World War II Test Study Guide
Mein Kampf
"My Struggle" - book by Hitler which describes his obsession with extreme nationalism, racism, and anti-semitism, and outlines his political ideology in future Germany (used by the Nazi party)
NATO
"North Atlantic Treaty Organization" - a military alliance between the US, Canada and ten other countries o safeguard them from the presumed threat of the Soviet Union's Communist bloc (a combination of countries, parties, or groups sharing a common purpose); countries from other regions later joined the alliance
Blitzkrieg
"lightning war" - Hitler used all his forces, such as tanks, planes, and many other technologies, to quickly overwhelm enemies
Lebensraum
"living space" - Hitler's expansionist theory that moved to gain territory from inferior people for German use
Truman Doctrine
1947, President Truman's policy of providing economic and military aid to any country threatened by communism or totalitarian ideology, mainly helped Greece and Turkey
The Blitz
A German bombing campaign against Britain that targeted civilians and major cities in hopes of demoralizing the British citizens
Fascism
A centralized, authoritarian/totalitarian government that allows for restricted privatization and free enterprise
Stalingrad
A city in the Soviet Union where one of the costliest battles of WWII took place in 1942 that ended with soviet forces encircling German troops and the Germans surrendering in January 1943
Munich Conference
A conference called by Hitler involving Chamberlain (Britain), Mussolini (Italy), and Daladier (France) that led to the agreement to allow for Hitler to take Sudetenland as long as Hitler's expansion stopped afterwards
Totalitarian State
A government in which a one-party dictatorship regulates every aspect of citizens' lives
Marshall Plan
A massive aid package offered by the US to Europe to help countries rebuild after World War II, including food and economic assistance
Describe the significance of the 1938 Munich Conference
A meeting with Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, with Chamberlain, Daladier, Mussolini, and Hitler. They made an agreement permitting Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland. However, Hitler broke this agreement by invading the rest of Czechoslovakia.
Warsaw Pact
A mutual defense alliance between the Soviet Union and seven satellites in Central and Eastern Europe set up in 1955. The seven satellites were Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania (Albania withdrew in 1968). This pact was invoked by the Soviets to keep the satellites in line, and further divided Europe into eastern and western blocs
the Nazi-Soviet Pact
A non-aggression pact between Germany and the Soviet Union, agreeing to not invade each other and equally split Poland and other parts of Europe
Dunkirk
A port in France in which over 330,000 Allied troops were evacuated by courageous British naval forces and citizens when their retreat by land was cut off by the German advance in 1940
Neutrality Acts
A series of acts passed by the US Congress from 1935-1939 the aim to keep the US from becoming involved in World War II; ends in 1940
Cold War
A state of tension and hostility between nations aligned with the US on one side and the Soviet Union on the other, that rarely led to direct armed conflict
Island-hopping
A strategy used by the US military to conquer one set of islands at a time. The US Navy attacked islands held by the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean - each island brought the US closer to invade Japan
Collective Security
A system in which a group of nations acts as one to preserve the peace of all
Communism
A totalitarian government in which all wealth and property is owned by the government and there is absolutely no privatization
Treaty of Versailles
A treaty that ended World War I and blamed Germany for World War 1, forcing Germany to give up land, pay reparations, and restrict military size
1939 Germany invades Czechoslovakia
Action: -Allies allow Hitler to take the Sudetenland, but this will be Hitler's last territory (Munich Pact/appeasement) -Eventually, Hitler broke The Pact and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia Reaction: -Britain and France still took no action -Britain and France were not willing to go to war to save the land (chose appeasement) -Britain and France were angered and declared that any further attacks would trigger war
1938 German Anschluss (union) with Austria
Action: -Hitler pressured Austria to join Germany -Hitler's Army crossed the border into Austria without opposition Reaction: -Germany expanded -Britain and France still took no action
Sept. 1, 1939 Germany invades Poland
Action: -Nazi-Soviet Pact = non-aggression pact to keep peaceful relations with Germany and the Soviet Union -Hitler use Blitzkrieg tactics to quickly attack Poland -Soviet forces also invaded -Poland was split up because of the Nazi-Soviet Pact deal Reaction: -Britain and France declare war -Britain and France could not do anything to stop the invasion of Poland
Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944 to Jan. 1945)
After recapturing France, the Allied forces moved towards Germany through Belgium in December, where Germany staged a massive counterattack; the Germans were unable to break through and only delayed Allied advances by 6 weeks
Battle of Britain
An air campaign waged between the Luftwaffe and the UK. After, Hitler attempted to invade Britain
Benito Mussolini
An fascist Italian dictator who led Italy during WWII and was apart of the Axis Powers
United Nations (UN)
An international organization established after World War II with the goal of maintaining peace and cooperation in the International community
What was the significance of the events at Dunkirk?
