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The Jews during World War II

The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was a genocide perpetrated by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II. It was one of the most devastating events in human history, resulting in the systematic murder of approximately six million Jews, which is roughly two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe at that time.

Although the Holocaust was organized from the highest levels of the German government, the majority of the victims were not German citizens but rather lived in countries invaded by Germany after 1938. The Nazis' persecution and extermination of European Jewry began with the Kristallnacht, or "Night of Broken Glass," which took place on November 10, 1938, in numerous German cities. Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were ransacked, leaving thousands dead and many more injured.

The Nazis' methodical mass killings of Jews started with the onset of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, when Germany launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union. The operation marked a significant escalation of the war and led to the deaths of millions of soldiers on both sides. In addition to the military campaigns, the Nazis also implemented a systematic extermination program aimed at eliminating all Jews living under their control.

Josef Bühler, a high-ranking Nazi official, played a crucial role in driving the "Final Solution," as it came to be known. The plan involved the deportation of European Jews to concentration camps and their eventual murder there. Sebastian Haffner's 1978 analysis revealed that Adolf Hitler accepted the failure of his goal to dominate Europe forever after declaring war on the United States in December 1941, but he continued to pursue his second objective: the extermination of the Jewish people.

The Nazi military machine struggled towards the end of the war, as valuable resources such as fuel, transportation, and manpower were diverted away from the front lines. The Allies ultimately prevailed, with more than half a million Jews killed in battle.

Jewish Participation in World War II

Despite being one of the greatest victims of the Holocaust, many Jews actively participated in fighting against the Nazis during World War II. Approximately 1.5 million Jews served in Allied armies, including 556,000 troops in the U.S. Army and 50,000 soldiers in the Soviet Army. Hundreds of thousands were wounded, with more than 350,000 suffering severe injuries.

Jewish organizations played an active role in resisting Nazi occupation and attempting