Counting the Costs
· Historians believe that anywhere from 30 million to 60 million people died as a result of World War II.
· Cities and towns worldwide were completely destroyed and millions of people were left homeless.
· The Japanese forced about 60,000 U.S. and Filipino soldiers to march 100 miles with little food or water after Japan defeated the Philippines in 1942.
· About 10,000 people died or were killed during the march.
· The Nazis killed over 6 million Jews during World War II, which became known as the Holocaust.
· Jews were forced to work in labor camps in order to help the Nazis. Those too old, young, sick, crippled, and the mentally retarded were immediately sent to concentration camps where they were put to death.
· The Nazis also killed approximately 6 million Poles, Slavs, and Gypsies as well during the Holocaust.
· In 1945 and 1946, as a result of the Nuremberg Trials, 12 Nazi leaders were sentenced to death for their war crimes.
· Thousands of other Nazis were found guilty of war crimes and were imprisoned.
· The Allies also tried and executed Japanese leaders accused of war crimes.