As the Germans invaded France, lots of French soldiers were trapped. So, the British sent all the available Naval vessels, Merchant ships, and even fishing and pleasure boats across the English Channel to get stranded French soldiers off the beach of Dunkirk - even British civilians helped. after, more than 300,000 soldiers were saved.
Describe the alliance system which was in place as World War II began?
Axis powers: Germany, Italy, Japan Allied powers: Russia, France, Britain, and later the US (US joins due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 7, 1941)
Start of US Involvement
Bombing of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941
Invasion of Normandy
D-Day, June 6, 1944
Nuremberg Laws
Established legal basis in Nazi Germany for discrimination against Jews and took away their rights by removing citizenship
Describe the French surrender
France surrendered because the German forces headed south towards Paris and Italy declared war on France while attacking from the south. France felt demoralized - June 22, 1940, forced France to sign surrender documents and Germany then took over northern France. - Germany set up a puppet state in Vichy, but the "Free French" led by Charles de Gaulle, resisted using Guerrilla tactics.
Luftwaffe
German air force
Appeasement in Context
Great Britain and France agreed to Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland in agreement for not taking any additional Czech territory
How did the US get drawn into World War II? Why were we not already involved?
In 1940, the US banned the sale of war materials, such as iron, steel, and oil to Japan. Japanese leaders saw this move as a threat to Japan's economy and its Asian sphere of influence. So, on December 7, 1941, General Tojo Hideki ordered a surprise attack with Japanese airplanes, to bomb the American Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. As a result, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan on December 7 and on December 11, Germany and Italy, as allies, declared war on the US. The US was not in the war before because of the Neutrality Acts passed in 1935, 1936, 1937, and 1939 to limit US involvement in future wars. The Neutrality Acts soon ended due to the Lend-Lease Act of March 1941, which let the US sell, lend, or give war items to other nations.
Describe the establishment of the United Nations
In April 1945, delegates from 15 Nations met in San Francisco to draft a charter for the United Nations (UN). It had a greater role than the League of Nations. Under the UN Charter, each nation has one vote in the General Assembly. A smaller body called the Security Council has greater power, with each of the five member nations: the US, the Soviet Union, Britain, France, and China, able to veto any council decision. The goal was to give these great powers the authority to ensure peace. But, differences among the nation's on the Security Council, most notably the US and the Soviet Union, kept the UN from taking action.
Describe what came out of the Yalta Conference
In February 1945, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin (The Big Three) agreed that Russia would enter the war against Japan, three months after German surrender. Churchill and Roosevelt promised Stalin that the Soviets would take control of the Southern Sakhalin island, the Kuril islands, and an occupation zone in Korea. they also agreed that Germany would be temporarily divided into four zones, to be governed by American, French, British, and Soviet forces. Stalin agreed to hold free elections in Eastern Europe.
What happened in Leningrad?
In September 1941, the 2 ½ year siege of Leningrad began. Food was rationed to two pieces of bread a day. More than a million died during the Siege, but the Germans did not occupy the city.
Start of WWII
Invasion of Poland, September 1, 1939
Adolf Hitler
Leader of the Nazi party and the Third Reich in Germany; wrote Mein Kampf, was responsible for the Holocaust, led the invasion that started WWII, and died by suicide
Joseph Stalin
Leader of the Soviet Union; part of the Allies, and established a communist totalitarian state through propaganda and purging opposition
Describe Allied advances between 1942 - 1944, in the following locations: North Africa, Italy, the Soviet Union, and France:
North Africa: The British, led by General Bernard Montgomery fought Rommel. After the battle of El Alamein in November 1942, the Allies halted Rommel. Allied tanks drove the Axis back across Libya into Tunisia. Later, US general, Dwight Eisenhower took control of a British-American Force in Morocco and Algeria - this trapped Rommel's Army and they surrendered in May 1943. Italy: In July 1943, a British and American Army landed in Sicily and then southern Italy, defeating the Italian forces in a month. Italians later overthrew Mussolini and signed an armistice, which Hitler resisted. For 1 ½ years, Allies pushed slowly up the Italian Peninsula, weakening Hitler's Army by forcing them to fight on another front. Soviet Union: In the Battle of Stalingrad, the Soviets encircled the Germans and November. Trapped, without food or ammunition and no hope of rescue, the German commander surrendered in January 1943. After the battle, the Red Army took the offensive and drove Hitler's Army out of Russia. By 1944, Soviet soldiers were advancing into Eastern Europe. France: On June 6, 1944, known as "D-Day," Allied planes dropped paratroopers behind enemy lines in France and 156,000 Allied troops were ferried across the English Channel. They struggled their way inland and by August, the British-American Army broke through German defenses and began advancing towards Paris. Other Allies sailed from Italy to land in southern France. In Paris, French Resistance forces rose up against the Germans, who later retreated. In a month France was free.
