THE WORLD WAR II

The World War II also known as the second war after the recent Great War
was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, through related conflict that
began earlier. The causes of World War II were the rise of Italian fascism in
the 1920s, Japanese militarism and invasions of China in the 1930s, and
especially the takeover in 1933 of Germany by the Nazi Party. It involved a
vast majority of the world’s nations; eventually it formed two opposing
military alliances. It was the most widespread war in the whole of the history
and directly involved more than 100 million people from more than 30
countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial and
scientific capabilities behind the war effort. During this approximately 11
million people died and the strategic bombing of industrial and population
centers (during which approximately one million people were killed,
including the use of two nuclear weapons in combat), it resulted in an
estimated 50 million to 85 million fatalities. This made World War II
the deadliest conflict in human history. The Empire of Japan aimed to
dominate Asia and the Pacific and was already at war with the Republic of
China in 1937, but the world war is generally said to have begun on 1
September 1939 with the invasion of Poland by Germany and subsequent
declarations of war on Germany by France and the United Kingdom. At the
end of the war, millions of refugees were homeless, the European economy
had collapsed, and most of the European industrial infrastructure was
destroyed. As a result of it, World War II signaled the end of European
imperialism.

German battleship Schleswig-Holstein attacks Polish Destroyer USS Shaw exploding during the Attack on Pearl
Harbor, December 7, 1941. Forts at start of war, September 1, 1939.
 The Biography of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was born on 20 April 1889 in the small Austrian town of
Braunau to Alois Hitler who later became a senior customs official and
his wife Klara, was from a poor peasant family. In primary school, he
showed intellectual potential and was popular with his fellow
classmates, as he was admired for his leadership skills. In secondary
school, the competition was tough and he became less popular. At the
age of 15, he failed his exams and was told to repeat the year but he left
without a formal education instead. At the age of 18, he moved to
Vienna with money inherited after his father's death in 1903, in order to
pursue a career in art, as it was his best subject at school. However his
applications for both the Vienna Academy of Art and the School of
Architecture were rejected. At that time he became interested in politics.
He was particularly impressed with the anti-Semitic, nationalist
Christian-Socialist party. During the 1st world war he volunteered to
fight and gained the role as corporal. He won several awards for bravery,
including the Iron Cross First Class. In 1919 he became part of the
German Workers party, Hitler invaded Poland and the Second World
War began as a result of Italian fascism. In April 1940, Denmark and
Norway were also taken. France quickly followed. Hitler had conquered
much of Western Europe, now he turned his sights east. In 1941, despite
the alliance with Russia and Italy. In 1944, there was an unsuccessful
assassination attempt and, in response, Hitler stepped up the atmosphere
of suspicion and terror. Hitler committed suicide on 30 April 1945, with
his long term girlfriend Eva Braun, Germany's surrender followed soon
after.

