Appeasement

Question 1

What were the reasons behind Germany’s foreign policy? Check all that apply.

1. Germany was determined to increase its influence.
2. Germany wanted to acquire more territory.
3. Germany hoped to sever its ties with Italy.
4. Germany opposed the rise of totalitarianism in Europe.
5. Germany did not like the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Answer 1

1. Germany was determined to increase its influence.
2. Germany wanted to acquire more territory.
3. Germany did not like the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Question 2

Identify the ways Germany became increasingly aggressive during the 1930s. Check all that apply.

1. annexing Austria
2. increasing the size of its military
3. threatening to invade Italy
4. refusing to enact the Anschluss
5. working to unite with the Sudetenland
6. introducing the notion of Lebensraum

Answer 2

1. annexing Austria
2. increasing the size of its military
3. working to unite with the Sudetenland
4. introducing the notion of Lebensraum

Question 3

Hitler increased the size of Germany’s military in part by introducing a

A. conscription law.
B. voluntary draft.
C. propaganda blitz.
D. series of war taxes.

Answer 3

A. conscription law.

Question 4

In 1938, Germany took control of Austria in what was known as the

A. Lebensraum.
B. Rhineland.
C. Sudetenland.
D. Anschluss.

Answer 4

D. Anschluss.

Question 5

The chart shows Nazi rearmament in the 1930s.

A 3-column table with 4 rows titled Nazi Rearmament is shown. Column 1 is not labeled with entries Soldiers, Aircraft, Warships, Percentage of budget toward the military. Column 2 is labeled 1932 with entries 100,000, 36, 30, 1%. Column 3 is labeled 1939 with entries 950,000, 8,250, 95, 23%.

Based on the chart, which best explains Germany’s actions between 1932 and 1939?

A. The Nazis increased the size of the military in order to protect Germany from an Allied invasion after World War I.
B. The Nazis decreased the size of the military in order to abide by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
C. The Nazis increased the size of the military as part of a campaign to extend Germany’s boundaries.
D. The Nazis decreased the size of the military as part of a campaign to free up money for economic initiatives.

Answer 5

C. The Nazis increased the size of the military as part of a campaign to extend Germany’s boundaries.

Question 6

Which are reasons why most Europeans favored appeasement of Germany during the 1930s? Check all that apply.

1. to get Germany’s help against Russia
2. to avoid cooperating with Germany
3. to save the expense of another war
4. to take action against German aggression
5. to prevent loss of life in another war
6. to satisfy German demands

Answer 6

3. to save the expense of another war
4. to prevent loss of life in another war
5. to satisfy German demands

Question 7

As a result of the Munich Agreement, Hitler promised to

A. seek approval before annexing Czechoslovakia.
B. seek permission to expand into Austria.
C. respect the new borders of Czechoslovakia.
D. respect the new borders of the Rhineland.

Answer 7

C. respect the new borders of Czechoslovakia.

Question 8

By 1938, many people living in the Sudetenland wanted Germany to be _______ .

A. divided
B. unified
C. appeased
D. isolated

Answer 8

B. unified

Question 9

Which best summarizes the opinions of British leaders Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill on appeasement?

A. Churchill opposed going to war with Germany at all costs, while Chamberlain believed that action was needed to stop German aggression.
B. Chamberlain opposed going to war with Germany at all costs, while Churchill believed that action was needed to stop German aggression.
C. Chamberlain believed that giving in to Germany would lead to more threats, while Churchill thought Britain could avoid war by satisfying demands.
D. Churchill believed that negotiating with Germany would prevent war, while Chamberlain thought talking with Hitler was pointless.

Answer 9

B. Chamberlain opposed going to war with Germany at all costs, while Churchill believed that action was needed to stop German aggression.

Question 10

Which four countries took part in the Munich Conference in 1938?

A. Italy, France, Great Britain, and Germany
B. Great Britain, Czechoslovakia, Italy, and France
C. United States, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy
D. Germany, Great Britain, Russia, and Czechoslovakia

Answer 10

A. Italy, France, Great Britain, and Germany

Question 11

After World War I, many people in the United States wanted to avoid war because they

A. were tired of losing American lives in Europe.
B. were tired of losing American investments in Europe.
C. did not want to interrupt significant economic growth.
D. did not feel that European countries posed a threat.

Answer 11

A. were tired of losing American lives in Europe.

Question 12

In what ways did the Nazis violate the Treaty of Versailles in the 1930s? Check all that apply.

1. by annexing neighboring Austria
2. by joining forces with Italy
3. by increasing the size of its military
4. by sending troops to occupy the Rhineland
5. by implementing a policy of isolationism
6. by forcing men to join the military

Answer 12

1. by annexing neighboring Austria
2. by increasing the size of its military
3. by sending troops to occupy the Rhineland
4. by forcing men to join the military

Question 13

What General Weygand [commander of the Allied armies in France] called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. . . . Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”

What is the purpose of Churchill’s speech?