Kristallnacht
November 7, 1938 - "the night of broken glass" when Hitler sent his minions against Jewish people in a 2 day, mob driven attack that terrorized Jewish homes, stores, and synagogues
Describe the German Blitzkrieg
On September 1, 1939, Nazi forces stormed into Poland, revealing the enormous power of Hitler's Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war." The German Blitzkrieg utilized improved tank and air power technology to strike.
Why did Operation Sea Lion fail?
Operation Sea Lion was a plan to invade Britain. Hitler began daily bombings in London and other cities on September 7, 1940, and continued for 57 nights in a row until May 1941. These attacks were called "the blitz." The operation failed because the German planes (Luftwaffe) could not gain air superiority over Britain and British morale was not destroyed.
Francisco Franco
Spanish General and leader of the Nationalists, a fascist, right-wing conservative group who was supported by Hitler and Mussolini during the Spanish Civil War; emerged victorious after 3 years of fighting
Describe Germany's eventual defeat in World War II?
The Allies were able to defeat the Axis powers because Germany's geography meant they had to fight 3 fronts at once. Also, Hitler made some poor decisions and underestimated the ability of the Soviet Union. The US productive capacity also factored in. By 1944, the US was producing twice as much as all the Axis powers combined. -Allies cross the Rhine into Western Germany -Soviet troops closed in on Berlin from the East -In Italy, guerillas executed Mussolini -Hitler killed himself, so on May 7th Germany surrendered
Operation Sea Lion
The German plan to invade Britain that aimed to defeat Britain in the air and then invade on land; failed because the British had radar and the Luftwaffe could not take down the RAF
How and when was The Nazi-Soviet Pact nullified?
The Nazi-Soviet pact was nullified in June 1941. Hitler nullified the pact by invading the Soviet Union and Operation Barbarossa (named after Frederick Barbarossa).
What were the Nuremberg trials?
The Nuremberg trials were warcrime trials held by the Allies in Germany. German and Austrian Nazi officials, generals, etc. were tried for " crimes against humanity," and most were found guilty, and received either imprisonment or death. Also, the war crime trials farther discredited the totalitarian ideologies that had led to the war.
D-Day
The allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944 at Normandy that led to the freeing of France; largest land and water invasion in history
Vichy, France
The capital of a puppet state in central France governed by Marshal Phillipe Petain that controlled unoccupied France and the French colonies
Leningrad
The city in the Soviet Union where a two and a half year siege took place beginning in September 1941, but it never fell to Germany
Yalta Conference
The meeting between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin in February 1945 where the 3 leaders agreed that the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan 3 months after Germany's surrender in return for southern Pacific Island; also said that Germany would be temporarily divided into four zones, governed by F, B, R, and US
The "Big Three"
The three great allied powers: Great Britain, the US, and the Soviet Union. The British prime minister was Winston Churchill. The US president was Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Soviet Union leader was Joseph Stalin.
Anschluss
The union of Austria and Germany, resulting from the occupation of Austria by the German army that received no push back
Describe the end of the war in the Pacific
US Marines landed at Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, and victory marked the beginning of an "island-hopping" campaign. Soon, the American forces, led by General Douglas MacArthur, gradually advanced towards Japan. By 1944, the US Navy was blockading Japan and bomb Japanese cities and industries. the British pushed back Japanese forces into the jungles of Burma and Malaya. later, Allied scientist conducted the Manhattan Project. In July 1945, they successfully tested the first atomic bomb in Alamogordo, New Mexico. President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb in Japan. On August 6, 194 5, an American plane dropped the bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. on August 8, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan invaded Manchuria. Finally, on August 10, Emperor Hirohito forced the government to surrender.
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day, May 8, 1945, the day after Germany Surrendered
What was VE day, and when did it occur?
Victory in Europe day, or VE day was in May 8, 1945, which officially ended the war in Europe, following the German surrender on May 7th.
Nuremberg Trials
War crime trials held by the Allies, in which they prosecuted Axis Power military leaders, political officials, industrialists, and financiers for crimes that were committed during World War II (1945 - 1949); showed that leaders could be held responsible for their actions during war
Appeasement
the act of giving into the demands of an aggressor in exchange for peace
