Aftermath on the World's Jewish Population
In terms of physical damage during World War II, the United States did not suffer any damage. However, the U.S. did lose close to 300,000 troops. While there was much damage throughout the whole of Europe, the physical damage could not possibly surpass the loss of human life and humanity that the entire world suffered. Worldwide, civilian deaths are estimated to be around 38 million from the war, with around 21 million of those from military personnel. The rough estimate of Jews to be savagely murdered under Hitler’s reign is somewhere at six million, but possibly more.
While the end of World War II saw the end to the genocide of Jews, it did not mean the end of problems for Jews in Europe. “After liberation, many Jewish survivors feared to return to their former homes because of the antisemitism (hatred of Jews) that persisted in parts of Europe and the trauma they had suffered.” (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
While the end of World War II saw the end to the genocide of Jews, it did not mean the end of problems for Jews in Europe. “After liberation, many Jewish survivors feared to return to their former homes because of the antisemitism (hatred of Jews) that persisted in parts of Europe and the trauma they had suffered.” (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
Despite the mass embarrassment of the Holocaust, Neo Nazi groups have popped up around the world, with a rather large and embarrassing number in the United States alone. Today, one of the most disgusting things in our history is World War II and the mass genocide of European Jews. "Approximately thirteen million Jews live throughout the world, a tiny fraction of the total world population of 6.6 billion. About half of them live in Israel, while the United States, Russia and France also have sizeable Jewish populations." (Project Aladin). The world Jewish population has only grown by something like two percent since the Holocaust. The scars of the Holocaust will not and should not soon be forgotten. While it is a blight on our shared human history, it is important that we not allow ourselves the luxury of forgetting what genocide and pure evil looks like. It looks like millions upon millions of people dead and all because of some disillusioned ideal of a master race-- while there is only one race and that is the human race. "And, just as new revelations about the period are coming to light, the generation of Holocaust survivors is aging and passing away. With a growing sense of urgency, the world continues its search for answers." (Aftermath).
References
- Lyons, M. J. (2010). World War II: A Short History (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323281376/cfi/8/4!/4/2/6/14/2@0:100.
- Aftermath of World War II. Retrieved from https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_da.php?ModuleId=10005129&MediaId=111
- Holocaust: A Call to Conscience. Retrieved from http://projetaladin.org/holocaust/en/40-questions-40-answers/on-jews-and-judaism.html
- Aftermath. Retrieved from http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/timeline/after.htm
- Retrieved from: https://prologuepiecesofhistory.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/111-sc-210241-2015-001-ac.jpg
- “Europe After World War II”, Retrieved from: http://www.solarnavigator.net/images/world_war_big_three_time_magazine.jpg
Credit: Christina