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 * Insisting on unconditional surrender of the Axis Powers was necessary in WWII**

10 Facts
 * WW1 ended with an armistice and the Treaty of Versailles, this agreement led to WWII.
 * At the end of WWI, the allies signed The Treaty of Versailles with Germany as a reconciliation after the war. The treaty deemed Germany responsible for the war and left them with a lot of reparations. It also stated that Germany could not build up an army, which they did anyway. The treaty didn't serve its purpose of peacefully resolving the war,and Germany knowingly disobeyed it.
 * Hitler and the Nazi Party took complete control over Germany and continued their need for expansion by conquering Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and France. Without unconditional surrender Hitler would have continued his growing need for expansion and tried to take over the world.
 * Three Dictators ruled Germany, Japan, and Italy from 1933 to 1945 and they were Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hideki Tōjō. Without unconditional surrender they would have disobeyed the consequences the Allies laid out for them.
 * The Nazis attempted genocide against Jews and tried to get rid of anyone else that didn't fit their supreme Aryan race. They violently removed people from their homes, gassed innocent children, and were soldiers who hurt and killed people instead of protecting and guarding them.
 * Germany would not be able to rebuild an army if they gave into unconditional surrender.
 * There would be no WWIII if the Axis Powers were severely punished and rightfully tried for their actions.
 * The attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 showed that the Japanese were unpredictable and could attack any country at any moment. With unconditional surrender they are stating that such an attack will never happen again.
 * Benito Mussolini turned Italy into a Fascist state. They now were ruled by a totalitarian dictator who had strong nationalistic views and made sure individualism was not valued. When Italy unconditionally surrendered they were stating that such a leader would never come to power again.
 * Insisting on unconditional surrender imposed sufficient restrictions on the Axis powers, and it guaranteed both victory and a peaceful world for generations to come.

Primary Sources:

__The Casablanca Declaration__

The Casablanca Declaration, completed February 12, 1943, is the official document of the Casablanca Conference.The Casablanca Conference between President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was held in Casabl anca, Morocco from January 14 to 24,1943 to discuss the strategies of the Allies during WWII. It was at this conference that the Allies decided that they would demand unconditional surrender of Germany, Italy, and Japan or the Axis Powers. In this exert of the Casablanca Declaration the allies are explaining how they are going to deal with the Axis Powers.They are stating that they are not going to fall for the Axis Power's tricks and the only way to end the war is through unconditional surrender. The Allies are also saying that they do not want to hurt the civilians of axis nations, but they do have to set in place a strict punishment for the Axis Powers to ensure that order is kept. This document shows that through unconditional surrender the Axis powers will be reprimanded harshly, and without this form of surrender they would have disobeyed the punishments laid out for them and continued with their dictatorships.

"To these panicky attempts to escape the consequences of their crimes we say-all the United Nations say-that the only terms on which we shall deal with an Axis government or any Axis factions are the terms proclaimed at Casablanca : "Unconditional Surrender." In our uncompromising policy we mean no harm to the common people of the Axis nations. But we do mean to impose punishment and retribution in full upon their guilty, barbaric leaders…"

__ German Act of Military Surrender __

The German act of military surrender was signed on May 8, 1945 in Berlin, Germany by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, the Supreme Commander of the Red Army, and the German High Command. The German Act of military Surrender was the legal document that specified the German act of unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces. The document put in place the armistice that ended WWII. In this exert of the document the German military is making it known that they will stop all activity and will be handing all of their weapons and equipment to the Allied forces. The German Army is being told to stand down and listen to the Allied commanders.They are completely surrendering and giving all the power to the Allies. This act shows that the Germans were willing to surrender unconditionally ,and they will finally be dealt with in the proper manner.

"2. The German High Command will at once issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease active operations at 2301 hours Central European time on 8th May 1945, to remain in all positions occupied at that time and to disarm completely, handing over their weapons and equipment to the local allied commanders or officers designated by Representatives of the Allied Supreme Commands. No ship, vessel, or aircraft is to be scuttled, or any damage done to their hull, machinery or equipment, and also to machines of all kinds, armament, apparatus, and all the technical means of prosecution of war in general."

__ Japanese Surrender Documents__

The Japanese Surrender Documents were completed on September 2, September 3, and September 12, 1945, at Tokyo Bay, Japan; Baguio, Luzon, Philippine Islands; and Singapore. They were signed by the United States, Great Britain, the USSR, China, Japan, and other Allied governments. The Document required all forces under Japan to surrender unconditionally to the Allied Powers. It also required that all Japanese officials enforce this order, the safety of all the prisoners of war, and that the Japanese government recognize the authority of the Allied Powers. In this exert of the document the Japanese are officially surrendering to the Allies and ordering their forces to obey them. These documents show that Japan was willing to surrender unconditionally to the allies, and now they will properly be tried for all the crimes they committed during the war.

"We hereby proclaim the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters and of all Japanese armed forces and all armed forces under the Japanese control wherever situated."