Lecture 17- Aftermath of the Second World War Flashcards
(25 cards)
What was the estimated number of people displaced by war after the Second World War?
15.4 million people displaced by war
This includes various categories of movement and resettlement.
What was the total number of people who moved between 1944 and 1948?
Over 31 million people
This includes flight before military fronts, organized transfers, and internal resettlement.
What were the four categories of population movement from 1944 to 1948?
- Flight before military fronts – 5.65 million
- Organized post-war transfers – 9.9 million
- Unorganized post-war resettlement – 1.76 million
- Internal postwar resettlement – 8.3 million
What did Heda Margolius Kovály say about the return of displaced individuals in Czechoslovakia?
They are impossible to kill off – not even Hitler could manage it.
How many requests did the German Red Cross receive to trace missing children between 1945 and 1958?
300,000 requests
The International Tracing Service received 343,057 requests between 1945 and 1956.
What term was used to describe children who lacked parental authority and civilized values after the war?
Wolf children
These children were characterized by their wild behavior and lack of moral sense.
What was the estimated number of French women identified as ‘intimate collaborators’ after the war?
20,000 French women
They were publicly humiliated as part of post-war retribution.
What was a common sentiment expressed by returning servicemen about civilian life?
It rather scares me. One forgets one’s manners in the Army.
What percentage of women believed that they should be allowed to continue doing men’s jobs after the war?
25%
28% believed it depended on post-war circumstances.
What was the public perception of being a housewife expressed by some women?
Many will feel they are going back to a prison.
What was a significant psychological effect observed in English POWs after the war?
They will be moody and may sit and think for an hour.
What did Churchill declare about Europe in March 1946?
An iron curtain has descended across the Continent.
Which countries had strong local communist parties that fought for independence?
- Yugoslavia
- Czechoslovakia
What were the steps in the pattern of Soviet take-over in Eastern Europe?
- Popular Front Coalitions with communists in key positions
- Pro-communist street demonstrations
- Rigged ‘free’ elections
- Some real support for a new order
What was established by the Soviet Union in Poland on July 21, 1944?
Polish ‘Committee of National Liberation’ (PKWN) in Lublin.
What happened during the Warsaw Uprising?
Aug 1 – Oct 2, 1944: A significant uprising against German occupation.
What did the People’s Referendum in June 1946 address?
- Abolition of the Senate
- Permanent economic system through nationalization
- Polish western frontiers
What was the outcome of the January 19, 1947 elections in Poland?
The government bloc won 394 of 444 seats in the Sejm.
Who was Władysław Gomułka?
An anti-Nazi resistance fighter who later crushed resistance to communist take-overs.
What happened to party members in Poland during the purges after 1948?
Purges of Party members began.
What was the nature of the anti-communist resistance in Romania?
Organized in over fifty villages to fight against communism.
What is a characteristic of planned economies established by communist regimes?
- Centralized planning
- Emphasis on industrial production
- Inaccurate reporting
- Shortages
- Food lines
What did party membership in communist regimes often include?
- Encouraged and valued
- Pioneers for children
- New courses on Communist ideology
What was a significant challenge faced by workers in communist factories?
Just because workers were Party members doesn’t mean they understood socialism.
