A survey conducted by Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany – an American organization – has left everyone gobsmacked with its unexpected results. This survey focused on the average American millennial's knowledge of the Holocaust. It turns out that 11% of those surveyed think that the responsibility of the Holocaust lies with the Jews.
But that is only one statistic that has come out from the survey which included around 1000 respondents from all 50 states of the USA. On top of that, there were 200 other participants questioned on Holocaust-related issues. To ensure that the sample gave an accurate picture of the American populace, the respondents were selected randomly.
Other stats
63% of the respondents didn't know the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. 36% thought the number of victims was below two million. Shockingly, close to 48% of those interviewed couldn't name a single concentration camp set up by Nazis to persecute and exterminate Jews. One would have expected the name of at least Auschwitz to be more common knowledge.
The worst level of ignorance was found in New York. 19% of the people surveyed there thought that the Jews were themselves responsible for the liquidation of six million lives from their community. Tennessee, Louisiana, and Montana were the second-worst with 16% such respondents while the states of Georgia, Arizona, Connecticut, Nevada, and New Mexico came third with 15% holding the same opinion.
While New York coming at the top is surprising owing to the very prominent Jewish community present there, the southern states seem to be most wanting in general knowledge about the subject. Regarded as the more conservative part of the country, the south may have a more worrying streak of anti-Semitism also.
Surprising results
Gideon Taylor, President of the organization which conducted this survey, believes corrective measures ought to be taken for removing ignorance about such a subject. "The results are both shocking and saddening and they underscore why we must act now while Holocaust survivors are still with us to voice their stories," he stated.
This survey's results are all the more surprising because the US was one of the leading participants in the second World War. The Third Army of the US, led by the indefatigable General George S Patton played a key role in smashing Nazi defenses while the invasion of the German-controlled European mainland was an operation led by General Dwight D Eisenhower, who later became President of the country also.
The USA is also a country that has been the biggest supporter of Israel and has guaranteed its safety in a hostile region of the world. The success of the American Jewish community has seen a large number of famous figures take the centerstage in both politics and the entertainment industry. All this makes the ignorance of young Americans even more shocking.
