Before our study of World War II I felt that Adolph Hitler was crazy and wanted to take over the world for his entire life. Our intense study of the man and his life demonstrated to me that during his childhood he always wanted to be an artist. It is ironic that as a youth he valued art and beauty but as an adult he became a destroyer of humanity and that, which is beautiful.

I did not realize that the Germans and the Japanese had spent a lot of time and money preparing for the war. I assumed that the Allies were equal in war equipment to the Axis. Yet that wasn’t true, the Axis had superior machinery for war, while the Allies had superior intelligence resources. The Allies also had the better minds working for them than those who helped the Axis. One of them was Albert Einstein, whose Theory of Relativity helped develop the atomic bomb. Allied and the Japanese aircraft pilots were very different. While the Japanese kamikazes would sacrifice themselves and their aircraft, the Allied pilots tried not to get hit, so their planes would not get damaged, and could be used again. This allowed the Allies to conserve resources and lives, while the Japanese had to rebuild and get new pilots. I wasn’t aware that most Americans didn’t want anything to do with the war before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

If it weren’t for the people who lost their lives because of the war, the world, as we know it would not exist. There would be no Jews on earth. Hitler, Hirohito, and Mussolini would have gained control of the world. The Gestapo would be patrolling the streets night and day, and if you were caught doing anything against their regime, then you would be imprisoned, or maybe killed immediately. The veterans who died in the war should be memorialized, because if it weren’t for them, Hitler and his minions would have enslaved all, and no one could escape his wrath.

This study of WWII has made me appreciate the freedom I enjoy in the United States. I will now pay more attention to current affairs, because I now understand that when something happens in another country, it can affect me right here. The study of WWII has shown me that it is important to stand up for what you believe. You shouldn’t turn a blind eye when a group of people is targeted, and it doesn’t affect you personally. You need to stand up and take hold of what you believe in. I have been taught the inherent dignity and worth of every human being and this study has taught me this is a lesson I can’t forget.