WWII Topic 7 Assessment

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 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, United States wanted the Eastern European countries to hold free elections. The Yalta conference took place before Germany surrendered 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.

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).

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

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.

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 does not matter whether they were under orders; the crimes were still unforgivable.

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 United Nations because they wanted to prevent another world conflict. They believe the United States failure to join the league of Nations had contributed to the war. The United States did not want to get involved with other countries problems.

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 division in the cold war.

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 atomic bomb, while the Soviet Union had the red army and controlled a large amount of land.

Describe the power of the atomic bomb.

The atomic bomb created an enormous blast that was overwhelmingly destructive and powerful. The bomb killed almost 1,000,000 people immediately and many others died overtime.

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

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

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 and moral reason to fight the axis powers.