WW1-WW2 Test
What is militarism?
A belief that a country should have a strong military force and be prepared to use it to aggressively promote it's interests
FDR
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) signed this act which allowed the U.S. to lend or lease goods to anyone whose defense was vital to the U.S. (the allies)
Roaring 20's (what it was and why it happened):
period in the U.S. from 1918-1929. Decade of prosperity in which the American way of life became the model for the whole world (Nice home, cars, latest technologies...) This prosperity was reflected in a huge stock market boom. Happened because the US made money before getting involved in WW1 and now they have multiple nations paying them loans and reparations as a result of WW1
Winston Churchill:
prime minister of great Britain
Axis Powers: WW2
Germany Italy Japan
Rise of Totalitarian Leaders (Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini) (what/how they rose to power/what their goals were once they had power):
1. Hitler: In 1919, Hitler joined a tiny right-wing conservative political group. This group shared his belief that Germany had to overturn (remove) the Treaty of Versailles and combat communism. The group later named itself the National Socialist German Workers' Party, called Adolf Hitler was the Nazi for short. Its policies formed the German brand of fascism Fascist dictator of fascism known as Nazi for short. Had a goal of getting Germany more living space by conjuring Europe and Russia and killing the Jews. 2. Stalin: Stalin was born in bitter poverty in Georgia, a region in southern Russia. Unlike the well-educated and cultured Lenin, Stalin was rough and crude. Stalin aimed to create a perfect Communist state in Russia. To realize his vision, Stalin planned to transform the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. He began building his totalitarian state by destroying his enemies —real and imagined. 3. Mussolini: Benito Mussolini was able to use the political and economic unrest in his country to gain power and founded the Fascist Party in 1919. He organized a group of supporters called the Black Shirts, based on the color of their uniforms, who started to attack communists and socialists. Mussolini promised to strengthen the economy and was soon able to gain the support of the middle class and industrialists by ending a general strike that paralyzed the country.
Reasons U.S entered WW1:
1. The 1st reason was because U.S. trading ships were being attacked by German "U-Boats." The Lusitania Disaster: United States involvement in World War I was hastened by the Lusitania disaster. The Lusitania was a British passenger liner that carried 1,198 persons on a fateful trip on May 7, 1915. 2. 2nd reason, The German Invasion of neutral Belgium: 3. 3rd reason, American Loans: The US had a vested financial interest in the outcome of the war in Europe. American businesses and banks made huge loans to the Allies. If they didn't win then they were unlikely to get their money back. 4. 4th reason, The reintroduction of unrestricted submarine warfare The Zimmerman Telegram
The Manhattan Project:
: This project was led by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others who were attempting to create nuclear fission and then harness this energy for the first nuclear weapons
The Battle of the Bulge (its significance):
Adolf Hitler's last major offensive in World War II against the Western Front. The battle proved to be the costliest ever fought by the U.S. Army, which suffered over 100,000 casualties
What are alliances?
Alliances are agreements between nations stating that each country will assist the other if they are attacked
When WW2 officially ended:
At noon on August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced his country's surrender in a radio broadcast. The formal surrender agreement was signed on September 2, aboard the U.S. battleship Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay. While the dropping of the 2 atomic bombs helped to win the war, many credit them being dropped in starting the Cold War.
How did the United States aid Great Britain at the outset of World War II while remaining technically neutral?
At the beginning of WW2, the United States was neutral. The people of the United States were against the war because they still felt the consequences of WW1. Against the will of the people, the US government supplied Britain with food and weapons. This led to a deterioration of relations with Axis powers. Although the US were neutral at this time, the United States was on the side of the Allies
D-Day (its significance):
By the end of August 1944, the Allies had reached the Seine River, Paris was liberated and the Germans had been removed from northwestern France
Arms Race:
European powers were stockpiling weapons preparing for some sort of global conflict
Cases for dropping the Atomic bombs and cases against dropping the Atomic bombs:
For the Drop: It ended the war when the U.S. would not of invaded Japan if the bomb wasn't dropped; forced Japan to surrender Against the Drop: Murdered innocent people/ civilians who did nothing wrong
General Tojo:
General of the Japanese army who wants to expand the imperial wants.
Germany's early success in WW2:
Germany had decisive and almost over-powering victories in Poland, Denmark and Norway (1939-1940). These victories were the result of a new military tactic called
Reparations Germany had to pay:
Germany was stripped of its overseas colonies, its military capabilities were severely restricted, and it was required to pay war reparations to the Allied countries.
Who were the central powers of WW1?
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
Allied Powers (Allies): WW2
Great Britain America Soviet Union China
4 Empires that were destroyed as a result of WW1:
Great Britain, France, Germany
Who were the Allied powers of WW1?
