WW2

What impact would a Japanese victory at Midway have had on the war in the Pacific?

A Japanese victory at Midway would have forced American defenses back to the California coast, leaving much of the Pacific under Japanese control and making it very difficult for the U.S. Navy to defend Hawaii or the west coast of the United States.

According to the Nazis, what event sparked Kristallnacht?

A Jewish refugee killed a German diplomat, and this sparked Kristallnacht. However, this was simply an excuse for the violence. The real cause was Hitler's growing campaign to marginalize and then eliminate the Jews.

The goal of GATT was to expand world trade by reducing tariffs?

A tariff is a tax on foreign goods. If there are lower taxes on foreign goods, people in different countries are more likely to trade with each other because foreign goods are affordable.

What were the immediate and long-term effects of the liberation of concentration camps?

An immediate effect was the freeing prisoners and saving lives. A long-term effect was sympathy for the victims, which led to the United States accepting many Jewish refugees and supporting the creation of Israel, a Jewish state.

What were the goals of the Yalta Conference and the Potsdam Conference?

At both conferences, the Allies discussed plans for the postwar world, especially the future of Eastern Europe. In both conferences, the United States wanted the Eastern European countries to hold free elections. The Yalta Conference took place before Germany's surrender, so the Allies discussed final strategy for the war. The war in Europe was over when the Potsdam Conference occurred, so the Allies divided Germany and Europe into zones of occupation.

Why was the Battle of Stalingrad "the true turning point of the war in Europe"?

Before the Battle of Stalingrad, the Axis Powers controlled most of Europe and had been advancing steadily. After the Battle of Stalingrad, the Soviet Union went on the offensive and began to push back against Germany.

How the United States reacted to the persecution of European Jews before, during, and after the war?

Before the War: only allowed limited Jewish immigration. During the War: No action during the Bermuda Conference; War Refugee Board established in 1944; U.S. refused to bomb railway lines leading to camps; Allied soldiers helped liberate the concentration camps. After the War: Holocaust survivors found homes in the United States; The United States supported creating Israel; Holocaust museums and memorials established.

Compare the war in Italy to the war in North Africa.

Both fronts posed challenges to the Allies. The deserts and mountains of North Africa were especially challenging for soldiers, who had to deal with sandstorms, poisonous animals, and warfare on open desert and rugged hills. Italy was filled with steep mountains and narrow, unpaved roads, which made it difficult for Allied troops to move tanks and artillery through Italy.

How did access to oil fields play an important role in the beginning of World War II?

Both sides needed access to oil in order to keep fighting and keep their tanks, ships, and planes running. Losing the Battle of Stalingrad meant that Hitler lost access to the oil fields in the Caucasus, which would haved allowed him to keep fighting. Losing the battle of El Alamein cut Hitler and Mussolini off from the oil fields in the Middle East.

How were the causes of the Detroit race riots and the Los Angeles zoot suit riots similar?

Both were in cities that were overcrowded because so many people had migrated there looking for war jobs. Both riots were motivated by racial prejudice.

Were the conditions and sentiments in Germany similar to those in Italy in the 1920s?

Both were republics with weak governments that were unable to keep order and prevent economic distress. People in both believed that they had been wronged in the treaties after World War I, and they wanted more territory.

How did Americans on the home front contribute to the war effort?

Bought war bonds; paid higher taxes; rationed food and gasoline; planted victory gardens; carpooled; recycled and reused items; retirees, women, and minorities worked in factories.

When "Japan Attacks the United States," what were the causes and effects of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Causes: Japan wanted control of Guam and the Philippines. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan broke down. Japan wanted to destroy the Pacific fleet. Effects: Three battleships were destroyed, but the aircraft carriers escaped and other key targets survived. The Pacific fleet was damaged, but it survived. The United States declared war on Japan.

Why didn't the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations create a "lasting peace"?

Delegates at the Peace Conference had difficulty compromising. Some countries wanted to gain territories or exact revenge more than keep a lasting peace. Others were disappointed with the terms of the treaty. The United States did not join the League of Nations, and the League of Nations was powerless because it had no military strength.

Describe the goals of Allied and Axis Powers. How were these goals similar and different?

Each Axis Power had its own goals, though all wanted to increase their power and territory. The Allies were more unified in their desire to defeat the Axis Powers. They decided to pursue a "Europe first" strategy and believed Germany was the most urgent threat.

What was meant by "U.S. Involvement in the Pacific Grows." What do you think the word embargo means? Why would an embargo on Japan potentially stop its expansion in Asia?

Embargo means "to stop the supply of goods to a country." It's usually a punishment. FDR placed an embargo on naval and aviation supplies, and the Japanese weren't able to secure the resources they needed as a result. FDR ordered a more extensive embargo as punishment after Japan signed the Tripartite Pact.

