In what ways are ethical decisions in regard to the value of human life disregarded in times of War? What are the ramifications of this? Using the example of 'The Holocaust',

Essay by sufi12345University, Bachelor'sA-, March 2007

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War and its savagery promote a primitive and callous disregard for human life. Nations at war tend to devise what is ethically right or wrong to promote their own cause. The Holocaust is the most prevalent example of this. Throughout this essay, I will demonstrate the ways in which ethical decisions in regard to human life are disregarded during times of war, in particular during the 'Holocaust' will be discussed. The essay will be commenced by assessing the moral ethics or lack thereof in Nazi Germany during and prior to the holocaust. Evidence will be provided to show how these ethics or lack thereof was left by the way side in regards to the 'Final solution' and the ramifications of this. It will be demonstrated how disastrous the impact of the abandonment of ethics had on human life and in particular on the minorities such as the Jews.'Immediately following Hitler's political rise and subsequent appointment as chancellor in January 1933 , the fascist Nazi party virtually swept away all domestic political opposition.

The ideologies set out in 'mien kampf' where Hitler referred to Jews as "these black parasites of my nation" set the atmosphere of racism that was to plague Europe and claim millions of lives. In 1933 the Nazis began their propaganda and prejudice against the Jews who were a minority in Germany representing only 1 % of the population. The Jews began to feel the effects of Hitler's anti-Semitic policies as the Nazis propagated this hate 'through their speeches, leaflets, and in their published program that they would persecute the Jews as soon as they had the opportunity to do so.'In September 1935 some of the Nazis promises came into when effect when the 'Nuremburg Laws' were established, which stripped Jews of their citizenship and banned the marriage...