World War II Aftermath: Human, Economic, and Political Shifts

The Devastating Effects of World War II

The effects of World War II on the human, material, and moral fabric of society were devastating, especially in Europe, marking a definitive decline in many aspects.

Human Loss and Impact

• Loss of Life: The conflict extended globally, resulting in approximately 55 million killed, 35 million wounded, and three million missing. Most casualties were civilians.
• The most affected country was the Soviet Union, followed by Poland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia.
• Another significant human effect was the large-scale population movements across continents.

Moral Effects and Justice

The war caused severe trauma and profoundly questioned the ethical values of the population. This included atrocities such as the genocide committed in Nazi death camps.

Judging Atrocities

To judge these atrocities, an international court composed of judges from the "Big Four" powers was established, setting a new legal concept: crimes against humanity. Between 1945 and 1946, 21 Nazi leaders were judged in the Nuremberg Trials.

Economic Consequences

The economic problems were serious, including:

• The destruction of cities and infrastructure.
• Widespread food shortages.
• A high volume of financial debt and rising prices.

Political Consequences and Systemic Shifts

The war signified the failure of Fascist systems in Western Europe. Parliamentary democracy and the free-market capitalist system began to reassert themselves. In the East, popular democracies emerged, which were, in fact, communist dictatorships under the power of the USSR.

Peace Conferences and Territorial Changes

We highlight several key conferences:

Yalta Conference

Decisions were made regarding Germany's participation in various occupation zones and other matters.

Potsdam Conference

• The future of Germany was defined, where it was decided that the country would be divided into four occupation zones.
• Territorial changes resulting from the war, especially in Europe, were delimited.
• In the Far East, Japan lost its entire Asian empire and was occupied by the United States.

Paris Conference

Peace treaties were signed with other European nations.

Changes in International Relations: The United Nations

In 1945, at the San Francisco Conference, the United Nations (UN) was founded with the following purposes:

• Maintenance of international peace and security.
• Self-determination of peoples.
• Development of rights and freedoms.
• Fostering peaceful cooperation.

UN Structure

The UN was formed by:

• General Assembly: Made up of representatives from all member states.
• Security Council: Formed by 15 state representatives.
• Secretary-General: Elected by the General Assembly for a term of four or five years.

Additionally, the structure includes the International Court of Justice and the Economic and Social Council.