the people were upset at not acquiring territory as a result of World War I and where economic problems existed earlier than the Great Depression.  In 1919, Benito Mussolini founded Italy’s Fascist Party, emphasizing the need to improve Italy’s economy and its military.  In October 1922, the Fascists or “Black Shirts” protested in Rome, demanding that King Victor Emmanuel abdicate in favor of Mussolini.  The king did step down and Mussolini became Il Duce, the leader of Italy.  Mussolini then suppressed all opposition.  Ironically, Mussolini forbade strikes as he wanted to win over the wealthy people in the country and build Italy’s economic strength.

The first signs of fascism were in Italy, where the people were upset at not acquiring territory as a result of World War I and where economic problems existed earlier than the Great Depression.  In 1919, Benito Mussolini founded Italy’s Fascist Party, emphasizing the need to improve Italy’s economy and its military.  In October 1922, the Fascists or “Black Shirts” protested in Rome, demanding that King Victor Emmanuel abdicate in favor of Mussolini.  The king did step down and Mussolini became Il Duce, the leader of Italy.  Mussolini then suppressed all opposition.  Ironically, Mussolini forbade strikes as he wanted to win over the wealthy people in the country and build Italy’s economic strength.

In Germany the name of the fascists was the “Storm Troopers” or “Brown-shirts”, and their political party was called the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party, or “Nazis” for short.  Adolf Hitler became their leader and he promised to stop communism and undo the Treaty of Versailles, which many Germans considered to be a humiliation to their nation.  In 1923 Hitler led an armed rebellion in Munich, but was defeated and jailed.  While imprisoned, he wrote ''Mein Kampf'' (My Struggle) in which he declared “Aryans” to be the master race.  Hitler considered most German people to be “Aryans”, a term that really refers to the Indo-European people who partly migrated to India.  The connection is ironic because the swastika, Hitler’s symbol, is borrowed from Hindu and the name itself is Sanskrit.  But when Hitler said “Aryan” he meant people having Nordic features rather than Indian features.

In Germany the name of the fascists was the “Storm Troopers” or “Brownshirts”, and their political party was called the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party, or “Nazis” for short.  Adolf Hitler became their leader and he promised to stop communism and undo the Treaty of Versailles, which many Germans considered to be a humiliation to their nation.  In 1923 Hitler led an armed rebellion in Munich, but was defeated and jailed.  While imprisoned, he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) in which he declared “Aryans” to be the master race.  Hitler considered most German people to be “Aryans”, a term that really refers to the Indo-European people who partly migrated to India.  The connection is ironic because the swastika, Hitler’s symbol, is borrowed from Hindu and the name itself is Sanskrit.  But when Hitler said “Aryan” he meant people having Nordic features rather an Indian features.

Hitler also promised to help Germany take back the land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

Hitler also promised to help Germany take back land it lost in the Treaty of Versailles and to conquer Russia and Eastern Europe so that Germans could have more living space, or “lebensraum”.

In 1933, Germany was in the throes of the Great Depression and German President Paul von Hindenburg found himself forced to name Adolf Hitler as the country's chancellor.  This was one of the biggest mistakes in world history.  Hitler quickly solidified power for the Nazis.  After the President's death in August 1934, Hitler assumed complete control and started calling himself Der Fuhrer. Hitler began in 1934 to murder hundreds of Germans who had opposed him.  Hitler developed a secret police known as the Gestapo, and also a special, black-uniformed public paramilitary force known as the SS.  Hitler took over the schools, requiring teenagers to join the Hitler Youth (for boys) and the League of German Girls (for girls).  They were then brainwashed with Hitler propaganda.  But Hitler promoted industrialization and revived the economy, making him a hero in Germany and even in the United States.

In 1933, Germany was in the throes of the Great Depression and German President Paul von Hindenburg panicked by naming Hitler chancellor.  This was one of the biggest mistakes in world history.  Hitler quickly solidified power for the Nazis.  Calling himself Der Fuhrer, Hitler began in 1934 to murder hundreds of Germans who had opposed him.  Hitler developed a secret police known as the Gestapo, and also a special, black-uniformed public police known as the SS.  Hitler took over the schools, requiring teenagers to join the Hitler Youth (for boys) and the League of German Girls (for girls).  They were then brainwashed with Hitler propaganda.  But Hitler promoted industrialization and revived the economy, making him a hero in Germany and even in the United States.