Why did farms experience labor shortages during the war? What did people do about these labor shortages?

Farms experienced shortages because so many people moved away from the farms to fill wartime factory jobs in the South and the West. Others had already moved because of the Depression. At the same time, demand rose because Europe and the soldiers overseas needed food. Farmers used other workers, including teenagers, prisoners of war, and Mexican workers in the bracero program, to fill these shortages.

State the main arguments for and against bombing railway lines leading to the concentration camps and death camps?

For: Bombing the lines might have prevented the Nazis from shipping prisoners and supplies to the camps. Against: Bombers were needed to destroy military targets in order to win the war.

Why did the United States and Britain agree that their priority was defeating Germany, then Japan?

Germany was directly threatening the British homeland at this point through its bombing attacks on London. The United States was also geographically closer to Britain.

What was Hitler's first step in his anti-Semitic campaign? How did this step pave the way for later developments?

He urged a boycott of Jewish-owned businesses and banned Jews from many key jobs, including civil service jobs. This helped isolate Jews and also reduced their ability to resist future discrimination.

Roosevelt's "Message Asking for War Against Japan" was broadcast over the radio at the same time he addressed Congress. What do you think was the purpose of this speech?

He was sending a threatening message to Japan that the United States would claim "absolute victory." FDR said that the day would "live in infamy" and declared that the United States was "suddenly and deliberately attacked." By giving the speech to the American people and to Congress at the same time, FDR was putting pressure on Congress to vote to go to war immediately and also showing his confidence that this would happen.

How did the Spanish Civil War foreshadow the deadlier conflicts in World War II?

Hitler and Mussolini used the Spanish Civil War to train their armies and test their weapons. The lack of action by the Allies also foreshadowed the weakness of the League of Nations in the face of German and Italian aggression.

What was Hitler's view of Polish people?

Hitler believed Polish people, and particularly Polish Jews, were racially inferior. Most of the death camps were located in Poland, according to the map. Auschwitz, the largest death camp, was in Poland. The confinement and devastation of the Warsaw ghetto, one of the most significant human rights atrocities, also occurred in Poland. Nearly 2 million Poles who were not Jewish died during the Holocaust.

Many imply that Hitler had some mental problems. What evidence is there of this?

Hitler kept fighting even after it was clear the Allies were going to defeat him. He refused to accept any compromises and was convinced Germany would triumph in a final victory. A group of his own men, including his leading general Rommel, tried to overthrow Hitler and bombed his headquarters. At the end, Hitler became addicted to drugs and committed suicide.

What details under "The Early War in the Pacific" support the idea that early 1942 was made up of "dark days" for the United States?

In early 1942, the war in the Pacific was going badly for the Allies. MacArthur was ordered to leave the Philippines, and the forces there surrendered, with some suffering or dying as prisoners in the Bataan Death March. The Japanese advanced through the region and gathered the resources they needed to keep fighting. They expected the Allies to give up.

Why does the power of the government tend to increase during wartime?

In order to win a war, the government takes control of resources and tries to control public opinion. Examples include censorship and wartime economic measures such as rationing. The President often needs to make rapid military decisions, and there is not always enough time to gain the full consent of Congress.

"American Reaction Is Divided," what were the arguments between the isolationists and the interventionists.

Isolationist: The United States should avoid alliances; Americans should focus on the Depression and other issues at home; World War I was a mistake. Interventionist: Working with other nations would promote collective security; Axis powers threatened U.S. interests; The United States should defend the Allies, who were fighting for freedom and democracy.

How did Executive Order 8802 fall short in meeting A. Philip Randolph's demands?

It promised fair hiring practices only for African Americans in government-funded industries. Other employers were not bound by it, and the armed forces remained segregated.

What were the actions of Winston Churchill after the evacuation from Dunkirk. What effect did this speech have on the Germans and the British?

It showed Germany that Britain would not give in to German demands. It improved the British morale and prepared them to fight the Battle of Britain.

What effect did the signing of the Munich Pact have on Eastern Europeans?

It showed the Eastern Europeans that the major Western powers would not stand up for them against Hitler.

What was the military significance of the Battle of the Bulge?

It was Hitler's last desperate offensive. After this battle, the Allies steadily pushed German forces back into Germany.

Some of the powerful Nazis defended themselves during the Nuremburg Trials by saying they were just following Hitler's orders?

It was not an acceptable defense, because many of the Nazis on trial had committed terrible human rights crimes, including murder. It doesn't matter whether they were under orders; the crimes were still unforgiveable.

Why did many people support Mussolini's pledge of order and efficiency?

Italy faced turmoil, depression, and disorder after World War I. People wanted to restore stability and peace.

