Historical1945
Liberation of Auschwitz
Soviet forces liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp complex in occupied Poland, revealing the full horror of the Holocaust to the world. American forces would liberate other camps in the following months, including Buchenwald and Dachau.
Why It Matters
The liberation of Auschwitz and other camps influenced America's postwar commitment to human rights and shaped the creation of the Nuremberg trials, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the modern framework of international humanitarian law.