Year Zero (1945) & Post-WWII Developments

Flashcards covering key events, figures, and concepts related to 'Year Zero' in 1945, including the end of World War II, atomic bombings, the Holocaust, and post-war international developments and policies.

In what year did most of Europe and Asia experience the impact of the most destructive war in history?

1945

What new form of weaponry was introduced in 1945, obliterating Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Atomic weapons

What major atrocity, resulting in the murder of six million European Jews, occurred during this period?

The Holocaust

Besides the end of World War II, what new global patterns and processes emerged in 1945?

Cold War competition and conflict, decolonization, and globalization

Which war recorded the highest number of combatant deaths between 1800 and 2011?

World War II

What was the estimated range of combatant deaths for World War II?

21-30.8 million deaths

What do the maps of Allied strategic bombing show about German cities like Berlin and Dresden?

A high degree of urban destruction

Which two Japanese cities were subjected to atomic bombings in August 1945?

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

When was Hiroshima bombed?

August 6, 1945

What was the name of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

Little Boy

When was Nagasaki bombed?

August 9, 1945

What was the name of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki?

Fat Man

Approximately how many people died immediately in Hiroshima due to the atomic bomb?

70,000 people

What term was introduced in 1944 to describe a specific form of mass murder against ethnic and other groups?

Genocide

Who introduced the term 'genocide' in 1944?

Jewish American lawyer Rafael Lemkin

Where were War Crimes Tribunals held from November 1945 through April 1949 to prosecute Nazi leaders?

Nuremberg

What significant precedent did the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunals set?

The creation of an International Criminal Court

What program was implemented in post-war Germany to remove Nazi influence from the broader population?

Denazification program

Approximately how many Jews were killed during the Holocaust?

6 million

What were the three indictments at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunals?

Crimes against Peace, Crimes of War, and Crimes against Humanity

What was a consequence for 'major' and 'minor' offenders identified during the denazification hearings?

They were banned from government jobs.