wwII test

What was Hitler's overarching goal throughout the mid to late 1930s? What was he attempting to reverse or un-due?

Hitler's goal was to invade all of Europe and seize more and more territory. In this process, Hitler was attempting to reverse the Treaty of Versailles by breaking all of its rules since he knew that the League of Nations was not going to take actions due to the fact that Europeans did not want another war.

What interests did Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler have in Poland? What was the goal of lebensraum and how would Poland be used to achieve this goal?

Nazi Germany wanted to seize the port of Danzig and the Polish Sea Corridor, both of which were lost due to World War I. The goal of lebensraum was to spread the 'Aryan' race around Europe and Poland was seen as a way to spread the 'Aryan' race by replacing the Polish people.

What two nations did the Third Reich seize control of during this period and why?

Instead, the Third Reich seized control over Denmark and Norway. It was done to seize a submarine base to attack Britain and it will also prevent a blockade of Germany.

How did the Rome-Berlin Axis Agreement alter the relationship between Germany and Italy?

It altered the relationship between Germany and Italy because it stated that if one country went to war the other one had to join that war and defend its ally.

Why did the Allied invasion into France present a critical problem for the German military and what did it result in?

It presented a critical problem because it forced the German military to send troops to the West, leaving not enough in the East to fight the Soviet Union. This resulted in a devastating two front war.

Why did Roosevelt's "Arsenal of Democracy" speech and the Atlantic Charter show a change in U.S. foreign policy prior to the Pearl Harbor attack?

It showed a change because the speech showed the people that they were metaphorically the 'arsenal' for any country fighting against the aggression of the Axis powers. Also, the Atlantic Charted showed a change because it stated that Britain and America had the same goals, therefore bringing America into the war without them actually declaring.

How did the Lend-Lease Act show a dramatic change in U.S. foreign policy without requiring direct military intervention?

It showed a dramatic change because it showed Europe that America was now taking a side in the war by directly trading war materials with Great Britain.

Why was the Suez Canal a critical waterway for the Axis to seize from Britain?

It was critical because then they could seize oil shipments between Britain and other countries.

Why was the Battle of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union perhaps the most critical and horrific battle of the Second World War?

It was the most horrific battle because the Soviet solders were ordered to defend to the death. However it was the most critical because it killed many German soldiers and led to the Germans having to make a brutal retreat.

Why was Hitler's decision to place troops into the Rhineland (German territory) a threat to France, and why was it problematic that neither France nor Britain responded to this action? Why did this make further appeasement more likely?

It was the threat to France because putting soldiers in the Rhineland meant that German soldiers were coming closer to France's border. It was problematic that no actions were taken because they showed Hitler that even if he broke the rules that no consequences would come of it. It made appeasement more likely because if Hitler could blatantly break rules of the Treaty of Versailles and nothing would happen, then if he broke other rules nothing would happen then either.

Why was Italy invaded by Great Britain and the United States after Operation Torch in North Africa, and what was the result of the Italian Campaign?

Italy was invaded after Operation Torch because they were the weakest of the Axis powers and the Allied countries thought that invading Italy was a good way to give experience to their troops. The result of the Italian Campaign was the brutal seizure of Sicily, Mussolini losing popularity and getting arrested (only to get freed then recaptured by the Italian Resistance and killed), and the Allied forces successfully moving up the Italian peninsula despite the German resistance.

Why did Japan invade the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931?

Japan invaded the province of Manchuria because it was resource rich and Japan wanted to seize its iron and coal.

Why did Japan risk a full-scale invasion of all of northern China in 1937, and how could this be linked to the initial response of the League of Nations to the invasion of Manchuria?

Japan risked a full invasion of northern China (and was linked to the lack of response by the League of Nations) because they thought that if the League of Nations didn't take any actions against them for invading Manchuria then they wouldn't do anything for this invasion.

What directly motivated the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941?

Japan wanted to gain control of the resource rich East Dutch Indies, but they knew it would provoke the American military response. Therefore, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor first, so they Americans would have a limited response to them seizing the East Dutch Indies.

Why was the goal of an unconditional surrender important in the decision to either invade or use atomic weapons on Japan?

Japan was not going to have an unconditional surrender so it effected the decision of atomic bombs because the US knew that that was the only way Japan would agree to an unconditional surrender.

