The Possibility of The Holocaust to Have Been Avoided

The Holocaust: A Systematic Genocide

The Holocaust was a systematically planned program of genocide aimed at exterminating all Jews. This horrific event was orchestrated by Adolf Hitler and his allies in the Nazi regime during World War II. Approximately six million Jews were murdered, and about eleven million people deemed undesirable by Hitler were killed, including communists, the disabled, homosexuals, and others who opposed Hitler’s religious, political, and social views (Yad Vashem, 2023; United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d.).

The Possibility of Avoiding the Holocaust

The Holocaust is one of the most horrifying events in world history. From Kristallnacht to life in concentration camps, every aspect of this event was terrible. Many actions could have been taken to prevent this dreadful experience, but, unfortunately, nothing substantial was done by the international community or within Germany at the time (Berenbaum, 2006).

The Rise of Hitler

One major event that led to Hitler’s Holocaust was the death of President Hindenburg. Hitler was Hindenburg’s vice-president, and if something were to happen to Hindenburg, Hitler would assume the position of president. When he took this position, he gained almost unlimited power, allowing him to implement his radical ideas within Germany. Immediately after assuming the presidency, Hitler began to enact significant changes in the lives of German citizens, particularly targeting the German-Jewish population (Evans, 2005).

The Nuremberg Laws

The implementation of the Nuremberg Laws also contributed to the Holocaust genocide. These laws classified Jewish people as a separate race, despite Judaism being a religion. One of these laws stripped German-Jewish people of their citizenship, and another banned any form of relationships between Aryans and Jews. Anyone with even the slightest Jewish ancestry was forced to comply with these oppressive rules. This legislative action laid the groundwork for the Nazi terror that would unfold during the Holocaust (Friedlander, 1997).

Kristallnacht

Kristallnacht, also known as the "Night of Broken Glass," was another event that precipitated the Holocaust. From November 9 to November 10, 1938, Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools, and businesses, and killed close to 100 Jews. Following this horrific night, nearly 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to Nazi concentration camps. After Kristallnacht, conditions for German Jews deteriorated further. During World War II, Hitler and the Nazis initiated their "Final Solution" to what they referred to as the "Jewish problem," resulting in the systematic murder of about six million European Jews in what is now known as the Holocaust (Gilbert, 1985).

Conclusion

In my opinion, the Holocaust could have been avoided. By recognizing the early warning signs and taking decisive action against Nazi policies, the international community and German citizens might have been able to prevent this atrocity. Increased awareness and intervention could have altered the course of history and saved millions of lives.

References

• Berenbaum, M. (2006). The World Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Evans, R. J. (2005). The Third Reich in Power. Penguin Books.
• Friedlander, S. (1997). Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1933-1945. HarperCollins.
• Gilbert, M. (1985). The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Introduction to the Holocaust. Retrieved from https://www.ushmm.org/learn/introduction-to-the-holocaust
• Yad Vashem. (2023). The Holocaust. Retrieved from https://www.yadvashem.org/holocaust.html