Great Britain, France, Russia (The Big 3)
What were Hitler's "beliefs and goals" for Germany he wrote about in Mein Kampf?
Hitler wrote about many "beliefs and goals" in Mein Kampf to overall improve Germany. One thing he wrote about is, he claimed that the Germans were the master race (he identified them as Aryans).He claimed that non-Aryan races (Slavs, Gypsies, Jews) were inferior. He wanted to restore Germany to its former glory days, overturn the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (signed after WW1) , and acquire the territories lost after WW1.
Zimmermann Telegram:
It proposed a secret alliance between Germany and Mexico, should the United States enter the war. If the Central Powers were to win, Mexico would be free to annex territory in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona.
Why did Japan choose to bomb Pearl Harbor? And What were their goals in bombing Pearl Harbor?
Japan chose to bomb Pearl Harbor because the US had their entire Pacific fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. They felt they could cripple the Pacific Fleet and their goal was that this would allow them to move freely throughout the Pacific without US involvement. Another goal is that Japan wanted to strike the US early before they could even get involved in WW2.
Island Hopping:
Japan invaded Hong Kong, Singapore, Dutch East Indies, Malya, and the Philippines (island hopping)
Wilson's 14 Points (what were they):
Main Ideas : 1. National self-determination—Wilson believed that people of a particular national group should have their own independent nation state. When they had this, all disputes over territory would end. 2. The Abolishment of secret treaties 3. A reduction in armaments (weapons)
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand (Why/who killed him/how it started WW1):
On June 28th, 1914, the archduke and his wife, Sophie, traveled in an open top car through the streets of Sarajevo. It was at this point that a Serbian nationalist from the Black Hand Gang, threw a bomb into the car. The bomb hit the back of the vehicle and missed the Archduke, hitting and wounding bystanders. This assassination set off a chain of events which lead to WWI
When the war in Europe ended:
On May 7th, 1945 Germany officially surrendered and war in Europe was over! Known as V-E Day(Victory in Europe)
How did Hitler and the Nazis successfully come to power in Germany?
Prior to 1936, Hitler had canceled Germany's military clauses and debts the Treaty of Versailles put on them. Germany had also begun rebuilding their naval forces including submarines . Britain allowed this and Hitler claimed he was doing it to protect Germany from communism. Hitler wanted to build up Germany and by doing this he began invading and annexing land.
Pearl Harbor (its significance and what the result of it was):
Significant because of all the American casualties. This war poked the bear and had America enter the war.
Why were some people for the dropping of the atomic bombs and why were some people against the droppings of the bomb?
Some people were for dropping the atomic bombs because it would end war quicker than a land invasion and Japan refused to surrender and seemed to want to fight to the death. Also they would save countless American lives and would scare the Soviets. Some people were against the atomic bombs because it was inhumane and it would cause too much destruction. Also they believed that too many innocent people would die, Japan was weak and basically defeated, and it was not universally supported by everyone in the U.S.
Global economic depressions (impact they had on countries):
The Great Depression was the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world up to that time. The Great Depression lasted approximately 10 years and affected both industrialized and nonindustrialized countries in many parts of the world.
The League of Nations failed to stop the rise of Totalitarian leaders in Europe, why did it fail and how were their highlighted by the events that took place in Europe prior to WW2?
The League of Nations was undermined by Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Soviet Union, and Mussolini's Italy. The United States were in the League of Nations but they did not participate in it, and this led many to question its purpose. n such as Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in Africa or Japan's invasion of Manchuria in China.
What events in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s gave rise to political extremism, including Nazism?
The Nazi Party's rise to power in 1930, and the Nazi Party was one of a number of right-wing extremist political groups that emerged in Germany following WW1. In the years 1930-1933, the final years of the Weimar Republic, the government ruled by emergency decree because it could not obtain a parliamentary majority. As a result of the Nazi's mass support, the German president appointed Hitler chancellor in 1933. His appointment paved the way to the Nazi dictatorship.
Paris Peace Conferences:
The Paris Peace Conference met in January 1919 at Versailles just outside Paris. The conference was called to establish the terms of the peace after World War I
What were the main outcomes of the Paris Peace Conference? Things to think about: (What was signed? Who got what? Who were the winners and losers of WW1? What happened to the landscape of Europe as a result of WW1? What was born after WW1?)
The Paris Peace Conference was established to determine peace in WW1. THe Treaty of Versailles was signed to produce peace but also make sure Germany was paying for all the reparations. THe ultimate winner was the US, but other countries who had a say were Great Britain, France, and Italy. The ultimate loser of WW1 was Germany because they were given all the damage to pay for, their overseas colonies were stripped, and the military capability was restricted. Many of the German countries were given to neighboring Courtney's and German territories were placed under international supervision. After WW1, communism was born.
