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= C = Commandos are an individual soldier that specializes in a series of attack methods, and during WW2 commandos took their part in army by destroying vital targets of the enemy mostly during the night which then helped a lot. Commandos had to be very physically fit as well as a sense of leadership and very well trained. Commandos took action in 1940 and still do today. Scotland was the main training place for commandos because it was mainly remote and the weather was almost always the same temperature as in the battlefield. Being a commando was an honorable job and received high pay and respect.

=Chelmno=

One of the most famous extermination camps was Chelmno. It was located 43 miles west of Lodz. It opened on December 7,1941.The Jews were either killed in gas chambers or trucks filled with carbon monoxide.After the victims were dead the truck was driven into the forest where the bodies were dumped into a large pit. Any survivors were shot. In March 1943 Chelmno was closed due to very few Jews left in the area. The SS police destroyed the manor house and the open air ovens in the forest camp. Then they shot the remaining Jewish workers. In June 1944 Chelmno reopened. The SS police constructed two reception huts and two open air ovens. In one night the killed almost all of they Jews from the ghetto in Lodz.At least 152,000 people perished in Chelmno.

= = =Concentration Camps = The Concentration camps of the Holocaust were places where Jewish people would be sent for extermination. The concentration camps were very cruel places. They used several different methods for killing. Some of the mathods inculuded shooting, gassing, and starving the Jews. One of the more popular concentration camps and the largest was Auschwitz. Over the course of the Holocaust about 3 million people had died at Auschwitz and approximately 6 million Jewish people died during the Holocaust.
 * [[image:concentrationcampsoftheholocaust:Kaj_Bjurman1.jpg width="312" height="208" caption="A photo of a building and barbed wire fencing at Auschwitz.   Photo by Kaj Bjurman flickr"]] ||
 * A photo of a building and barbed wire fencing at Auschwitz. Photo by Kaj Bjurman flickr ||
 * [[image:concentrationcampsoftheholocaust:muddyclay.jpg width="278" height="224" caption="Auschwitz main gate. (Work makes you free) Photo by muddyclay flickr"]] ||
 * Auschwitz main gate. (Work makes you free) Photo by muddyclay flickr ||

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=Disease=  Of the many things that were horrible in the camps during Nazi rule was disease. Some diseases that were present in the camps are as follows, Typhus, Typhoid, Dysentery, and Tuberculosis. The massive amount of disease was due to poor conditions in the camps. As there were no working sewer [|systems], excrement was every where. The people in the camp were not able to clean themselves readily, as there were few showers available, and they did not have a change of clothes. Also disease ran rampant because there were few, if any cures for them, and they had very few doctors in the camps. The doctors that were in the camps were most likely prisoners and they had no medicine or instruments. === Typhus is a disease spread by [|lice] or fleas. The fleas and lice carry bacteria called, Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia prowazekii. Typhus has many symptoms including, abdominal pain, backache, rash, high fever, cough, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Death may occur to 10-60% of people with the disease. Ann Frank died of typhus at 15. === === Typhoid Fever, another disease that many people had during the Holocaust, is received through infected water of food supply. Once one person it can spread rapidly form person to person. Typhoid fever is a bacteria called, Salmonella paratyphi. This bacteria multiplies in the gallbladder, bile conducts, or liver, and passes into the bowel. Typhoid Fever can be very difficult to get rid of, as the bacteria can survive for weeks in water or dried sewage. The illness last usually from about four to six weeks. The symptoms of Typhoid are poor appetite, headaches, [|aches and pains], fever, and diarrhea. The fatality rate of Typhoid is 20%. Though coupled with malnutrition in the camps, and the symptom of poor appetite it was much higher. === === Dysentery is not a disease itself but rather a symptom for a potentially fatal illness. It technically is any bloody diarrhea. It is a body function, when it wants to get rid of something in the digestive system. This response is usually due to, E. histolytica amoeba, and shigella bacteria. These things thrive in water and food that has been contaminated with human feces. This can be contagious. Along with dysentery people usually have a fever, intense stomach pain, [|rapid weight loss], and cramps. === === Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacteria called, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. People can become infected with the Tuberculosis Disease, by inhaling some of the bacteria. It can get into the air in many ways such as people who already have the disease, coughs, sneezes, shouts, or spits. Though it can not travel though touch, such as shaking hands or touching clothes. The spreading of the bacteria in the lungs can cause pneumonia. Certain [|lymph nodes] may also be enlarged. Some symptoms of Tuberculosis are, weakness or tiredness, [|weight loss] , fever, night sweats, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. The body can recover from tuberculosis, or the tuberculosis can lie dormant for a period of time, which can become active. === === People with diseases were kept in a room called Durchgangszimmer, meaning walk-through room in German. If the doctor declared the patient terminal they would be killed quickly by SS soldiers. In German POW camps as an extra prevention against typhus the prisoner’s head was shaved within minutes of arriving at the camp. There were many large epidemics of disease during the Holocaust, including one large one of Typhus in June of 1942 in Auschwitz. Disease was a leading cause of death in the Ghettos. Disease claimed many lives during the Holocuast. ===