Why did militarists gain power and influence in Japan during the Great Depression?• Why did militarists gain power and influence in Japan during the Great Depression?

Japan's economy was severely weakened by the Great Depression and they wanted to use militarist policies to seize territory in order to restore the economy.

How did the leadership of MacArthur and Nimitz change the course of the war in the Pacific?

MacArthur's leadership gave the idea of island hopping, which allowed the US to seize little islands before invading Japan's mainland. Also, Nimitz's leadership let the US win the Battle of the Midway, which not only crippled the Japanese army, but also boosted the US morale and changed the tides of the war.

Why did Hitler begin demanding the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in late 1938?

Adolf Hitler began demanding that the Sudetenland be turned over to Germany. Hitler claimed that Czechoslovakia was a fraudulent nation, invented by the leaders at the Paris Peace Conference against the will of its ethnic groups. He pointed to Slovak opposition to being united with the Czechs as an example of why the nation should be dissolved, and falsely claimed that the Czechoslovakian president, Eduard Beneš, was attempting to cleanse his country of its German minority by forcing them to leave their homes under threat of starvation.

Why were the battles of Midway, the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa each critical turning points?

All of those battles were critical turning points because they all crippled the military by killing many Japanese soldiers and destroying their air force and air base.

What were blitzkrieg tactics and how did they assist the German army in seizing Poland?

Blitzkrieg tactics are the rapid movement of military troops and it helped Germany seize Poland because it caught them by surprise and allowed the Germans to seize Poland before Britain or France could do anything.

How did Eastern European nations react to threats made by Hitler?

Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary reacted by joining the axis in order to avoid a violent invasion.

What occurred during the "Rape of Nanking", and despite full knowledge of the atrocities, why did the international community not intervene in a meaningful fashion to stop such behavior?

During the Rape of Nanking, the Japanese military brutally massacred men, women, and children for little reason. The international community did not want to intervene because no one wanted war since World War I just ended, so they strongly protested Japanese invasions but did not take action.

Why did Britain and France fail to respond to this action by the Nazis?

Even though both Britain and France pledged to protect Austria, they didn't take action because they didn't want to start war.

How did France and Britain respond to the invasion of Poland, and how was this different from their response to the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia?

France and Britain responded to the invasion of Poland by giving Germany an ultimatum saying that if they didn't get out of Poland in a certain amount of time they were going to declare war. This if different than their response of the invasion of Czechoslovakia because they are taking action against Hitler as opposed to appeasing him.

Why did British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain agree to appease Hitler's demands for the Sudetenland at the Munich Conference?

He appeased Hitler's demands because Hitler promised that he would not invade the rest of Czechoslovakia and that this was his last territorial invasion.

Why did Dwight D. Eisenhower order the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France in 1944?

He ordered the invasion of Normandy because it could cause Germany to have to send troops to the West, leaving them with an unwinnable two front war.

What did Hitler promise in the Munich Agreement, and how did he break this agreement only five months later? Why did France and Britain not respond to this violation of the agreement?

He promised that he would not invade the rest of Czechoslovakia and this would be his last territorial invasion. 5 months later, Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. France and Britain still appeased because they did not want war.

Who was Spanish General Francisco Franco and what was the final outcome of the Spanish Civil War? Why did this outcome benefit both Germany and Italy?

He was a Spanish general who launched a civil war in order to institute fascist policies into Spain. The final outcome of the Spanish Civil War was that General Franco won and this benefited Germany and Italy because it gave them another fascist ally.

Who was Erwin Rommel and what role did he have in North Africa?

He was the commander of the German tank forces. His role was that he pushed the British out of Egypt but did not take control of the Suez Canal.

What were the multiple reasons why Hitler decided to launch Operation Barbarossa?

Hitler decided to launch Operation Barbarossa because the Soviet Union was filled with Slavic, which he viewed as inferior, he thought he could use the vast territory as lebensraum, and he thought that they had a weak military.

What were some of the common characteristics of World War II propaganda utilized by all nations involved in the conflict?

Some of the common characteristics were dehumanization of the opposing country by saying that they were monsters instead of people and racism and revenge were also very common.

What was the "phony war" period from late 1939 to early 1940, also known as the sitzkrieg between France, Britain and Nazi Germany?