What were the effects of internment on Japanese Americans?

Japanese Americans lost their rights as American citizens, lost their homes and livelihoods, lived in what was "actually a jail" in uncomfortable quarters for several years, and suffered from being suspected of disloyalty.

Name the three main groups that were persecuted in Nazi Germany?

Jews and Gypsies were considered racially inferior. The disabled did not fit Hitler's ideal vision and probably were not considered productive members of society. Communists and socialists believed in a political and economic system that opposed Nazism.

How did fear of communism work to Germany's advantage in the early 1930s?

Many democratic leaders were afraid of Stalin and communism. They were willing to let Hitler have what he wanted because he was not communist and so that Germany could act as a buffer against the Soviet Union.

How did the economic problems of the 1930s-affect foreign policy?

Military leaders such as Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese emperor believed that expansion would solve their countries' economic problems because they could gain natural resources and new markets.

After World War II, why did most Americans favor U.S. participation in world organizations such as the United Nations?

Most Americans favored joining the UN because they wanted to prevent another world conflict. They believed the U.S. failure to join the League of Nations had contributed to the war.

Explain the roles of African Americans and women in the military in World War II. What prejudice did these groups face?

Neither group was fully integrated into the army, and both groups mostly served in supporting roles. They both faced prejudices that they were not as capable as white male troops. African American troops were limited to supporting roles at first, but eventually they were able to serve in combat units. Some even served in integrated units at the end of the war. Women served as clerks, drivers, instructors, and technicians through the WAC. In addition, more than 50,000 women served as nurses in the army.

What was President Roosevelt's Quarantine speech? Explain his metaphor of creating a quarantine. Does Roosevelt think this quarantine will protect the United States?

Roosevelt compared war to a contagious disease, and he wanted the United States to avoid war by "quarantining" the aggressive nations. However, he also knew that the quarantine would not last forever and that the United States would eventually be involved in the war.

Why did it take such a long time for the United States to respond to reports of death camps?

Some top military and political officials may not have believed the reports or they thought they had been exaggerated. Before the Holocaust, anti-Semitism existed in the United States as well. The United States was also preoccupied with fighting World War II.

Why did Stalin want the Allies to open up another front in France? Why did the Allies avoid doing this until 1944?

Stalin wanted another front because the Soviet Union was enduring heavy losses on the Eastern Front. Opening up another front would force Germany to divide its forces. However, the United States, Britain, and the other Allies were fighting in Italy and North Africa, and they were bombing Germany at night and during the day. The Allies already were doing battle on multiple fronts, and they wanted to avoid the stalemate during World War I. They wanted to invade France only if they knew they could win.

What were the goals of Allied bombing runs over Germany? How did the saturation and strategic bombing help fulfill these goals?

The Allies wanted to inflict maximum damage on Germany and to destroy Germany's ability to make war. They also wanted to increase the Germans' fear of the Allies.

Consider the positions and situations of Japan and the United States in the War in the Pacific in the middle of 1942.

The Japanese controlled almost all of the islands in the Pacific north of Australia and west of Hawaii. They also had a large military with advanced weapons. The United States had an advantage in the air and had more long-term capacity to produce planes, aircraft carriers, and other military vessels.

Why did the fighting in the Pacific result in so many casualties for the United States?

The Japanese refused to surrender. In fact, the kamikaze pilots chose to kill themselves in order to damage the enemy. Additionally, the terrain was unfamiliar to the U.S. soldiers and the Japanese fought from underground shelters.

Support Yeats's quote: "The best lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity"?

The League of Nations had neither the will nor the ability to stand up to the aggressors. The dictators, on the other hand, were obsessed with achieving power and land.

How did the Lend-Lease Act and the Atlantic Charter move the United States away from neutrality?

The Lend-Lease Act increased economic aid to Britain. The Atlantic Charter demonstrated a deeper alliance between the United States and Great Britain and gave the United States a moral reason to fight the Axis powers.

What steps did the United States take that indicated it was preparing for war?

The Selective Service Act signaled that the United States was gearing up for a war. The exchange of battleships for British defense bases helped Britain defend itself and meant that the American soldiers would have bases they could use for battles in Europe.

What is the central idea of the joint statement from the Big Three at the Teheran Conference?

The United States and Britain agreed to open a Western Front in France to take the pressure off the Eastern Front.

How did the problems that arose at the Potsdam and Yalta conferences foreshadow Cold War conflicts between the United States and the Soviet Union?

The United States and the Soviet Union did not trust each other. The United States wanted free elections in Eastern Europe, but the Soviets were reluctant to agree. European countries were divided among the Allies, which led to the divisions in the Cold War.

The United States worked with other nations to establish the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?