=D-Day=

D-Day also known as Normandy Landings ,took place on June 6, 1944. The landings took place across the northern shores of France with over 130,000 allied soldiers. The name of the beaches are Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. The Allied soldiers came outnumbered and outgunned against the Axis yet they still won. The victory gave them control over northern France which would later allow them to advance further and liberate France. The Russians never participated in D-Day or the liberation of France because they were busy invading German territory. If D-day wasn't won the Axis may not of been defeated the following year making this event so significant.

The Axis soldiers were controlled by German generals Himmler and Rommel. The Allies were mainly led by Dwight Eisenhower.

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= = =German Panzers=

There were 6 major Panzer versions. The Panzer 1 was a light tank armed with machine guns. The Panzer 2 was also a light tank with a 20mm cannon. The Panzer 3 was a medium tank that started of with a 37mm cannon and in later models had a 50 mm cannon. The Panzer 4 was a larger medium tank that started out with a low velocity 75mm cannon for fighting infantry and later a high velocity 75mm cannon to deal with Soviet tanks. The Panzer 5 was a heavy also called the Panther this tank had a high velocity 75mm cannon and was very well armored. The Panzer 6 was a heavy tank also called the Tiger tank. The Tiger had an 88mm cannon that could destroy all allied and Soviet tanks. There were also 2 Czech tanks that the Germans used; they were called the 35t and the 38t. These were light tanks with 37mm cannons and very fast.

= Panzer I = When World War 2 started the German army had nearly 1500 Panzer I tanks. They participated in the Blitzkrieg invasion of Poland in 1939, although it was known that they are not suitable for front line fighting because of their lack of firepower and very thin armor. In the Blitzkrieg invasion of France in 1940 only 500 of them participated. The others remained in Germany and Poland. = Panzer II = The Panzer II was the main tank in the Blitzkrieg invasions of Poland and France, where about 1000 Panzer II's participated. It also participated in the invasion of Russia in 1941, although it was already obsolete, and lacked armor and firepower. = Panzer III = The Panzer III participated in small numbers in the invasion of Poland. = ** Panzer IV ** =

=** Panzer V  **= The Panther tank initially fought in the battle of Kursk in July 1943, the greatest tank battle of the war, and served in all fronts until the end of the war. It was widely used in Normandy after D-Day. = ** Panzer IV ( The Tiger Tank) ** =



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= = =Pearl Harbor=

 Pearl harbor was one of the most horific attack on the United States Navy fleet that was anchored in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Aircraft and midget submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy began an attack on the U.S. Contrary to popular belief, these attacks were not a surprise. The Americans had deciphered Japan's code earlier and knew about a planned attack before it actually occured. However, due to difficulty in decifering intercepted messages, the Americans failed to discover Japan's target location before the attack occured. Under the command of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the attack was devastating in loss of life and damage to the U.S. fleet. At 6:05 a.m. on December 7, the six Japanese carriers launched a first wave of 183 planes composed mainly of dive bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters. The Japanese hit American ships and military installations at 7:51 a.m. The first wave attacked military airfields of Ford Island. At 8:30 a.m. a second wave of 180 Japanese planes, mostly torpedo bombers, attacked the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor. The battleship Arizona was hit with an armor piercing bomb which penetrated the forward ammunition compartment, blowing the ship apart and sinking it within seconds. Overall, nine ships of the U.S. fleet were sunk and 21 ships were severely damaged. Three of the 21 would be irreparable. The overall death toll reached 2,350, including 68 civilians, and 1,178 injured. Of the military personnel lost at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 were from the Arizona. The first shots fired were from the USS Ward on a midget submarine that had surfaced outside of Pearl Harbor; the Ward did successfully sink the midget sub at approximately 6:55, about an hour before the assault on Pearl Harbor = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  =**Prisoners of War**=

