Chapter 28: World War II

Battle of Stalingrad

(1942) World War II battle between invading German forces and Soviet defenders for control of this city on the Volga River. Russians lose more men than Americans lost in the whole war. Hitler loses his whole army because he would not listen to his generals and refused to retreat. Germany's defeat marked turning point of the Russian campaign. Thereafter, the Americans provided material help. An increase in Russian production allows the Soviet Union to gain and keep offensive.

Britain

After the fall of France, Germany next turned its attention to ________.

Soviet Union

After the war, the __________ emerged as a world power second only to the United States.

Indochina

American resistance to Japanese expansion became much stiffer after the 1941 Japanese occupation of __________.

Czechoslovakia

By March 1939, ______________ is occupied by Germany.

Emperor Hirohito

Emperor who forced the Japanese government to surrender after the atomic bombardments of the US, on the condition that Japan retain its empire.

Tehran Conference (November-December 1943)

First meeting of the Big Three leaders. Stalin wanted to retain Pact with Hitler and dismember Germany. Most important decision made was the choosing of Europe's west coast as the main point of attack instead of the Mediterranean. This would mean that the Soviets would occupy Eastern Europe and control its destiny.

Munich Agreement (Conference) (September 29, 1938)

Germany, Italy, France, and Britain meet here. The nations appease Germany and Hitler gets almost everything he asked for, including Sudetenland. Russia was left out of this and was resentful about it.

Rhineland

Hitler rearms this area regardless of the terms of the Versailles Treaty and the Locarno Agreement.

Russia

Hitler's biggest strategic mistake was the invasion of ______.

"New Order"

Hitler's plan for organizing Europe into a single political and economic system ruled by Germany. Would establish colonies of Germans in Poland and Russia, and would make all the local people do slave labor. Would drive Russians back into Central Asia and Siberia while Germans settle in previous Russian territory. Plan also included Germanizing people from Scandinavia, Netherlands, Switzerland.

Unconditional surrender

Idea that enemy nations (Germany and Japan) would have to accept whatever peace terms the Allies dictated.

did very little

In response to Japan's invasion of Manchuria, the League of Nations _____________.

Denmark

Managed to save almost its entire Jewish population (8000 Jews).

Neville Chamberlain

Prime Minister of Britain during Hitler's rule. Attends Munich conference and appeases Hitler, allowing Hitler to take over the Sudetenland. Hitler occupies Prague, disgracing Britain's appeasement.

Soviet Union

Prior to June 1944, most of the fighting against Germany in Europe was done by the ___________.

Clement Attlee

Replaced Churchill as Prime Minister. Was leader of the Labour Party.

League of Nations, Treaty of Versailles

Repudiation of Disarmament: 1. Germany withdraws from ______________ (October 1933) 2. Hitler renounces the disarmament provisions of the ___________ (March 1935)

Manchuria

Territory that Japan occupies.

appeasement

The British adopted a policy of _____________ for all the following reasons: 1. guilt over the Versailles settlement 2. strong pacifist movement in Britain 3. belief that Hitler could be used to stop communism

appeasement

The French adopted a policy of __________ because they felt impotent without British support.

1930, 1936

The Treaty of Versailles called for the Allied occupation of the Rhineland until 1935. The Allies ended up withdrawing in ____ and Germany reoccupies it in ____.

Tehran

The US and Britain agreed to open a second front in France in 1944 at the _______ Conference.

Phony War

The ____________ was the time between the fall of Poland and the invasion of Denmark and Norway by German troops (Oct. 1939 - Apr. 1940)

15, 15, 25

The casualties of WWII amounted to ___ million military deaths and ___ to ___ civilian deaths.

Anschluss (March 1938)

The union of *Germany* and *Austria*; directly violated the *Treaty of Versailles*.

North African Campaign (November 1942 - May 1943)

US and UK fight Italy and Germany in North Africa. This is the first place the US will fight during WWII.

Harry S. Truman

US president that came into office after Roosevelt died. Accepted Japanese peace conditions of allowing Japan to retain its emperor despite the Allies' wishes of an unconditional surrender by Japan.

"Island Hopping"

WWII strategy the American used of conquering only certain Pacific islands that were important to the Allied advance toward Japan, islands with major bases and strategic sites for the enemy supply line.

Sudetenland

Was an area of Czech security. Riots in this region lead to German intervention. Germany wants this region. Chamberlain and Daladier insist the Czechs give this area up to the Germans. After the Munich Conference, this region belongs to the Germans, and Hitler promises to spare the rest of Czechoslovakia, but soon invades Poland and Hungary to get territory from it. Then, Hitler invades Prague and ends the Czech state.

Operation Barbarossa (June 11, 1941)

Was code name for the invasion of Russia by Germany, and was aimed to destroy Russia before winter could set in. Mussolini's invasion of the British colony of Egypt and Greece would divert Hitler's attention to the Balkans and Africa. This would cause a delay of six weeks. Despite killing a majority of the Russian troops, destroying nearly all of the 15,000 Russian tanks and 2,000 planes, the Germans couldn't deliver the final blow. Hitler didn't capture Moscow before winter like his General staff wanted, and decided to go south. Winter devastated his troops. Russian counterattacked and Germany retreated.

Joseph Goebbels

Was the propaganda minister for the Nazis. Used radio and films to boost the Nazi cause. Broadcast exaggerated claims of Nazi victories throughout the war.

Battle of Stalingrad

Was the turning point in the European war. The total casualties for both sides was 1.7 to 2 million.

The big losers in February 1936 Spanish elections were the:

a. Falangists

American resistance to Japanese expansion became much stiffer after the 1941 Japanese occupation of:

a. Manchuria

Italian setbacks in North America and Greece.

a. forced the Germans to divert troops from the invasion of Russia

Lebensraum

aka "living space"; was supposedly what the new Germany needed. Would be taken from the Slavs.

Hitler claimed that the German people needed Lebenstaum, or:

b. "living space"

After the fall of France, Germany next turned its attention to:

b. Britain

Josef Goebbels was in charge of:

b. Nazi propaganda

The U.S. and Britain agreed to open a second front in France in 1944 at the ________ conference.

b. Tehran

The assumptions that Germany had real grievances and that Hitler's goals were limited underlay the policy of:

b. appeasement

The Anschluss was:

b. the union of Germany and Austria

The Vichy government was headed by:

c. Marshal Petain

The German blitzkrieg relied for its success on:

c. massed tanks supported by airpower

In the Soviet Union, World War II was known as:

d. "The Great Patriotic War"

The Big Three Included:

d. Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union

The turning point in the Germans' Russian campaign came at the Battle of:

d. Stalingrad

In response to Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, the League of Nations:

d. imposed weak sanctions that exempted oil from the embargo

Conditions in Germany changed rapidly when the German army failed to:

d. quickly defeat the Soviet Union

In the response to Japan's invasion of Manchuria, the League of Nations:

e. did very little

The secret provision of the Nazi-Soviet Pact:

e. divided Poland between the two powers

For the mass of the British population:

e. standard of living improved during the war

The American strategy in the Pacific in 1943 was known as:

island hopping