Fast Fact: Adolf Hitler was fascinated by hands. His library

contained pictures and drawings of hands belonging to
famous people throughout history.
 The 1990 Attempted Coup
In 1988, police raided the commune of Jamaat al Muslimeen, a Muslim
organization led by Yasin Abu Bakr, seizing weapons and ammunition
and arresting 34 members. The members were charged with larceny,
robbery, illegal possession of weapons, rape and murder. This event led
members of Jamaat al Muslimeen to believe that the government was
being oppressive and had illegally occupied their landOn Friday 27 July
1990, 114 members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen attempted to stage a
coup against the government of Trinidad and Tobago. Forty-two
insurgents stormed The Red House, the seat of Parliament, and took
Robinson and most of his cabinet hostage, while seventy-two of their
accomplices attacked the offices of Trinidad and Tobago Television
(TTT), the only television station in the country at that time, and the
Trinidad Broadcasting Company, then one of only two radio stations in
the country. At 6:00 pm, Yasin Abu Bakr appeared on television and
announced that the government had been overthrown and that he was
negotiating with the army. He called for calm. Several weeks before July
27 a container of arms and ammunition had landed in Trinidad and had
been allowed to be unstuffed several miles from the port of entry.
Robinson was beaten and shot when he tried to order the army to attack
the militants. Widespread looting and arson took place in Port of Spain
and other parts of the East-West Corridor and all incoming flights to the
capital were cancelled. A state of emergency was declared by acting
president Emmanuel Carter. After six days of negotiation, the
Muslimeen surrendered on 1 August and were taken into custody. They
were tried for treason, but the Court of Appeal upheld the amnesty
offered to secure their surrender, and they were released. The Privy
Council later invalidated the amnesty, but the Muslimeen members were
not re-arrested.
 The Biography of Yasin Abu Bakr
Yasin Abu Bakr became leader of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen in the early
1980s. Abu Bakr, a former policeman, converted to Islam while a
student in Canada. He later returned to Trinidad and founded the Jamaat
al Muslimeen. Bakr, 62, has four wives and 14 children. In his Eid ul-
Fitr message delivered on November 3, 2005 Abu Bakr threatened “war”
against Muslims who did not pay zakat (the taxation of income and
wealth of a Muslim to the poor Muslims) next year. His biggest moment
came on July 27, 1990, when he led more than 100 Muslimeen members
to stage a coup in Trinidad. Before the coup, Abu Bakr was arrested
several times on charges of contempt of court and illegal
demonstrations. Jamaat al Muslimeen is widely believed by many to be
involved in criminal activities such as kidnapping and the drug trade.
After seven days of their hole up, the Diego Martin Central MP was
killed and about 24 others and approximately more than $150 million
looted and burned in Port-of-Spain and other areas. Bakr and 114
Muslimeen members were charged with murder, treason and other
offences. In November 1995, Bakr and his group campaigned for the
UNC in the general elections, taking credit for the UNC gaining control
in marginal seats. In 2001 and 2002 elections, Bakr campaigned for the
PNM, again taking credit for the party’s success in marginal seats.
 Black Power Revolution
The Black Power Revolution, also known as the "Black Power
Movement", 1970 Revolution, Black Power Uprising and February
Revolution, was an attempt by a number of social elements, people and
interest groups in Trinidad and Tobago to force socio-political change.
Between 1968 and 1970 the movement gained strength in Trinidad and
Tobago and was greatly influenced by the Civil Rights Movement in the
United States during the 1960s. Under the leadership of Geddes Granger
(now Makandal Daaga) and Khafra Khambon, NJAC (National Joint
Action Committee) and the Black Power movement appeared as a
serious challenge to Prime Minister Eric Williams' authority. The Black
Power Revolution began with a 1970 Carnival band named Pinetoppers
whose presentation entitled The Truth about Africa included portrayals
of "revolutionary heroes". This was followed by a series of marches and
protests. On April 6, 1970 a protester was killed by police. This was
followed by the resignation of A.N.R Robinson the Member of
Parliament for Tobago East. His death of this protester led to the
Movement to pick up momentum. On April 18 sugar workers went on
strike, and there was talk of a general strike. In response to this,
Williams proclaimed a State of Emergency on April 21 and arrested 15
Black Power leaders. Responding in turn, a portion of the Trinidad
Defense Force, led by Raffique Shah and Rex Lassalle, took hostages at
the army barracks at Teteron.
 The Biography of Makandal Daaga
Makandal Daaga, born Geddes Granger in Laventile, is a Trinidad and
Tobago political activist and former revolutionary. He was the leader of
the 1970 Black Power Revolution. He rallied against inequalities
towards black citizens in Trinidad. Both his parents made memorable
contributions to national life. His mother, a simple housewife, nurtured
in her home, several persons who were not members of her family but
she encouraged them to become some of the more prominent persons in
national life. Both his parents made memorable contributions to national
life. His mother, a simple housewife, nurtured in her home, several
persons who were not members of her family but she encouraged them
to become some of the more prominent persons in national life. His
father, Phillip Granger, a former World War I soldier and a barber, with
a shop on Charlotte Street was the mentor of many of the Spiritual
Baptist and Orisha leaders of the mid twentieth century. He baptized,
advised and guided nearly all of them. Daaga’s schoolmates at Belmont
Intermediate (now Belmont Secondary) and at St Mary’s College
recognized in him extraordinary leadership, both in the classroom and on
the sports field. He has always been a man of ideas, with a keen sense of
organisation, an enterprising spirit and very people oriented. This was
reflected in a major development in Daaga’s and the nation’s life when
around Independence 1962, he formed an organization called PEGASUS
(an inspiration, a movement a spirit from which great things would have
been expected from Trinidad and Tobago). This organization which is
still spoken of in the most glowing terms, attracted some of the most
prominent and influential persons of the day.
 The Evolution of the International Tribunals
The law of the international tribunals is a compound of specific and
unexpressed principles. To understand international criminal law it is
necessary to dig into the history which accounts for its substance. What
is it and where is it found? Who are its subjects? How is it made? Where
does it derive legitimacy? Reflect on three characteristics of which each
of us is most proud: our identity as an individual person; citizenship of
our state; and our membership of an ever-increasingly international
community. The first raises questions of human rights; the second the
role of the state; and the third the significance of a world which, by
instant cheap communication and rapid and economical travel, permits
antisocial conduct to operate across state borders. The burgeoning of
international criminal tribunals started in the late fifteenth century. In
today’s globalized world its reach is extending ever further, because
each of us is, as well as an individual, and a citizen of our state, a world
citizen.