 World War II was a tough time for everyone, especially the soldiers who were dehumanized during this time by the treatment they were put through. They watched their brothers die, and their youth fly by. Prisoners of war were tormented both physically and mentally in enemy camps. Prisoner's lives changed for the worse while in the hands of the enemy soldiers. Bombings occurred frequently; often unexpected, which caused many casualties. The aftermath of the bombings were sometimes more traumatic than the actually bombing. The accurate descriptions of, the preparation process and harsh living conditions, of P.O.W. camps, the bombing of Dresden and it's aftermath.

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=The Reichtage=

The Reichtage building was constructed in Berlin and was opened in 1894. The building was built for the Reichstage, which was also the first German Empire. In 1933 the building suffered from sever damage from a fire, supposedly set by Marinus van der Lubbe, a Dutch communist. Lubbe was de-headed which later caused conflict throughout many years. The Nazis saw this as a great opportunity to turn people against some of the so called "traitors" in Berlin. They also banned the Communist Party of Germany. The building was later rebuilt and refurnished which was led by the internationally known architect, Norman Foster. In 1999 the building was completed and is now used as the meeting place for the Bundestag, which is now the German parliament. Some Historians don't agree that Marinus van der Lubbe started the fire. He was a communist working on his own, when the Nazis had a much larger group. Some believe that the fire was the cause of the Nazi's, who were trying to set up, and be rid of Lubbe so that they could gain power over all. The Nazis gained much from the fire which made them one of the prime suspects. The fire was started very quickly and without much warning. Hitler and Goring arrived shortly after the happenings and insisted that it was the communist Lubbe. There are different sides to the story. Some say it was Lubbe and some say it was Hitler, but will we ever know the truth? Lubbe admitted that it was him, but this can not be taken as the truth because he had a history of claiming responsibility for things he has not done. To Hitlers pleasure, Lubbe was decided guilty and was beheaded. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aneez/3469516802/ http://www.barnsdle.demon.co.uk/hist/fire.html

= S = =Stalingrad=

 Stalingrad is for the fateful siege of Stalingrad. It all started when operation Barbarossa was initiated. Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of Russia by the German Army the Wehrmacht. The Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) took Russia by storm as the German War Machine advanced through Western Russia until they hit the last Russian stronghold, the city that bore General Stalin's name, Stalingrad. Hitler's plan was to infiltrate past Stalingrad before winter thus taking control if the Asian oil fields. But with the 2 month delay the Large 6th Army of Germany, lead by General Paulus, would have to fight through winter. The Germans fought fast and swiftly, taking building by building even though Hitler was slowly (unknowingly) starving and letting his troops freeze to death. The 300,000 German soldiers had taken nine tenths of the industrial city before Stalin made the most important strategic decision of the Russian/German war and arguably the most important of World War 2. He recruited 1 million Siberian soldiers, known for their sharp shooting skills, to come fight in Stalingrad. Vasili Zaitsev, Greatest Russian Sniper of all-time was among these 1 million. He alone took out 500 Germans in the siege of Stalingrad. The Russians were incredibly short on fire arms as they were 3 soldiers to 1 gun. 1 million soldiers was not too many soldiers as the average life expectancy in Stalingrad for a Russian soldier was only 24 hours. The 1 million Russians, circled around the city, trapping 300,000 plus German soldiers in the battered city cutting off their supply trucks leaving them starving and short on ammo. The Russians fought hard and the Germans fought for their lives as the Russians truly were way too much for the Wehrmacht 6th Army. The Russians had won the battle of Stalingrad on February the 2nd 1943 after a cold winter. The cold had proven to be one of the main reasons for the Germans defeat and so was Hitlers commands. He had sent all of his best soldiers to Stalingrad and used them in hand-to-hand battles, not the way they were good for. As my grandpa says " There is no such thing as a bad soldier, only a bad commander". The total damage for the Wehrmacht was (Recruits and Reinforcements included) 1.5 Million men, dead, wounded, missing or taken prisoner. And of the 110,000 taken prisoner only 5 percent survived and went back to their home land. Stalingrad's turn around was the turning point in the War in Europe and ultimately in the 2nd World War. From there on, the Russians fought back for their land and fought all the way into Berlin to end the Nazi Empire and Adolf Hitler's life.

