Special Sub-Topic: Man's Inhumanity to Man Authored by: robert362 Sub-topic of: Political Science & History

Anne Frank was one of several people who hid from the Nazi terror in a "secret annex". Only one of the Frank family survived World War II. Which one?

Anne's father, Otto. The mother died of starvation in a concentration camp. Anne and her sister died - probably of typhus. All three deaths occurred a relatively short time before the liberation of the camps. Anne's story is enormously well-known due to the publication of her diary - but there were so many, many others with equally terrible experiences at the hands of Hitler's evil lunatics.

Still in World War II, which of these Nuremberg defendants earned the nickname, "Butcher of Cracow"?

Hans Frank. All four were Nuremberg defendants. It was Frank's program of mass extermination that earned him the nickname. (Cracow is in Poland.)

The treatment of the various American Indian cultures was often appalling. Which individual is associated with the "Sand Creek Massacre" in the American West?

John Chivington. The American Indian often received a raw deal and brutal treatment. Col. Chivington - by no means a pacifist or a negotiator where Indians were concerned - ruthlessly annihilated the Cheyenne under Black Kettle at Sand Creek (Colorado) in 1864. Most casulaties were Indian women and children. (James Forsyth was blamed for the equally horrendous massacre at Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890. Ruthless - or a tragic blunder? Forsyth was exonerated by a military court.)

Pizarro's conquest of the Inca in Peru was less-than-humane. Who was the Inca leader at that time?

Atahualpa. Pizarro's agenda called for money, conquest and glory - but there wasn't a hell of a lot of room left for concern with the fate of the Inca (or its chief). The Aztec leader, Montezuma, was treated with equal disdain by a similarly motivated Cortez in Mexico. Neither chief survived the encounter with the conquistadores.

Agnes Keith documented her experiences as a "prisoner of war" in a book and a movie ("Three Came Home"). Who were her captors?

Japanese. Keith was a writer who was taken prisoner by by the Japanese while living with her family in the Pacific. (Borneo). (The movie of her experience starred Claudette Colbert; it was well-done.) The lives of the prisoners were tough - to put it mildly.

The tale of the young child, Anastasia, at the time of the Russian Revolution is well-known. Assuming she died along with the other members of her family during the palace "massacre", how many family members were killed that day?

7. Anastasia, her two parents, her three sisters and her brother were apparently all victims. It has been argued at times that Anastasia escaped the slaughter, but that has never been decisively proven. (At times, however, certain "proofs" have been decisively shown to be false.)

Joan of Arc paid the ultimate price - due to the religious and political fervor of her enemies. How old was she when she died?

18. 18-19. The young girl who heard voices and led/inspired the French forces may have been divinely connected or may have been psychologiclaly disturbed - both points have been advocated. Joan, however, didn't enjoy the life of a hero for long: she fell into the hands of her enemies (who had their own agendas). The trial was a travesty; the outcome a foregone conclusion. Joan was burned at the stake - a convenient target and symbol.

As is the case with Hitler, the reign of Stalin was quite brutal. Which of his political enemies did Stalin have killed?

Trotsky. Stalin rose to power via an "iron fist" approach. His cruelty and brutality were not exceeded by anyone - even Hitler. In addition to his infamous "pogroms", Stalin disposed of his enemies (and those who could be potential threats to him). Trotsky was a potential threat and rival; he paid with his life.

Any mention of the "Inquisition" also brings to mind the name, "Torquemada". At approximately the same time, it is believed that the "little princes" were imprisoned and/or killed in the Tower of London, perhaps by Richard III. When did these acts occur?

1400s. Torquemada's life spanned the 15th century. His cruelty and sadism occurred during the latter part of the century. Today, the word "inquisition" is synonymous with images of torture and sadism. In approximately the same time period, it is believed that Richard (or someone else) may have moved against the young princes - no one is certain of who, what, or when. Shakespeare's story of Richard III is perhaps the best known description of Richard's character - but it is only one version of the story.

The "Reign of Terror" is associated with Robespierre. What ultimately happened to him?

Death on the guillotine. This may well be a classic example of "he who lives by the sword", etc. The French Revolution was a turbulent time; Robespierre's accession to power resulted in countless deaths by his favorite method of execution. When his power waned he found that the shoe was on the other foot. (He probably didn't appreciate the irony.)