Impact on Civilians

What happened on the key date of June 22, 1940?

The Armistice was signed between France and Germany, leading to the division of France.

On what date was Paul Reynaud replaced by Marshal Pétain?

June 16, 1940.

On what date did the French parliament and government meet in Vichy to grant Pétain full powers?

July 1, 1940.

On what date was the Vichy Government officially established?

July 10, 1940.

How many French Prisoners of War (POWs) were deported to Germany as part of the armistice terms?

1.6 million.

What percentage of the French population was actually engaged in the active resistance?

Only 3%.

What percentage of the French population either agreed with the regime or were too scared to act?

Over 90%.

In late 1944, what percentage of Resistance members actually possessed a firearm?

Less than 30%.

Even after Allied supply drops in early 1944, for how long did Resistance members have enough ammunition to fight?

Only one day of hard fighting.

What were the advantages for Hitler in allowing the Vichy Government to exist?

It served German interests perfectly; they did the "dirty work" (maintaining order/collecting taxes), which meant German troops did not have to be everywhere.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the French Resistance?

Strengths: Vital intelligence gathering for D-Day (identifying elite soldiers by uniform patches); sabotage of infrastructure. Weaknesses: Very small numbers (3%); lack of firearms and ammunition; high risk of German retaliation.

How did the responsibility for actions against Jews differ between the zones?

In the occupied zone, actions were mainly German; in the unoccupied zone, they were mainly led by the French Vichy government.

What was the first administrative step taken by the Vichy government to target Jews?

A census was taken of all French and foreign Jews to create a database used for all subsequent actions and later shared with the Germans.

In what month and year did the French Vichy government begin confiscating Jewish property (Aryanisation)?

March 1941.

When did German authorities begin preparing for the deportation of Jews from all of France to extermination camps?

January 1942.

In what month and year were Jews in occupied France forced to wear the yellow star for identification and isolation?

June 1942.

When did the major roundups of Jews occur across both zones of France, involving cooperation between German authorities and the Vichy police?

The summer of 1942.

How did the Vichy government restrict the employment of Jewish people?

They were excluded from all except menial (low-skill) jobs.

What was the role of the French Milice regarding the Jewish population?

They were a paramilitary force of French volunteers who focused on destroying the resistance and hunting Jews, often using torture and executions.

What were the start and end seasons for the "Blitz" campaign against British cities?

Autumn and winter of 1940 and the spring of 1941.

On what date did daylight raids on London begin?

September 1940.

How many people were killed in the first 12 hours of the London raids?

Almost 500.

For how many months was London bombed nightly following the initial raids?

2 months.

When did the Blitz campaign officially end?

May 1941.

How many people were killed in total across Britain by the end of the Blitz?

43,000.

How many people were made homeless in London alone due to the Blitz?

1.4 million.

What percentage of their total military resources did the Allies spend on their bombing campaign?

Only 7%.

How many US and British servicemen died as part of the Allied bombing campaign?

150,000.

How many planes did the Allies lose during their bombing operations?

Nearly 30,000.

When did the controversial bombing of Dresden occur?

February 1945.

How much of the Dresden city centre was destroyed by the firestorm?

More than 6.5 square kilometers.

How many people were killed in the bombing of Dresden?

25,000.

What were Hitler’s primary goals for the Blitz?

To force Britain to the negotiating table; to accept his domination of Europe; to avoid a two-front war; and to break British public morale so they would overthrow Churchill.

Why did the Blitz fail to achieve its objective of breaking British morale?

The "Spirit of the Blitz" emerged, where pulling together in adversity actually raised morale rather than lowering it.

What factors should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a bombing campaign (M TRRACCCC G)?

Morale, Transportation, Resilience, Resources, Accuracy, Concentration of troops, Casualties, Cost to allies, and Goals.

How many Jews came under direct Nazi rule following the 1939 invasion of Poland?

3 million.

How many additional Jews came under Nazi control following the 1941 invasion of the USSR?

3 million.

How many Jews were killed by death squads (Einsatzgruppen) during the invasion of the USSR?

1 million.

When was the "Hunger Plan" devised by the Germans to starve the Soviet population?

1941.

When was the Majdanek camp in Poland liberated by the Soviets?

July 1944.

When was Auschwitz overrun by Russian soldiers?

January 1945.

How many people from across Europe were deported to Auschwitz in total?

Over 1 million.

When did the British liberate the Bergen-Belsen camp?

April 1945.

How many people were found packed together and starving at Bergen-Belsen?

60,000.

What was the death rate for liberated prisoners suffering from Typhus?

Over 60%.

What were the disadvantages/dangers for survivors immediately after liberation?

High death rates from Typhus; "refeeding syndrome" caused by metabolic shock from rich food; extreme loneliness and displacement.

How did Nazi control differ between Jews in Germany and Jews in Poland?

In Germany, Jews were more integrated into society; in Poland, many were Orthodox and lived separately, making it easier for Nazis to use extreme violence and discrimination.

How many people lived in East Asia under Japanese rule during WWII?

Around 500 million.

On what date did the rapid Japanese invasion of Malaya commence?

December 1941.

How many weeks did it take for Japan to conquer Malaya?

10 weeks.

How many civilians were executed by the Japanese in Hong Kong alone?

Around 10,000.

When did the MPAJA (Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army) first form with around 3,000 jungle fighters?

1942.

To what number did the MPAJA jungle fighters grow by 1945?

7,000.

How many people were involved in the anti-Japanese underground in the Philippines?

260,000 people.

Into how many separate guerrilla organizations was the Philippine resistance divided?

277 separate organizations.

At the end of the war, what fraction of the provinces in the Philippines did Japan still control?

Only 1/4.

What were the different styles of Japanese rule across their empire?

Harsh Military Rule: Singapore, Hong Kong; Alliance: Thailand; Puppet Regime: Philippines; Compromise: French-Indochina (Vichy French continued to rule).

How did the Japanese maintain control over local populations?

Through propaganda (portraying themselves as "liberators"); suppression of local language/culture; and the brutal Kempeitai (secret police).

Why was the resistance in the Philippines so effective?

They had a huge underground network (260,000 people); they smuggled intelligence to the US; and General MacArthur smuggled guns and radios to them via submari