Historical Revisionism Changing History of World War II

Historical Revisionism: Changing History of World War II By: Colin Reams

Thesis o Basing history on opinions is going to set up a world full of arguments, however, basing history on facts leads to progress

Holocaust Denial o Three Main Claims n n n Number of deaths is greatly exaggerated Gas chambers and crematories could not have handled the number of victims claimed Nazi actions towards the Jews were not of genocidal intent at all

First Claim o o o Revisionists: 6 Million Jews killed is exaggerated Others: that number is too small for how many did lose their life Facts: n n n 6 million Jews perished during the Holocaust Figure first given at Nuremburg Tribunal in 1946 An SS official, named Adolf Eichmann confirmed this number

Pictures of Shoes from Auschwitz

Second Claim o o o Revisionists: Chambers and Crematories would just not have sufficed for claiming 6 million lives Others: Believe many Jews died in the camps only because of the chambers and crematories Facts: n n n Some were starved, shot, tortured, and beaten Majority were taken by the chambers and crematories “Holocaust” is a word of Greek meaning “sacrifice by fire”

Third Claim o o o Revisionists: Deny the Holocaust was genocidal Others: Holocaust happened only because of Hitler’s anger towards the Jewish population Facts: n n Germans believed they were superior “Final Solution” to an Aryan race Nazis wanted a pure society Completely genocidal intent, not anger

Buchenwald Roll Call

Total War or Genocide? o First Claim: WWII was only Total War n n Total control: organization/guidance in context of warfare Total mobilization: resources for purpose of war Total methods: use of any means against enemy Total aims: focused on principle destruction

Total War or Genocide? o Second Claim: WWII driven only by genocide n n Violent crimes with notion of destroying a certain group Intention of perpetrators is destruction of a group based on criteria Always dehumanization Forms of executions

Total War or Genocide? o o o The answer is both Four main elements of total war described WWII perfectly Three elements of genocide summed up the idea of Jews being inferior

Two Myths, One War o o First Myth: The Holocaust and WWII happened at the same time by mere coincidence Revisionists: Agree with myth Others: Holocaust was result of war Facts: n n n Demographic revolution to the war (killing of Jews) Both Holocaust and the war were a means of power They built off of each other

Two Myths, One War o o Second Myth: Allies won due to superiority in resources Revisionists: Agree with this myth Others: tend to not think their logic through Facts: n n Different size forces at battles (Midway) The weather was not controlled by anyone Axis powers had a disadvantage of resources because of their conquering of people who lived there Allies were not strong until near the end

Hitler…

Adolf Hitler o o o Revisionists: WWII just Hitler’s war Others: Hitler only involved with Holocaust Facts: n n He wanted a superior race and ultimate power Allies and Axis were involved in war Ordered “Final Solution” and invasion of Poland He was not the only one

In Closing o o o Facts are Facts Not based on opinions History is factual evidence of events, instances, people, etc… WWII is a victim of opinions Base your arguments on facts, they will always be there