=The Swastika=

The Swastika is an equilateral cross with bent edges at right angles, used to represent the Nazi party. The symbol can be facing right, or the mirrored left image, depending on the culture and religion. The Swastika has been around for over 3000 years, even longer than the Egyptian symbol, Ankh. The word actually meant, "good to be." It was used as a sign of life, sun, power, strength, and good luck in the earlier days. It was on August 7th, 1920, that the meaning of the symbol was changed by Adolf Hitler. Now the symbol is used to represent hate, antisemitism, violence, death, and murder. It was spread all over Europe, on badges, clothing, hats, helmets, and posters. The word "Swastika" is now considered a threat to many people all over the world.

=Shrapnel=

Shrapnel is actually a type of artillery shell that was invented and named after Henry Shrapnel some time before World War One. The weapon saw extensive use during the first great war, but quickly fell out of favor after high explosive shells became more effective in combat.

During WWII, shrapnel was commonly used to refer to fragments of artillery shells or grenade casings. Most hand grenades at the time were of the fragmentation variety, where a thick walled grenade is filled with a relatively small amount of explosive and detonated. The casing would then burst into dozens of sharp pieces flying at a very high velocity (thousands of feet per second), and, although the pieces were usually very small, there were a sufficient number to kill a soldier within approximately 5 meters and wound one within 20. Improvised fragmentation weapons were also easy to make and often consisted of a container, such as a tin can, filled with an explosive and objects like nails or wire.

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=Torture=

T in the Holocaust Alphabet stands for TORTURE. Torture methods were obviously used by the Germans against the Jews in the concentration camps. The methods they used were horrible, and shouldn't even be brought up. But, in order to complete the alphabet I will have to fill you in on the gory details that the Jews endured in the Holocaust. Many horrible techniques were used in the concentration camps. Most involved doing cruel experiments on the Jews like trying never before tested medical procedures. Some other torture methods were: -They used whips and they also skinned people alive. Sometimes the guards pushed prisoners to the ground and kicked them black and blue with their heavy jackboots (which are a bit like heavy 'goth' boots), smashed their teeth, and so on. -They would would make them get undressed in front of hundreds of people and tell them they were going to take a shower but really gas them. -They sewed Jews together to see if they could live as "Siamese Twins" -Lined them up and ran a bull dozer over them. -Tied them to a post and tore the flesh off their backs with a stick wrapped with barbed wire So you see, the Nazi's were very mean to the Jews. They tortured them in ways that would make any person shudder. Thankfully the Allies won the war and ended these horrible things.



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= Z = =Zyklon B=

Zyklon B was manufactured as a cyanide-based insecticide. It was first created by Fritz Haber in the 1920's. In the year 1942 it was chosen by the Nazi's to be used at the Auschwitz-Birkenau and Majdanek concentration camps. This chemical killed around 1.2 million people. Around January or February of 1940, Zyklon B was tested on 250 Gypsy children in the Buchenwald camp. On September 3, 1941 about 600 Soviet prisoners and 250 ill Polish people were tested on at the Auschwitz with the chemical, the first experiment with Zyklon B executed at that camp. The experiments lasted great lengths of time. Once a gas chamber was full and the doors were shut, pellets of the chemical were dispersed through vents in the walls and would then release a highly toxic gas. People were killed in about 20 minutes. According to Johann Kremer, an SS doctor who oversaw gassings, shouts and screams of the victims could be heard. nisters of Zyklon B that were used. Photo by stevesheriw, Flickr. C a