Nazi-Occupied Eastern Europe
Genocide
After the occupation of Poland in 1939, Germany began to introduce a new policy in these territories. These actions aimed to turn Poland into a modern Nazi state (Damoosebelly, 2009a). Even though there were minor differences in the implemented policy in different regions of Poland, its distinguishing feature was ethnic cleansing and the extermination of the local population.
This policy was based on the racial theory of the superiority of the Aryans over other races and was actively promoted in Poland by Arthur Greiser (Damoosebelly, 2009b). Based on this theory, the Nazis selected people based on appearance, language, and ethnic origin. All those who did not pass the test and were deemed objectionable were definitely hanged.
Migration
Another factor characterizing the situation in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe is the significant migrations of people. Poles were deported to areas farther from the Reich, and ethnic Germans came to replace them (Damoosebelly, 2009c). For Greiser, this has become a significant problem due to the need to find accommodation for them and arrange proper living conditions.
The Germans who arrived lived in apartments where the Poles were forcibly evicted and taken away from their property and businesses. The Poles living in these territories were deported to the General Government led by Hans Frank (Damoosebelly, 2009d). Due to the large number of deported Poles, they were forced to live in poor conditions and without enough food.
Ghettos
In addition, in some cities, such as Lodz, ghettos were created, where Jews were brought. They were forced to live in barracks and often did not have enough food, which forced them to buy food at inflated prices from Germans and Poles, making them richer (Damoosebelly, 2009e). In addition, Jews were exploited and forced to work in factories and construction sites to ensure the development of the Reich. Lack of proper nutrition and hard work led to rapid death among the ghetto prisoners.
Resistance Movements
French Resistance
Resistance movements played a significant role in the victory over Germany by sabotaging the activities of the Nazi army and collecting strategically important information. The French Resistance contributed significantly to the liberation of Normandy, creating the conditions for the Allies to land there. In 1944, the French Force of the Interior (FFI) was formed with about 100,000 armed men and women (Houlihan, 1984).
The FFI used guerrilla tactics to learn and pass on information to the Allies about the movements and plans of the German army. In addition, the Resistance helped bridge the gap between France and Britain, allowing the Allies to receive regular updates on German activities in Normandy (Houlihan, 1984). The coordinated actions of the FFI helped significantly weaken Germany and contributed to the liberation of Normandy, a turning point in World War II.
Yugoslav Resistance
Another example is the Yugoslav Resistance led by Tito. Yugoslavia’s mountainous landscape made it a convenient location for partisan activities (Houlihan, 1984). The strategy of the Yugoslav partisans was recognized by the Allies as very successful and was implemented in their actions to liberate Europe.
Through the Yugoslav Resistance’s actions, the Allies could more easily enter Italy and pose a significant threat to “Germany’s strategic oil resources in Rumania” (Houlihan, 1984, p. 25). That weakened the Nazi army and made it impossible to advance further and capture new territories. Moreover, it made keeping the occupied regions under control more difficult.
Belgian Resistance
While Yugoslavia waged a guerrilla war, depleting Germany’s resources, Belgium obtained information about the enemy in other ways. During World War II, an “intelligence network code-named Clarence” operated in the country and intercepted and decoded the communications of the German army (Houlihan, 1984, p. 26). It included troop movements and classified information about the Reich’s top leadership. Thanks to this, the Allies could stay ahead of Germany’s actions and carry out counteroffensives in time at the most unexpected moments.
Military Developments
D-Day
Military developments in 1944-1945 significantly influenced the victory over Germany in World War II. One of them was the Allies’ landing in Normandy in June 1944 on D-Day. It was a massive operation involving over 150,000 troops, 5,000 ships, and 11,000 aircraft (Films Media Group, 2011). As a result, the Allies’ invasion gained a foothold in France and pushed the German troops out of Normandy. In fact, from that moment began the liberation of all of Europe, as Germany gradually squandered its resources and no longer had the strength to hold the occupied territories. At the same time, allied troops, assisted by resistance movements and partisan detachments, began to move deep into Europe.
Battle of the Bulge
Another major event in the last years of World War II was the Battle of the Bulge, which took place from December 1944 to January 1945. German troops attempted a counteroffensive to push the Allies back to the English Channel and reduce their power by dividing the combined army (Films Media Group, 2011). Although the German move was unexpected by the Allies and initially successful, the Nazi army was ultimately defeated.
The Allies won the battle, causing significant damage and weakening the enemy army. Moreover, the Battle of the Bulge was Germany’s latest attempt to hold onto the occupied territories (Films Media Group, 2011). After its defeat, the outcome of World War II became virtually predetermined, and the Allies continued to liberate Europe.
References
Damoosebelly. (2009a). The Nazis: The Wild East 1 of 5 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Damoosebelly. (2009b). The Nazis: The Wild East 2 of 5 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Damoosebelly. (2009c). The Nazis: The Wild East 3 of 5 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Damoosebelly. (2009d). The Nazis: The Wild East 4 of 5 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Damoosebelly. (2009e). The Nazis: The Wild East 5 of 5 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Films Media Group. (2011). Episode 6: Inferno [Film]. InfoBase. Web.
Houlihan, M. (1984). The part played by Resistance movements. History Today, 34(6), 23-26.