Study Guide for Holocaust Test 2016
***The test will include more specific information than is included on this study guide and the students may have to apply the concepts learned to show deeper understanding
Materials needed to study: World War I Brain Pop Quiz, WWII/Holocaust vocabulary handout, video notes for “How Did Hitler Rise to Power?”, “How Did Hitler Happen?” article, notes in social studies notebook for the article, Elie Wiesel and Oprah video handout notes, and the D-Day handout
Key Terms-The students will have to know all of the terms and definitions on their WWII/Holocaust vocabulary handout as well as those highlighted or underlined in the articles
Key Concepts:
1.Problems caused by the Treaty of Versailles
· took away 1/6 of German Land
· It kept Germany weak by not letting them build their army or weapons
· It made them poor by making Germany pay billions of dollars to the Allies (Ten years later it combines with the Great Depression to make life in Germany miserable for most people – “Double Whammy”)
2. Causes of Hitler’s rise to power
· Treaty of Versailles/Great Depression (made people poor)
· Hitler: good speaker, intelligent, improved businesses and economy
· blamed a scapegoat-Jewish people/propaganda
· Germany had a weak (democracy) government
· von Hindenburg appoints Hitler chancellor (They don’t realize Hitler’s power – controls the streets)
· Reichstag Fire
· von Hindenburg dies
3. What happened to the Jewish people in Nazi Germany before World War II starts?
· Nuremberg Laws (Discrimination) – citizenship taken away
· Jews were the scapegoats for how bad life was in Germany
· Kristallnacht (unofficial start of violence towards Jews)
· Concentration camps are opened, Jews and other groups are
imprisoned
4. What happened to the Jewish people in Europe during World War II?
· Ghettos
· Concentration Camps: forced-labor camps, extermination camps
· Final Solution: over 6 million Jews killed
5. What happened when people got off the train at Auschwitz?
· arrived at Auschwitz II-Birkenau
· Families separated
· Selection by age, gender, and ability to work
· Stripped and shaved, then to the gas chambers (75%) or prepared for work (25%)
6. What were living conditions like at Auschwitz and most other camps?
· Filthy: disease and starvation were widespread – 4 month lifespan
· overcrowded, 2-4 per bunk, up to 800 in a barrack
· constant threat from SS, work or die
7. What were the Death Marches and what happened?
· As the Soviet soldiers and other Allied troops were about to liberate concentration camps the concentration camp prisoners were forced back toward Germany from the surrounding countries (many were forced to walk the entire way)
· A large percentage (25%-60%) of the prisoners died or were killed by the Nazis along the way
8. What evidence was left behind at Auschwitz and other camps?
· Crematoria, gas chambers, bodies, hair, suitcases, glasses, shoes, clothing, Zyklon-B, and much more
· Thousands of sick prisoners were still in the camps (32,000 at Dachau)
9. Could the Allies have done more to stop the Holocaust?
· They let Hitler break the Treaty of Versailles
· They could have allowed more Jewish people to come into their countries from 1933 to 1938 (before the war)
· The Soviets could have fought their way to the extermination camps quickly
· The U.S. could have bombed the railroad tracks/stations and the camps
10. What happened at Stalingrad?
-1942-43: Battle of Stalingrad-
· Germany attacks the Soviet Union and looks like they may defeat the Soviets until the Russian winter stops the Germans at Stalingrad.
· The Germans are pushed back for the first time. (Turning Point)
11. What happened on D-Day?
· One of the largest military operations in world history (Operation Overlord)
· An attack by the Allies on the beaches of Normandy, France that opened up Western Europe to the Allies on June 6, 1944
· There were over 150,000 Allied troops involved with over 10,000 wounded or killed
12. Winners and losers of World War II
· Main Winners: Allies (U.S., Soviet Union, U.K., France)
· Main Losers: Axis (Germany, Italy, Japan)