Death Marches Research
by: Gabrielle Hoff
Facts
The death march was a forced evacuation of prisoners on foot in concentration camps that usually occurred in the winter. The death march lasted from weeks upon weeks.
- The reason for the death marches was so there was no witness left to tell what had happened to them, back in the concentration camp. The SS officers wanted to continue slave labor.
- Almost 60,000 prisoners were forced to evacuate their current concentration camp and march.
- The name "Death March", was given to the march by the prisoners because many people died while marching to Germany.
- If you became weak or extremely sick while marching, you will be killed on the spot. About 250,000 prisoners died from either getting sick or became weak.
Bataan Death March
Occurred on December 7, 1941
- The reason for this death was the aftermath of the bombing on Pearl harbor by the Japanese.
- The Japanese started to capture he people of Manila, Philippines, American and Filipino defenders in Luzon.
- The people captured (about 12,000) were forced to march to the Bataan Peninsula. They marched 65 miles from Mariveles to San Fernando.
- During this march, the men would be divided into groups of one hundred. The people would be beat and starved during the march.
- "In February 1945, U.S.-Filipino forces recaptured the Bataan Peninsula, and Manila was liberated in early March." (BATAAN DEATH MARCH)
- The Lieutenant General Homma Masaharu, was the one that was held responsible for the whole death march. He as executed in April 3, 1946.
Timeline
Death Marches from the Auschwitz Camp System
January 18,194
- About 60,000 prisoners were forced to march to Wodzislaw
- More than 15,000 prisoners die during the march
- The remaining people were later liberated on January 27, 1945
The Evacuation and Death March from Stutthof Concentration Camp
January 25, 1945
- About 50,000 prisoners were forced to march to the Baltic Sea or Lauenburg
- More than 25,000 prisoners die during the march
- On May 9, 1945, the Soviet forces enter Stutthof
Death March from Buchenwald Concentration Camp
April 7, 1945
- About 30,000 prisoners were forced to march
- During the marches, about one third of the prisoners die
- The prisoners that survived, later took control of the camp on April 11, 1945
Death March from Dachau Concentration Camp
April 2, 1945
- About 7,000 prisoners were forced to march from Dachau to Tegernsee
- On April 29, 1945, Americans liberate Dachau concentration camp
- On May 1945 (early), the prisoners that survived are liberated.
MLA Citations
History.com Staff. "Bataan Death March." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 23 May 2016.
"Encyclopedia Judaica:Death Marches." Death Marches. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.
"What Were the Death Marches?" - Key Stage 3. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.