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Outline 4 4 merits and demerits of totalitarianism
Outline 4 4 merits and demerits of totalitarianism
Characteristic of totalitarian government
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Characteristics of totalitarianism such as control of individuals, military terror, and ideology contributed to the atrocities committed in Japan and Germany In World War II by causing the kamikaze attacks, the atomic bombings, and the scapegoating of non-Aryan races. The kamikaze attacks committed by Japanese forces during World War II were a result of their control over individuals. Control over individuals is a totalitarianism trait which demands loyalty to the state and denies basic rights to the citizens. This trait can be seen in Japan where the emperor convinced soldiers that dying for their country in battle was the most honorable way to die. This forced Japanese soldiers to kill themselves or continuously fight a losing fight until they were killed because they did not …show more content…
By 1944, after their victory at Guadalcanal against Japan, the Allies began to fight for the island of Leyte in the Philippines. Unlike what most people believed to be an easy fight for the Allies, the takeover of this island was one of hardest. Japan would use their suicide pilots, also known as the kamikazes, to sink Allied fleets by crashing their bomb filled airplanes. However, after many hard fights also in Iwo Jima and Okinawa, The Allies were victorious. In the end, over 12,000 Americans were lost in battle and over 100,000 Japanese troops were lost (Modern World History, pg. 511). Japan’s fight until you die mentality led to many American soldiers dying as well as Japanese soldiers. The shame of not dying in war was implanted into Japanese soldiers and so not only did Japanese soldiers kill many Allied troops, Japanese soldiers killed each other. The totalitarianism trait, control over individuals, led to the kamikazes. The
Prior and during the war, the Japanese were known for their citizens’ extreme loyalty and commitment to their nation, but after the dropping of the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, some of these feelings diminished within the Japanese nation. Prior to the dropping of the atomic bomb, Over 70% of people in Japan believed that their nation could come out on top in the war even after more than a decade of constant fighting and the Japanese being on the defensive for over three years since the Battle of Midway. Directly after the use of the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the percentage of Japanese people that believed that defeat was inevitable rose to over 50%. Many people in the two cities that were bombed by the United States were affected more so than the rest of the Japanese population. For example, a 25% increase in suicidal thoughts was reported in the two cities struck by America’s new deadly weapon. This sharp decrease in morale amongst the Japanese people after the dropping of the atomic bomb coincided with an increase in Japanese fear of American and Allied power in future battles. For example, according to survivors of the bombing, whenever a lone American plane was seen over a Japanese city, people would “rush into their shelters,” and “They went in and out so much that they did not have time to eat. They were so nervous they could not work.” Prior to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki most Japanese were only scared of American aircrafts if there was a large group, but after the dropping of the atomic bomb any individual plane could wreak havoc on Japanese cities, as Elona Gay did to Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The use of the atomic bomb was able to spread fear amongst the Japanese people so
bombers initiated the first bombing of the island. The bombings by the Japanese continued until December 23, when under continuous shelling, the Americans, under U.S. Navy Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham, were finally forced to surrender. Although the Japanese finally took the island, they incurred heavy losses. Three cruisers and one transport sustained heavy damage, two destroyers and one patrol boat were sunk, while 820 Japanese soldiers were killed, with another 333 wounded. In contrast, American military casualties included 120 killed, 49 wounded, with two missing in action.
19 February 1945 marked the beginning of one of the fiercest and bloodiest; and more decisively, the most strategically important battles fought during World War II. A total of 6,821 U.S. Marines had lost their lives, along with 19,217 wounded over the five-week span of the battle for Iwo Jima. Of the 22,000 Japanese soldiers on the island, only 212 were taken prisoners. “Iwo Jima was the only battle by the U.S. Marine Corps in which the overall American casualties (killed and wounded) exceeded those of the Japanese, although Japanese combat deaths were thrice those of the Americans throughout the battle (O'Brien, 1987).”
Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany as Totalitarian Atates A totalitarian state refers to a country in which the central government exercises total control over all aspects of people's life. Main features include an infallible leader, one-party rule, strict party discipline, elitism, planned economy, an official doctrine, absolute obedience of individuals to the State, nationalism and usually an expansionist foreign policy. Up to these criteria, both Fascist Italy (1922-43) and Nazi Germany (1933-45) could be deemed totalitarian states to a large extent.
Following the beginning of the Second World War, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union would start what would become two of the worst genocides in world history. These totalitarian governments would “welcome” people all across Europe into a new domain. A domain in which they would learn, in the utmost tragic manner, the astonishing capabilities that mankind possesses. Nazis and Soviets gradually acquired the ability to wipe millions of people from the face of the Earth. Throughout the war they would continue to kill millions of people, from both their home country and Europe. This was an effort to rid the Earth of people seen as unfit to live in their ideal society. These atrocities often went unacknowledged and forgotten by the rest of the world, leaving little hope for those who suffered. Yet optimism was not completely dead in the hearts of the few and the strong. Reading Man is Wolf to Man: Surviving the Gulag by Janusz Bardach and Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi help one capture this vivid sense of resistance toward the brutality of the German concentration and Soviet work camps. Both Bardach and Levi provide a commendable account of their long nightmarish experience including the impact it had on their lives and the lives of others. The willingness to survive was what drove these two men to achieve their goals and prevent their oppressors from achieving theirs. Even after surviving the camps, their mission continued on in hopes of spreading their story and preventing any future occurrence of such tragic events. “To have endurance to survive what left millions dead and millions more shattered in spirit is heroic enough. To gather the strength from that experience for a life devoted to caring for oth...