The 'Phony War" was a period of time where British and French troops were placed on the Maginot line, in anticipation for Germany to come invade. The Maginot Line was heavily guarded, but the German troops ended up never coming.

What was the Battle of Britain - especially the period known as the London Blitz - and how did the Royal Air Force eventually put a stop to the German Luftwaffe attacks?

The Battle of Britain was a battle fought between the Germans and the British and it consisted of constant bombing in order to cripple the British air force. The London Blitz was a catastrophic bombing of London done by the British. The British Air force was able to put a stop to the German attacks through the use of radars and the Enigma Machine.

How did the "cash and carry" policy of 1939 preserve neutrality while also allowing the U.S. to assist Britain, France and China?

The Cash and Carry act allowed America to trade war materials to Britain, France, and China to assist them in fighting against the Axis powers as long as they paid in cash and transported the weaponry with their own ships.

What was the critical weakness that emerged with the French Maginot Line of fortifications against a German invasion?

The French Maginot Line's weakness was that the border between Belgium and France was barely guarded, so Germany just invaded Belgium and got to France that way.

What critical impact did the Battle of the Bulge have on the Western Front of the European Theater and the future survival of the Third Reich?

The Germans poured troops into the Western Front (hoping to negotiate Britain and America), leaving a bulge in the Allied lines, but that resulted in the Allies forces aggressively pushing back into the Third Reich.

What problems did the German military immediately face as a result? Why was such an invasion into the USSR very ill-advised?

The Germans were struggling with supplying their troops and Hitler overextended his troops throughout Europe. This was ill-advised because they went too far into the Soviet Union and they did not expect the Soviets to have such a large army.

Why did the League of Nations fail to respond in an effective fashion to this act of aggression? Which article made it entirely incapable of taking action?

The League of Nations failed to take actions in this act of aggression because of Article 5 of the Treaty of Versailles, which states that all member of the League of Nations have to come to agreement and Japan was not going to agree to take action against themselves.

How did the Manstein Plan take advantage of this weakness and what was the consequence for the neighboring neutral countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg?

The Manstein Plan took advantage of the lack of guards in the Maginot Line and the conquesuence was that Begium, the Nethelends, and Luxemborg got invaded, even though they were neutral.

How did Nazi expansionism affect the development of the Holocaust?

The Nazis expansion caused the Holocaust to spread to southeastern Europe.

What were the multiple reasons why Hitler decided to launch Operation Barbarossa?

The Nazis expansion caused the Holocaust to spread to southeastern Europe.

What did the Non-Aggression Pact seek to prevent when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939? Why might the Soviet Union have reacted negatively to this invasion otherwise?

The Non-Aggression Pact was made to prevent the Nazis from invading the Soviet Union when they invaded Poland and to split up the land equally. The Soviet Union may have reacted negatively otherwise because the invasion would make them nervous that the Nazis were going to invade them since they were so much closer and since they shared a border.

What occurred as a result of the Battle of Berlin between the German and Soviet militaries?

The Soviet military surrounded the city of Berlin and resulted in brutal fighting throughout the streets and a large number of civilian causalities. Knowing that the war is over, Hitler and many other Nazi leaders committed suicide, leaving the remaining leaders to surrender and end the war.

What was the Tripartite Pact and what consequence would it have if the United States went to war with Japan in the Pacific?

The Tripartite Pact was a pact between Japan, Germany, and Italy saying that if one of then were to go to war, then all of the other countries would lend themselves to help fight the war. If the United States were to go to war with Japan, that would lead to them going to war with Germany and Italy as well.

How did the United States show both continuity and change in its foreign policy from the mid-1930s until the early 1940s?

The United States began to stop trade with the Axis countries and began giving more supplies to Britain and allied countries, essentially joining the war without fighting in it.

Why did the United States carry out aggressive and dangerous daylight bombing campaigns over Germany and occupied France from 1942 to 1945?

The United States decided to carry out daylight bombing because they thought that being able to see where they were placing the bombs would led to them hitting more factories and railroads that supplied the German army. They occupied France by initiating a massive invasion of Normandy, leaving the Germans with a two front war and more German troops having to be flooded in. There was intense fighting in the French countryside, but it ended up with the liberation of France and Belgium.

What effect did this battle have on the German military and why did this enable the D-Day invasion into France by the U.S., Britain and Canada?

