Death Marches and the End of the War in Europe (deck 4)

Why did the Nazis evacuate camps near the end of World War II?

Advancing Soviet and Western Allied forces threatened to capture camps and their prisoners.

What were death marches?

Forced movements of camp prisoners, often on foot, under brutal conditions as German forces retreated.

What conditions did prisoners face on death marches?

Bitter cold, hunger, thirst, exhaustion and little opportunity to rest; prisoners who fell behind were often shot.

When was Auschwitz evacuated by the Nazis?

In January 1945, shortly before Soviet forces arrived.

Approximately what proportion of prisoners died during the march from Auschwitz, according to the notes?

About one in four.

What happened on one death march from the Danzig region?

Approximately 700 of 7,000 prisoners died, and survivors at the Baltic coast were shot in the water.

When was Mussolini executed?

28 April 1945.

When did Hitler die?

30 April 1945; he died by suicide.

Who became German leader after Hitler's death?

Karl Dönitz.

When did Germany's armed forces surrender, according to the notes?

German forces surrendered in early May 1945; Germany's unconditional surrender took effect on 8 May in Western Europe and 9 May in Moscow.

What is VE Day, and did it end all of World War II?

VE Day commemorates victory in Europe on 8 May 1945 in Western Europe. The war continued in the Pacific until Japan's surrender in August 1945 and the formal surrender in September.