World War II: The Red Army liberates the remaining inmates of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Red Army: Formation, Evolution, and Decisive Impact

The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, commonly known as the Red Army, served as the primary military force, encompassing both land and air components, of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Following the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in December 1922, it became the official armed forces of the newly established Soviet state. This formidable army was formally established in January 1918, a crucial period after the Bolshevik Revolution, with the immediate objective for the Bolshevik government to consolidate its power and defend against internal and external threats. It was instrumental in opposing the disparate military confederations – most notably the various anti-Bolshevik forces collectively referred to as the White Army – during the tumultuous Russian Civil War (1917-1922).

Its evolution continued throughout the Soviet era. Starting in February 1946, the Red Army, alongside the Soviet Navy, officially constituted the main component of the broader Soviet Armed Forces, adopting the more encompassing official name of the "Soviet Army." This designation remained until the ultimate dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991, marking the end of its more than seven-decade existence.

The Red Army's contributions to global history, particularly during World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union), were immense and pivotal. It fielded the largest land force among the Allied powers and played an indispensable role in securing the Allied victory in the European theatre. Its relentless campaigns against Nazi Germany, characterized by immense sacrifice and scale, significantly turned the tide of the war. Furthermore, its swift and decisive invasion of Manchuria, launched in August 1945 as Operation August Storm, considerably hastened the unconditional surrender of Imperial Japan, bringing an end to the global conflict.

On the Eastern Front, where the most brutal and extensive land battles of World War II took place, the Red Army accounted for a staggering 75–80% of all casualties inflicted upon the German Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS throughout the war. This immense pressure on the Axis powers' main fighting force ultimately led to the Red Army's final, triumphant capture of the Nazi German capital, Berlin, in May 1945, symbolizing the definitive defeat of the Third Reich.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Red Army

When was the Red Army established?
The Red Army was formally established in January 1918 by the Bolshevik government.
Why was it called the "Red Army"?
The term "Red" symbolized the communist ideology and the revolutionary spirit of its founders, differentiating it from the "White" (anti-communist) forces it fought against during the Russian Civil War.
When did the Red Army become the "Soviet Army"?
It officially adopted the name "Soviet Army" in February 1946, becoming the core component of the broader Soviet Armed Forces.
What was the Red Army's main role in World War II?
The Red Army served as the largest land force in the European theatre, inflicting the majority of casualties on Nazi Germany's military and ultimately capturing Berlin. It also played a crucial role in the defeat of Imperial Japan in Manchuria.

Auschwitz: A Symbol of Nazi Atrocity and the Holocaust

Konzentrationslager Auschwitz, often abbreviated as KL Auschwitz or KZ Auschwitz, was the largest and most lethal of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp complexes. Located in occupied Poland, specifically within a portion annexed into Germany in 1939, this horrific complex operated throughout World War II and became the primary site of the Holocaust, Nazi Germany's systematic genocide of European Jews. The vast complex comprised over 40 camps, meticulously designed for various purposes of imprisonment, forced labor, and mass murder.

The Complex of Camps: Auschwitz I, II, and III

The Auschwitz complex was meticulously structured to facilitate its genocidal objectives:

Evolution into an Extermination Center

The camp's brutal reputation was solidified early on. In May 1940, German criminals were brought to Auschwitz I as "functionaries" (Kapos), establishing a regime of extreme sadism where prisoners were routinely beaten, tortured, and executed for the most trivial infractions. The systematic murder began to escalate with the first gassings of Soviet prisoners of war and Polish detainees in Block 11 of Auschwitz I around August 1941. With the construction of Auschwitz II-Birkenau the following month, the Nazis' "Final Solution to the Jewish Question"—their genocidal plan to eradicate European Jewry—was put into full, horrifying effect, turning Auschwitz into the epicentre of mass murder.

The Scale of Genocide: Victims and Methods

Of the approximately 1.3 million people deported to Auschwitz, a staggering 1.1 million were brutally murdered. The vast majority of these victims were Jews, with an estimated 960,000 Jews perishing there, of whom 865,000 were gassed immediately upon arrival. However, Auschwitz was not solely a Jewish extermination site. Its victims also included approximately 74,000 ethnic Poles, 21,000 Roma (Gypsies), 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war, and up to 15,000 other Europeans from various national and ethnic groups. Beyond gassing, prisoners were murdered through starvation, systematic exhaustion from forced labor, rampant disease, individual executions (often by shooting or hanging), severe beatings, and horrific medical experiments conducted by SS doctors like Josef Mengele.

Resistance, Reckoning, and Remembrance

Despite the overwhelming brutality, acts of resistance occurred. At least 802 prisoners attempted to escape from the complex, with 144 succeeding. On October 7, 1944, two Sonderkommando units – groups of prisoners forced to work in the gas chambers and crematoria – launched a desperate and ultimately unsuccessful uprising. After the Holocaust, the pursuit of justice was limited; only 789 Schutzstaffel (SS) personnel, a mere 15 percent of those who served at Auschwitz, ever stood trial. Several, including camp commandant Rudolf Höss, were executed for their crimes. A significant and enduring controversy surrounds the Allies' failure to act on early reports of atrocities by bombing the camp or its railways, which might have disrupted the extermination process.

As the Soviet Red Army advanced westward towards the end of World War II, approaching Auschwitz in January 1945, the SS embarked on a forced evacuation. Most of the remaining camp population was driven west on brutal "death marches" to camps deeper inside Germany and Austria. Soviet troops finally entered the concentration camp on January 27, 1945, liberating the few thousand emaciated survivors left behind. This date is now internationally commemorated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, established by the United Nations in 2005.

In the decades following the war, the testimonies of survivors, including acclaimed writers like Primo Levi, Viktor Frankl, and Elie Wiesel, became crucial in understanding and remembering the Holocaust. Their memoirs helped establish Auschwitz as the dominant global symbol of the Holocaust's unimaginable horrors. In 1947, the Polish government established the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum on the preserved sites of Auschwitz I and II. In recognition of its profound historical significance and as a stark warning to humanity, the site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Frequently Asked Questions about Auschwitz

What was Auschwitz?
Auschwitz was the largest complex of Nazi German concentration and extermination camps, operating in occupied Poland during World War II and serving as the primary site of the Holocaust.
How many people were murdered at Auschwitz?
Approximately 1.1 million people were murdered at Auschwitz, with the vast majority (960,000) being Jews.
Who liberated Auschwitz?
The Soviet Red Army liberated Auschwitz on January 27, 1945.
What is International Holocaust Remembrance Day?
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed annually on January 27, commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz and honoring the victims of the the Holocaust.
What happened to Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz?
Rudolf Höss was tried after the war for his crimes against humanity, convicted, and executed by hanging at Auschwitz in 1947.
Is Auschwitz a museum today?
Yes, the site of Auschwitz I and II is preserved as the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum by Poland and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serving as a memorial and educational center.