What allowed Totalitarian leaders (Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini) to rise to power and gain control of their countries?
The Totalitarian leaders rose to power and gained control of their countries through propaganda or promoting a particular ideology to help them fix their issues in the country . Mussolini introduced the ideology of Fascism that would control Italian politics.Stalin took control , after Lenin's death, he transformed the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state.Hitler used his prowess in public speaking to spread his propaganda on strengthening their military to introduce German as the master race to the world.
Main causes of WW2 (5 reasons):
The Treaty of Versailles (Germany and Italy upset), Worldwide Economic Depression, Germany's Militarism and Japan's Militarism, Failure of Appeasement, The Failure of the League of Nations
Treaty of Versailles:
The Treaty of Versailles: was the primary treaty produced by the Paris Peace Conference at the end of World War I. (5 treaties were signed. This was the biggest/most important)
Why did the U.S. remain neutral for the first 3 years of WW1?
The U.S remained neutral because of their economy booming. They were supplying the Allied powers with weapons, therefore the economy that they were receiving put their nation in a good position. Also, they didn't feel like getting involved with a war that took place overseas.
What were the reasons the U.S. entered WW1?
The US entered the war for multiple reasons. The first dealt with the sinking of the Lusitania. The British passenger carried 128 American tourists that were killed, which angered the Americans. Secondly, because America was funding the Allied powers, they realized that the loans would be lost if the war was lost. Then, the Zimmerman Telegram occurs where a Mexico representative received a telegram saying that Germany wanted to form a secret alliance with them. With Mexico bordering America, the Americans were not fond of the idea of them having an alliance with the enemies. Lastly, the reintroduction of submarine warfare was another reason for the U.S entering the war. Several US cargo vessels were sunk from these submarines which outraged the Americans.
What is imperialism?
The act of extending control over a foreign nation or territory
The Atomic Bombs (when were they dropped and on what cities):
The atomic bombs were dropped on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Technological Advancements of Warfare (chemical gases, machine guns, tanks, aircraft):
The big force was weapons, new weapons played a huge role in the mass destruction during WW1. Those weapons included: The machine gun, Airplanes, Submarines, Tanks, Chemical Weapons (very bad). The first use of chemical weapons of mass destruction were during World War I. The use of Chemical weapons such as chlorine and mustard gas were not only a threat to soldiers but also civilians and those who worked to manufacture these weapons.
What were the demands that were put on Germany at the end of WW1? Why was there punishment so harsh?
The demands for Germany included paying for all the reparations of war, their overseas colonies were stripped, they were blamed for starting the war, their military capacity was restricted, and they were excluded from the League of nations. They believed that the Germans started the war from the assination. They also were given harsh punishments because of the German Invasion of France in 1871 and the killings of British people during total war. These different countries held grudges until they could use them for revenge at the right time.
Emperor Hirohito:
The emperor of Japan. He did not make the decisions, General Tojo did.
Final Straw that started WW2:
The final straw was Germany invading Poland by land and air under the control of Hitler. Germany invaded Poland to regain lost territory and ultimately rule their neighbor to the east. In response to German aggression, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany (WW2).
How did government's respond to the war on the home front? (think mobilization of women, propaganda, rationing, censorship..
The government responded to war on the homefront by those who did not go to war, worked at home. This was a popular time for industrialization because they supplied weapons and materials to send off to war. Also, they made sure that the soldiers had full meals so people on the homefront ration. Also the government used propaganda to promote the drafting of war.
What were the main causes of World War 1? How did each reason ultimately lead to war?
The main causes of WW1 were militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. Militarism is the belief that a country should maintain a strong military and use it to promote their interests. An example would be in an arm's race where two or more enemy nations each try to outdo each other with the largest possible arsenal of weapons. This could start conflicts between each other because of the competition. Alliances, where countries agree to protect each other, were also a main cause. Many secret alliances were going on which sparked tension and anger between other nations. This could easily lead to war. Imperialism is extending control or foreign nations or territory. Larger countries may try to take over small ones and extend their control out, however this can result in riots which could lead to wars. Lastly, Nationalism is the pride in one's country. The pride of one's country can lead to having too much power and lead to revolutions.
What were the main causes of WW2?