A totalitarian government is where one person controls everything and civilian rights are taken away. In George Orwell's novel, 1984, Winston lives under a totalitarian government. Throughout the novel, it is shown how the government controls everything and how the citizens of Oceania cannot exercise basic rights. Citizens in countries with this type of government, both past and present, are manipulated and every aspect of their lives are controlled. In the novel 1984, Oceania is controlled by a totalitarian government, which is similar to the system of Soviet Russia and North Korea because they use close monitoring and threats of war against their citizens.
...6 wounded. The Battle Okinawa lost two of the highest ranking officers to die during WWII, with both Commanding officers dying in the Battle. The battle of Okinawa was an example of applying lessons learned and TTP’s in previous battles along with sound leadership and effective training that ultimately led to the Americans victory. Even without normal intelligence assets the Americans adapted their own TTP’s and used other assets to cover missing intelligence gaps on the battle field.
The Development of Totalitarianism Under Stalin By 1928, Stalin had become the undisputed successor to Lenin, and leader of the CPSU. Stalin’s power of appointment had filled the aisles of the Party Congress and Politburo with Stalinist supporters. Political discussion slowly faded away from the Party, and this led to the development of the totalitarian state of the USSR. Stalin, through.
The Consequences of a Totalitarian Society Americans today tend to believe that one of the world’s biggest fears is totalitarianism. The thought of a government that has complete and utter control continues to bring fear to people today. According to an article titled “Totalitarianism,” the author states, “Totalitarian governments use propaganda to spread ideas in order to control every aspect of life, including economic, social, political, and intellectual. This control was meant to serve a purpose; to unite the people in the achievement of common goals.” In other words, the author believes that individuals are not allowed any freedoms unless the leader of the state allowed it.
World War II consisted of many devastating battles in both the European and the Pacific Theater. The Battle of Okinawa was fought in the Pacific theater. In the beginning of the battle there was little opposition from the Japanese soldiers but as the American troops traveled more inland the more resistance they met. Eventually, the 10th Army came against the fierce challenge of the intricate defense lines the Japanese held up. Many caves and pillboxes in the hills created a formidable challenge for American troops. Slowly though the Allies gained ground and continued to push back the defensive lines of General Ushijima and his troops. The Japanese tried to use kamikaze air and land attacks as successful offensive measures, these continued to produce little effect and failed each time. Finally, the Allies started to gain ground quite quickly. The Japanese had to move their defensive lines several time because the Americans were boxing them in. At las,t General Ushijima ordered everyman to fight till the death and the fighting became very disorganized. On June 21, all the loss ends were tied up. America had won Okinawa.
Elements of the Nazi Police State and the treatment of minority groups and Jews show that Nazi Germany was totalitarian to a large extent.
World War II was definitely a total war. A total war is a war that is unrestricted in terms of territory, weapons, and objectives often resulting in a nation devoting full financial resources to the war effort. WWII involved a total 12 major countries with major battle territory in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Due to the scope of the war many countries called the upon their women to fill jobs in industry and in some cases the military. Women in the military took office and clerical jobs to free up the men so they could fight. The Army Nurse corps had a total of 16 women killed due to direct enemy fire. In 1940 the United States had an unemployment rate of around 15% but 3 years later that number drop down to 1.9% because of the amount of
Milan Kundera said, “Totalitarianism is not only hell, but all the dream of paradise-- the age-old dream of a world where everybody would live in harmony, united by a single common will and faith, without secrets from one another.” In the book 1984, George Orwell tells the story of how it would be to live in a totalitarianistic society. At totalitarianism society is a central government that does not let people voice their opinion. You could describe it as a dictatorship, where one person is in charge of everything. It describes very clearly the struggles people had to overcome and the fears that had to face to live in such conditions. In Oceania, Big Brother watches over everyone. The party controls everyone with four different ministries. The Ministry of Peace deals with war and defence. The Ministry of Plenty work with economic affairs. The Ministry of Love deals with law and orders. Finally the Ministry of Truth works with news, education, entertainment, and art. These combined have the power to control each and every aspect of their society. Totalitarianism and its characteristics are important concerns that have been shown not only in writing, but it real world situations.
The Tokubetsu Kōgekitai were a division of the Japanese air force who simply put it were suicide bombers. They were directed by their superiors to crash their planes, typically loaded with fuel, missiles, and other explosives into Allied battleships. Their goal, destroy or damage the ship, supplies, or aircraft that the carriers held. The pilot commonly died in the crash. The wreckage of the crash plane is almost never in one piece, showing just how deadly these crashes could be if successful. Many pictures exist of the wreckage and the aftermath and of the soldiers reactions to them. However in Japanese culture, the idea of dying for honour has existed for centuries. They are willing to die to uphold the legacy of the proud country that they have been for
"Fight to the end: better death than the dishonor of losing."1 The Japanese had a long standing tradition dating back hundreds of years to never give up until death. It was more rewarding to die in battle than be taken as a prisoner of war because surrendering was considered shameful to a soldier’s family, friends and country. They followed a set of standards that no other country asks of its people. It was the samurai honor code, bushido, "The way of the warrior"2. The use of kamikaze missions, the mistreatment of POW’s, and the attitude to never surrender were all examples of how the Japanese way of living came into World War II. To many it was outlandish, to others it was unbelievable, but to the Japanese, it was a way of life. It may have been this way of life that led the Americans to drop two of the deadliest weapons ever used in combat, the atomic bombs.