“Crimes against humanity: murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts committed against civilian populations, before or during the war…” (Bassiouni, 2011). In 1945, the United States and other contributors developed the Agreement for the Punishment of the Major World War II Criminals. Most convicted were of the European Axis from the International Military Tribunal. From the Agreement for the persecution and punishment that the United States and many other allies came to agree on. These terms only came to be discussed because of the atrocious, disheartening events that occurred in Germany during the holocaust. The Jewish people were pulled down by their hair only to have their teeth pulled out, “Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night...Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.” as Elie Wiesel writes, in the book Night. Elie Wiesel writes about the cruel punishments laid upon these people all a part of something much bigger then it seemed at the time.

In the black and white film Schindlers List, directed by Steven Spielberg, there is a scene where a girl in a red coat walks by the camera a few times. The girl with a red coat is surrounded by pure murder and chaos. This girl in the film gives a feeling of hope. This little girl stands out, and in her bright red coat she is seen walking into a house. Suddenly, the audience is given the though that she could actually survive. Later on in the movie her little red coat is shown being carried away with another large amount of dead bodies. This little girl with a red coat was actually based on a true event.

While the Jewish people awaited a savior for years, it rarely came. There are many documentaries showing how the Jewish people could only hope that one day someone would come to put a stop to the madness. But no one came to rescue them. Though there were many Jewish resistance groups who stood up against the Nazis and their attempt at genocide, the amount of people saved do not compare to those killed. In most cases, the resistance groups were teenagers who sabotaged Nazi transportation and killed Nazis to save fellow Jews. These small rebellions sometimes succeeded, but could rarely take down the forces that were the German Nazis. There is still great controversy over the reasons of why these mass torture sprees and deaths took place. There is even greater reason why no one else in the entire globe stood up. Although there were few incidents where non-Jewish people helped Jewish people escape, there was no major country that stood up and lent a helping hand. No, not at all. Instead, there were many countries that enforced new laws restricting Jews from entering their country, only enforced during the holocaust.

As stated under an article in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website, “During World War II, rescue of Jews and others targeted by Nazi Germany was not a priority for the United States government. Nor was it always clear to Allied policymakers how they could pursue large-scale rescue actions in Europe,” (Breitman, Richard, and Alan Kraut, 1987). With many new laws being enforced on Jewish immigrants, there is a strange statistic found under the same website.” In 1939 and 1940, slightly more than half of all immigrants to the United States were Jewish, most of them refugees from Europe. In 1941, 45% of all immigrants to the United States were Jewish” (Breitman, Richard, 1998).

Many believe the Germans were leading up to more. At the time, German scientists conducted extraordinarily new and highly “risky” experiments on their captives during the holocaust. The Germans were, astonishingly enough, doing something much bigger than just torturing these people. The work they conducted back then has led to their modern technological advances in health today. This is peculiar because many athletes and wealthy citizens of America go to Germany to get injuries and sickness treated. In one instance, the basketball player Kobe Bryant received treatment from Germany, stating "I feel a lot stronger and a lot quicker." Ever since the treatment in Germany, Kobe has recommended this treatment to other famous athletes, one in particular is Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankess. These advances in health are astonishing because Germany was the only country who did atrocious things (during the holocaust) in experiments and studies to jewish people, but somehow it worked out in the end because now they are leading the world in medical advancements (Lehre, 2012).

Once the treaty to surrender by the Nazis was signed, places such as the State of Israel awarded rebellions and those who helped any Jews escape. Nothing will ever change the teeth pulled out, the hair cut off and the flesh and ash inhaled during these times. The dog marks, the desolate hands, the torn skin and flesh, the images of children being shot for crying, the millions killed over a belief they all shared, the cold nights, the scorching days, the people who could not walk because they were thin to the bone, and the lost family members who will never be seen again. In many people’s eyes, not much can repay that.

Some people, such as the President of Iran; Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have gone so far to deny the holocaust ever happened. Which must infuriate some people, as read in Night, “For in the end, it is all about memory, its sources and its magnitude, and, of course, its consequences” (Vale, 2012). So how can these things be remembered and given gratitude if so many have already gone so far to deny it. After World War II ended, many different people and places tried to create an equal world to live in for everyone. Everyone is born a person, with a mind and a heart. No matter the differences, we are all human beings. This is what many Jews fought for, to re-humanize each other in a sense, and make sure nothing even similar to this would ever happen.

Still to this day, not much can compare to the acts against humanity that the Nazis persecuted. The only thing some use in comparison is the use of the atomic bomb; still not even a quarter were killed through the atomic bomb compared to the holocaust. The Nazis and there all mighty leader, Adolf Hitler, led themselves to kill over five million Jewish civilians. And this was all to create an Aryan race. Adolf Hitler’s map was found shortly after his presumed death, showing his further plans after the jewish people were completely wiped out. Africa, Mexico, and more were all listed as next.

Elie Wiesel writes, “In my lifetime I was to write only one book, this would be the one. Just as the past Lingers in the present, all my writings after night, including those that deal with biblical, Talmudic, or Hasidic themes, profoundly bear it's stamp, and cannot be understood if one has not read this very first of my works. Why did I write it? Did I write it so as not to go mad or, on the contrary, to go mad in order to understand the nature of the madness, the immense, terrifying madness that had erupted in history and in the conscience of mankind?” The mere taste of this power the Nazi’s and Adolf Hitler had, drove them mad. It tore their brains inside out and tingled through there spine and fingertips, just the type of power human beings actually have. But was it used to its fullest? Not many ask what if this were to happen again. All probability’s aside, what would we all do? What would the globe do? Would it rebel, agree, escape, or start another war? The thought of it can rip your mind apart. To make peace is the one and only goal left. The people of this world should do all they possibly can to prevent this from ever happening again. As these survivors of the holocaust lay their heads to rest every night, what do they continue to strive for? Are there any goals left, or has life become meaningless and desolate? Who came out of this age triumphant, the Jews or the Nazi’s? There may not be a correct answer, but there were a lot less Jews.