World War II Part 2

How many casualties had WWII in total and how many had U.S?

21-22 Million soldiers died, approx. 40 million civilians of whom more than 28 million were Chinese and Russian ( west. civ 877), 24 million were wounded, and U.S had 1 million casualties.

How many nations were involved in WWII, and which were the most important conferences held in this global war?

60 nations, the whole of Europe, Africa, and Asia were involved. The conferences at Teheran, Yalta, and Potsdam were the most important.

The Korean war

A conflict between the North communist, totalitarian Korea against the South capiltalist, democratic Korea. North Korea began invading its southern neighbor in 1950 with the purpose of forcing them to turn to communism. In response, American forces leaded by Douglas McArthur intervened against the overrunning Northern forces in South Korea, By destroying the supplies in the Yalu river bordering China, he violated the containment policy. Finally, in 1953, an armistice is made and neither side wins the war, as the North would remain communist and the South capitalist.

The Containment Policy

A policy adopted by U.S to contain communism from spreading to other nations ( it was not designed to destroy it!)

What happened in the Cold War's phase known as " Détente"?

A reduction of tensions between U.S and the Soviet Union in the 70's.

concept of "total war"

A war fought by armed forces and civilians, who had to scrap metal, rubber, and newspaper; air raid drills; war bond drives; rationing, or recur to other tactics.

The Cold War

A war of ideologies between U.S, a Federal democratic republic whose central government is the strongest and where people have vote through the parties, and the USSR, which adopts a one party- totalitarian government controling, owning, and commanding industry, services, and distribution means. These powers did not fight each other directly but they used undeveloped nations to wage war against each other.

D-Day

Allies invade the coast of Normandy, France

What were the satelite or communist nations of eastern and central Europe?

Bulgaria, Czecchoslovakia, east germany, hungary, poland, and rumania).

What president wanted France to become "the third nuclear power" and pursued an independent political course?

Charles de Gaulle

Who replaced Winston Churchill as Prime Minister in Great Britain in the summer of 1945

Clement Attlee

The Marshall plan

Created and offered by U.S secretary of State John Marshall on June, 1947, this plan aimed to help all european nations with a budget of 13 billion dollars (including the east and soviet union) to help them to recover from WWII.

What was the focus of the economic policies developed by Stalin after WWII?

Development of heavy industry that could produce goods for export at expense of millions of low-paid exploited workers. It also focused in production of modern weapons, and space vehicles.

What were the most important consequences of W.W. II regarding the allies, the triple entente, and the colonies in Africa and Asia?

Germany, Italy, and Japan met complete military defeat and their totalitarian systems were overthrown. U.S and the Soviet Union, which acquired an empire of satellite nations, emerged as the 2 most powerful nations in the world while France and Britain declined as world- powers. The allies formed the United Nations while Asian and African colonial peoples embraced strong nationalism and rebelled against their colonizers.

The Truman Policy

It postulated that the U.S would provide financial aid to countries that claimed they were threatened by communist expansion.

V-E Day

It was the public holiday celebrated on 8 May 1945 to mark the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces. It thus marked the end of World War II in Europe.

What were the two crucial japanese islands captured by U.S and allowed them to start bombing japan?

Iwojima and Okinawa

Who was the longest-serving Prime Minister of U.K?

Margaret Thatcher served in the 70's and 80's for 11 consecutive years.

the Iron Curtain

Named by Winston Churchill, this imaginary lined divided Europe between the democratic capitalist west and the communist east.

Who ordered the use of atomic bombs in 2 japanese cities and which cities were these?

President Truman ordered the bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 3 days later; this led to Japan's surrender

What were important technological and scientific upgrades developed in WWII?

Radar, guided missiles, jet-propelled planes and other air-force upgrades, magnetic mines, atom bombs, penicilin, sulfa drugs

Who nicknamed the Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire"?

Ronald Reagan

What was the most significant event that reunited Germany in 1989?

The Destruction of the Berlin Wall by the citizens on November 9, 1989. Built in the early 60's to separate East-Communist and West-Capitalist Germany, this wall symbolized a symbol of the cold war and with its destruction and the capitulation of the east communist government, hundreds of thousands of German swarmed both sides to visit and return.( West Civ pag 954).

What were the two important military alliances created in 1949 and 1955 respectively?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which was the capitalist alliance that aimed to contain communism. The other alliance is the pact of Warsaw, which was the Soviet Union's reaction to NATO).

What was the major significant event that happened on December of 1991?

The Soviet Union had disintegrated forever. Gorbachev had lost control of political affairs and resigned on Dec. 25, 1991.

Who were involved and who were victorious in the battle of Leyte gulf, in the Philippines sea?

The belligerents were U.S and Australia vs Japan and the allies were victorious

V-J Day

Victory over Japan's day

Which Leaders met in the Conference of Teheran?

Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin

What was the economic total cost of the war, the property-damage cost, and U.S'cost in W.W.II

the total estimated cost has been estimated at 4 trillion dollars ( West. Civ pag 879), the property of damage was 230 billions, and U.S spent 330 billions in the war.