The United States believed it was important to have an international presence and to link the economies of the major countries to encourage trade.

Why did the Soviet Union and the United States come to power after World War II?

The United States had a strong economy, a powerful military, and the atomic bomb, while the Soviet Union had the Red Army and controlled a large amount of land.

Stalin made a famous toast: "To American production, without which the war would have been lost." What is the main idea of this quote?

The United States produced far more aircraft and more tanks than any other country in World War II. Without the arsenal of the United States, Britain would have been gravely outgunned. Each year, the United States raised its production goals, and each year it met or even exceeded those goals.

Describe the power of the atomic bomb.

The atomic bomb created an enormous blast that was overwhelmingly destructive and powerful. The bomb killed almost a million people immediately, and many others died over time.

Why were other nations, including the United States, threatened by the Japanese attack on China?

The attack was brutal evidence of aggressive conquest. Japan bombed and terrorized the cities of China, particularly Nanjing.

How might the conditions on Guadalcanal affect the course of the war in the Pacific?

The jungle and the unpleasant, unfamiliar terrain on Guadalcanal made it very difficult to fight effectively. If other Pacific islands under Japanese control had similar conditions, progress in the Pacific would be slow and challenging for American soldiers.

Why were Japanese Americans placed in internment camps, while Italian Americans and German Americans were not?

The most significant factor was racism. Japanese Americans did not have as much power or representation in the United States government. Also, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, many Americans feared Japanese spies.

"America Pays for the War." What effect did spending during the war have on the national debt?

The national debt was more than 100 percent of the total GDP in 1945, 1946, and 1947, meaning that the government was spending far more than it brought in during those years.

What evidence supports the idea that the German blitzkrieg was successful?

The speed of Germany's conquests also showed the effectiveness of Hitler's tactics. France fell after only 35 days, and Poland also fell quickly.

How did the people of Britain keep up their morale during the events at the beginning of World War II?

They were inspired by Churchill's words and bold actions, as well as by victories such as the escape at Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain. They found ways to survive, such as by using the air raid shelters, and this increased their confidence that they could win against Germany.

Why was the Liberty Ship considered a production miracle?

This huge ship could be built in as little as three and a half days, and some shipyards turned out huge amounts of these ships. Building a ship this large required a huge amount of coordination of different factories and multiple teams of people.

How did the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor affect the morale of the military personnel and civilians in the United States?

Those who witnessed the attacked were shocked and then furious. After the attack, most Americans believed they were right to fight Japan and the Axis Powers. FDR's speech expressed the belief that "the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory."

What did the Allies do to make sure the D-Day invasion would be a success?

To deceive the Germans, the United States set up a fictional army under Patton's command that was supposed to invade at Calais. Before the invasion, more than 11,000 planes destroyed German communication and transportation networks and weakened the defenses on the beaches.

How might the atomic bomb affect the Japanese?

Tokyo was almost completely leveled. Americans believed this widespread devastation would hurt the Japanese war effort and morale and force Japan to surrender.

How do totalitarian and fascist values differ from democratic principles and goals?

Unlike democracy, fascism rejected the concepts of equality and liberty, and placed national goals above individual interests. Criticism of a totalitarian state is not allowed, and enemies are imprisoned or killed. Youth are indoctrinated to discourage them from critical thinking. Civil rights are not recognized, and minorities are unprotected.

Many American women had worked outside the home before World War II. What was different about the women working during the war?

Women worked in heavy industrial jobs that were traditionally male-dominated, and more married women and older women worked outside the home than in the previous decades.

How did the D-Day invasion and then the Allied invasion of France affect Germany's strategy during World War II?

After D-Day, Germany had to face a two-front war. They tried to defend their land against the huge Allied force coming from France and the Soviet army advancing from the east. Caught between two powerful Allied forces, German troops were forced to keep retreating.

What happened to working women after the war?

After the war, women lost many of the jobs they had gained in heavy industry. However, the female proportion of white-collar workers continued to rise.

Why did George S. Patton's have the nickname "Blood and Guts"?

Patton had high expectations of his troops and encouraged them to stand firm, no matter what. He motivated his troops by instructing them to keep fighting "even if a hand or an ear is shot off, or perhaps a piece of your nose."

How did the combination of fear and propaganda help Stalin maintain power?

People were afraid to speak against Stalin's rule. They could be sent to the Gulag or killed. Propaganda aimed to make people think that Stalin was a benevolent leader—a father figure who knew what was best for them.

How did images like Rosie the Riveter and the act of working in the factories affect the morale of women?

Posters like the one of Rosie the Riveter showed strength and determination in female workers and boosted the morale of women working in wartime industries. During the war, women gained confidence as they did factory work and earned money for their families.