From the start Hitler blamed Jewish people in Germany for its problems.  In 1933, the Nazis began passing laws taking away rights from Jews, and on Nov. 9, 1938 the Nazis conducted a massive pogrom in a thousand German towns that attacked Jewish people in their homes and destroyed their businesses.  This day, which came after years of harassment, is known as the “Kristallnacht”.  Afterwards Jews were prohibited from being in public buildings or owning or working in retail stores.  

From the start Hitler blamed Jewish people in Germany for its problems.  In 1933, the Nazis began passing laws taking away rights from Jews, and on Nov. 9, 1938 the Nazis conducted a massive pogrom in a thousand German towns that attacked Jewish people in their homes and destroyed their businesses.  This day, which came after years of harassment, is known as the “Kristallnacht”.  Afterwards Jews were prohibited from being in public buildings or owning or working in retail stores.  

But many Jewish people remained in Germany and throughout Europe, and they became victimized by Hitler’s “Final Solution,” which was the execution of the Jewish people in concentration camps.  Other groups considered by Hitler to be inferior, such as gypsies and the disabled, were also targeted.  In 1941, Hitler began rounding them up and forcing them into segregated communities called ghettos surrounded by barbed wire.  Concentration camps and extermination camps having gas chambers for mass executions were built to kill the Jews.  Six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis in this manner, which was the majority of the Jewish population living in Europe then.  This is known as the Holocaust.  It was a type of extreme evil that cannot be compared to anything else in history, and it has been difficult to understand ever since.

But many Jewish people remained in Germany and throughout Europe, and they became victimized by Hitler’s “Final Solution,” which was the execution of the Jewish people in concentration camps.  Other groups considered by Hitler to be inferior, such as gypsies and the disabled, were also targeted.  In 1941, Hitler began rounding them up and forcing them into segregated communities called ghettos surrounded by barbed wire.  Concentration camps and extermination camps having gas chambers for mass executions were built to kill the Jews.  Six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis in this manner, which was the majority of the Jewish population living in Europe then.  This is known as the Holocaust.  It was a type of extreme evil that cannot be compared to anything else in history, and it has been difficult to understand ever since.

The “Angel of Death” in one of the worst extermination camps, Auschwitz, was Dr. Josef Mengele.  Mengele had obtained a PhD, and had written his dissertation thesis on racial differences among humans.  He supported and reinforced Nazi theories of racial superiority with phony research claims.  He was an ardent supporter of “survival of the fittest” and he performed cruel experiments on humans at the concentration camp.  He attempted to prove that disease was the product of racial inferiority, and he would amputate healthy limbs and perform other cruel surgeries on prisoners.  Today Mengele is criticized by everyone, but supporters of the theory of evolution omit mentioning how much Mengele’s work was based on that theory.  Mengele was never punished for his crimes, and after the war he fled to Brazil, where decades later he drowned due to having a stroke while swimming.

The “Angel of Death” in one of the worst extermination camps, Auschwitz, was Dr. Josef Mengele.  Mengele had obtained a PhD based on Darwinian evolution, and had written his dissertation thesis on racial differences among humans.  He supported and reinforced Nazi theories of racial superiority with phony research claims.  He was an ardent supporter of “survival of the fittest” and he performed cruel experiments on humans at the concentration camp in furtherance of the theory of evolution.  He attempted to prove that disease was the product of racial inferiority, and he would amputate healthy limbs and perform other cruel surgeries on prisoners.  Today Mengele is criticized by everyone, but supporters of the theory of evolution omit mentioning how much Mengele’s work was based on that theory.  Mengele was never punished for his crimes, and after the war he fled to Brazil, where decades later he drowned due to having a stroke while swimming.

===The Enigma===

===The Enigma===