Dehumanizing of a Race: Regards the dehumanization of the Jews during the holocaust

Essay by antsmarching654High School, 12th gradeA+, January 2006

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For the past several centuries, there has not been such a horrific event as to compare to the horror that was revealed during World War II and the Holocaust. Tens of millions of people died during World War II; including people from Poland, Russia, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, etc. However, it was only the Jewish race that was chosen for extermination. They did not die in indiscriminate bombing attacks or ship sinkings, as did the others that were put into battle. The Germans and their allies pushed the Jews out of society, dehumanizing them, torturing them, and finally killing them, simply because they were Jewish. To have the types of punishment that the Jews faced during the Holocaust is something that one would not think to happen in a modern day and age. In Nazi ideology, Racism was a key component. To make the violent and disgusting acts that they were committing seem less horrible, the Nazis justified their actions by making the Jews seem "less human".

By the time the attacks were made on the Jews, civilians almost believed that the Jews had it coming to them.

Initiating the attacks was Adolf Hitler. Hitler stated that the Jews had more in common with apes than with the superior human races. Heinrich Himmler motivated his soldiers to carry out his murderous orders by dehumanizing the Jews completely. He claimed that the Jews were similar to fleas and mice - disgusting lower forms of life that deserved to be exterminated. The Nazis tried to convince the German people of the truth of their claims by creating propaganda films that visually proved racist theory.

The history of the Holocaust shows how horrid it was to have such an event happen as it did. Pain and anguish meant nothing to those instigating...