The main causes of WW2 were important events, important people, and failed treaties. First, the failure of the league of nations, not all countries joined the league and the League had no army to prevent military aggression and the League of Nations then failed. Another event is the global depression, the Great Depression frustrated many countries and this helped lead the rise of totalitarian leaders. Also the rise of fascism, it led to many invasions on territories and this furthermore led to WW2. The leader that had a big impact in causing WW2 is, Adolf Hitler, Germany was the big Loser of WWI so they took out loans on the U.S. to pay reparations and this caused a period of severe inflation in Germany, so Hitler used totalitarianism to help improve Germany. Joseph Stalin also used the tactic to use propaganda to glorify communism and nationalism to present as enemies those who opposed him. Another important person is Benito Mussolini, he used fascism to help him advance Italy back to what it was pre-war. The failure of treaties also played a big impact in causing WW2, the NAZI group believed that Germany had to overturn the Treaty of Versailles and combat communism to restore Germany to what it was. This party attracted many former soldiers and others who were unhappy with the current state of Germany. The Treaty of Versailles led to economic and political despair and created tension for other nations.
What is Nationalism?
The pride in one's nation and accompanied of patriotic feelings, shared histories, and efforts to protect national interests
Historians often say WW2 started in 1931, what global conflicts happened prior to 1939? Why did these conflicts lead to WW2?
There were many global conflicts that led to WW2. One global conflict is the failure of the Treaty of Versailles, and this is where many European nations were upset with the outcome of the Treaty. Another problem that helped lead to WW2 is the worldwide economic depression, this is where almost every nation went through a depression and this led to civil, political , and international unrest in numerous nations. Another conflict is Germany and Japan's militarism, this is where Hitler began secretly building up Germany's army and the military kept building up weapons and their army and began invading areas. Another conflict is the failure of appeasement, Britain and France began to believe that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair to Germany and Hitler's actions are justifiable. The last conflict that helped lead up to WW2 is the failure of the League of Nations, and the League of Nations had no army to prevent military aggression so it failed.
Events that led up/started WW2 (Japan invades Manchuria (1931), Italy invades Ethiopia (1935), Hitler and his invasions- Invades/annexes Austria (1938), Takes the Sudetenland (1938), Invades Poland (1939) Why were these events significant:
These are all significant because they all caused counties to become unstable and therefore start to become at unrest with other cou tries which ultimately caused war.
Why the U.S. remained neutral in WW1:
They were able to provide materials for the Allies of the war and this resulted in their economy doing well. They also didn't see a purpose of getting involved with a war overseas.
The Yalta Conference (when it took place and its purpose):
This conference was held before WW2 ended. The three chief Allied leaders—Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt (U.S.), Prime Minister Winston Churchill (GB), and Joseph Stalin (USSR): met at Yalta in Crimea to plan the final defeat and occupation of Nazi Germany. They declared that the German military industry would be abolished or confiscated. And agreed that major war criminals would be tried before an international court, which subsequently presided at Nürnberg (the Nuremberg Trials) The determination of reparations was assigned to a commission.
Technological advancements in WW2 fighting/how it was fought:
Water Warfare: Naval warfare expanded in WW2, Navies now had the advantage of SONAR and RADAR to help detect enemy ships and subs. Weapons: Guns, Mines, Grenades: Like in WW1, all were still used,they were just suped up, more reliable, and deadlier. Missile Weapons: These rockets were very mobile and caused extensive damage. Bombs and Nuclear Warfare: Advancements in nuclear fission reactions lead to the creation of the atomic bomb (only used by the U.S.)
What is Totalitarianism:
a system of government where a dictator leads. The interests of the people are subordinate to the needs of the state
Appeasement
agreeing to the demands of another nation in orderto avoid conflict.
Why Japan attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor:
because the U.S. had their entire military at Japan and they wanted to weaken America
Total War (civilians and colonies forced to get involved) (rations, women working):
military conflict in which the contenders (or nations) are willing to make any sacrifice in lives and other resources to obtain a complete victory, as distinguished from limited war.
War in the Pacific (Battle of Midway, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa- why were they significant):
significant because Though it resulted in an Allied victory, kamikaze fighters, rainy weather and fierce fighting on land, sea and air led to a large death toll on both sides.
Blitzkrieg attack
used to describe a method of offensive warfare designed to strike a swift focused blow at an enemy using mobile maneuverable forces, including armored tanks and air support.
Trench Warfare:
warfare in which opposing armed forces attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent systems of trenches dug into the ground.
Fascism
was a system of government that stressed the glory of the state. An extreme form of nationalism. The rights and concerns of individuals were of little importance
League of Nations:
was an international organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, created after the First World War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes. The League of Nations was intended to include every nation on an equal basis. However, Great Britain and France wouldn't allow their colonial possessions to sit in the League. Also, the Allies agreed that Germany wouldn't be allowed to sit in and neither would the Soviet Union.