The battle crippled the German military, leaving the Allied countries able to invade and liberate France.

Overall, what was the goal of the policy of appeasement and why did it ultimately fail to prevent another European / global war?

The goal of appeasement was to prevent another war in Europe but it failed because it allowed Hitler to keep on invading countries with no consequence.

What was the goal of the island hopping strategy?

The goal of island hopping was to seize the not well defended, but close to Japan islands before invading the mainland.

What was the goal of Operation Torch in North Africa in late 1942?

The goals of Operation Torch were to regain control of major oil fields and the Mediterranean Sea.

What was process of Anschluss and why was it a violation of the Treaty of Versailles?

The invasion of Anschluss itself was a violation of the Treaty of Versailles because even though it was a German-speaking nation, it was still a violation to invade.

Why did the League of Nations response, or lack thereof, embolden fascist territorial aggression in Europe led by Hitler and Mussolini?

The lack of response of League of Nations led to territorial aggression of Hitler and Mussolini because they thought that if Japan could violently seize territory and break the Treaty of Versailles without any opposition from the League of Nations, they why couldn't they do the same thing.

What was this occupation like for French citizens in Paris?

The occupation of Nazis was portrayed as a collaboration instead of an invasion. People typically had very normal lives, and even nightclubs were advertised by the Germans.

What were the multiple reasons why the Third Reich and the Soviet Union signed the Non-Aggression Pact in 1939?

The reasons why the Third Reich and the Soviet Union signed the Non-Aggression Pact was that Germany wanted to invade Poland without Soviet response, seize the port of Danzig, and the Polish Sea Corridor. Also, it was a pact that said that the two nations won't go to war and Germany won't invade the Soviet Union, despite their radically different government. In addition, Stalin knew that he could not trust Britain or France with taking action against Germany so he took matters into his own hands to ensure safety.

How could the use of dehumanization be linked to the need for total war policies?

The use of dehumanization could be linked to total war policies because it showed citizens that the people their armies were fighting were monsters so they would give all they could to help the armies beat them.

How did the victors of World War I (Britain, France, Belgium, etc.) feel about the Treaty of Versailles by the mid-1930s, and how did this affect their response to Hitler's expansion of the German military beyond the 100,000 man limit imposed by the Treaty of Versailles?

The victors of World War I thought that the Treaty of Versailles was virtually useless since no one was following it and no action was taken for breaking its policies. This affected their responses to Hitler expanding his army because the only thing they could do at this point was declare war, however no one wanted that.

How did the Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 attempt to preserve America's isolationist policies?

They attempted to preserve America's isolationist policies by forbidding all trade of war materials with anyone.

Why did Stalin and Hitler strongly distrust and dislike one another before the agreement, and did this agreement truly erase that mistrust?

They initially distrusted each other because Hitler was killing communists living in German and the ones who were not killed fled to Germany to escape. This document did not erase that mistrust but it made it seem like they were in agreement, despite not liking each other.

Why did German and Italy intervene in the Spanish Civil War, and why was it a violation of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany to do so?

They intervened in the war because Spain was a desiring fascist party, likewise to Italy and Germany. This was a violation because Germany was not allowed to operate outside of the German borders.

Why did the Axis powers invade North Africa in 1940?

They invaded North Africa in an attempt to gain control of the Suez Canal.

What strategy did the Soviet Red Army use as it retreated from the German invasion?

They used the scorch-earth tactics.

What critical resource were the Third Reich and Italy trying seize?

They were trying to seize oil.

What was the Vichy regime that was established in southern France?

Vichy France was the Nazis' form of a 'puppet' government.

Ultimately, what led to the decision to drop the atomic bomb on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and what were its effects?

When President Truman warned Japan that if they didn't surrender they could expect "rain from ruins in the air" and the Japanese did not respond, that led to the US making the decision to drop the a-bombs. The effects of the bombs were 210,000 Japanese people dying, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in ruins, and the Japanese being left with one option, an unconditional surrender.

Who was Winston Churchill, and how did his speeches rally British citizens to continue fighting during the Battle of Britain?

Winston Churchill was in the British Parliament who also had a successful military and political career. His speeches encouraged the British citizens to keep fighting by saying that if they keep going then the rest of the world will be free, but if they give up then the rest of the world will be in another Dark Age.