A. To celebrate the end of the war.
B. To give sympathy to the people of France.
C. To prepare the people of Britain for the challenges ahead.
D. To announce an agreement with Germany.

Answer 13

C. To prepare the people of Britain for the challenges ahead.

Question 14

Which country was the last to join the Allied Powers?

A. Great Britain
B. France
C. United States
D. China

Answer 14

C. United States

Question 15

In 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact in which they agreed to divide up _______ .

A. France
B. Italy
C. Czechoslovakia
D. Poland

Answer 15

D. Poland

Question 16

Before invading Poland, Hitler reached a secret agreement with the _______ .

A. Soviet Union
B. United States
C. United Kingdom
D. European Union

Answer 16

A. Soviet Union

Question 17

What caused Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany in 1939?

A. the appeasement policy
B. the invasion of Poland
C. the nonaggression pact
D. the surrender of Poland

Answer 17

B. the invasion of Poland

Question 18

Which country was a member of the Axis powers?

A. Japan
B. Soviet Union
C. Austria
D. Czechoslovakia

Answer 18

A. Japan

Question 19

Which aggressive action did Germany take in the 1930s?

A. invading Great Britain
B. annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia
C. attacking Pearl Harbor
D. invading China

Answer 19

B. annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia

Question 20

Which country followed a policy of isolationism in the 1930s?

A. France
B. Great Britain
C. Soviet Union
D. United States

Answer 20

D. United States

Question 21

Why did Hitler most likely assume he could annex Austria and Czechoslovakia?

A. He believed his actions would prove him to be a great leader.
B. He believed that the Third Reich was the more powerful government.
C. He believed he had the right to be as aggressive as he wanted to be.
D. He believed that Great Britain and France would choose not to respond to his actions.

Answer 21

D. He believed that Great Britain and France would choose not to respond to his actions.

Question 22

How did Germany gain access to and overtake Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands in WWII?

A. Great Britain surrendered to Germany giving them access to the allied countries.
B. Japan bombed France and the Allied forces retreated to Great Britain.
C. Soviet soldiers infiltrated the French army and attacked British defenses on the border.
D. The Allied forces defending France retreated after a blitzkrieg attack on Dunkirk.

Answer 22

D. The Allied forces defending France retreated after a blitzkrieg attack on Dunkirk.

Question 23

Great Britain’s success in the Battle of Britain and the Soviet defense of Russia proved that Hitler’s army could be _______ .

A. defeated
B. victorious
C. invincible
D. united

Answer 23

A. defeated

Question 24

What were the goals of the Allies in Europe? Check all that apply.

1. to support the USSR
2. to conquer new territory
3. to attack on multiple fronts
4. to invade Japan
5. to stop German expansion

Answer 24

1. to support the USSR
2. to attack on multiple fronts
3. to stop German expansion

Question 25

What was the most important reason the Axis and Ally powers wanted to control North Africa?

A. It was an important source of food for their armies.
B. North Africa was the best point from which to launch an invasion of Germany.
C. They wanted to control oil supplies and trade routes in the region.
D. It was an ideal location to show the importance of tank warfare.

Answer 25

C. They wanted to control oil supplies and trade routes in the region.

Question 26

Why was the Battle of El Alamein a turning point in the war? Check all that apply.

1. Allied forces were now able to push the Axis forces out of North Africa.
2. Axis forces were now able to block trade going through the Suez Canal.
3. Axis forces were now able to take control of North Africa.
4. Allied forces were now in position to invade Italy.
5. Allied forces had successfully stopped the Afrika Korps.

Answer 26

1. Allied forces were now able to push the Axis forces out of North Africa.
2. Allied forces were now in position to invade Italy.
3. Allied forces had successfully stopped the Afrika Korps.

Question 27

I present this scroll to the City of Stalingrad to commemorate our admiration for its gallant defenders whose courage, fortitude, and devotion during the siege of September 13, 1942 to January 31, 1943 will inspire forever the hearts of all free people. Their glorious victory stemmed the tide of invasion and marked the turning point in the war of the Allied nations against the forces of aggression.

–Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1944

Why does President Roosevelt describe this battle as a “turning point”?

A. The Soviets had declined to join the Axis powers.
B. The Soviets had successfully stopped the German invasion.
C. The Soviets had shown more bravery than other Allied troops.
D. The Soviets had fought the longest battle in the war at that point.

Answer 27

B. The Soviets had successfully stopped the German invasion.

Question 28

Why did Japan expand during the 1930s? Check all that apply.

1. to increase its empire
2. to attack Germany and Italy
3. to increase its supply of raw materials
4. to protect its borders
5. to support Allied countries, such as the US

Answer 28

1. to increase its empire
2. to increase its supply of raw materials
3. to protect its borders

Question 29

What mistake does the news reporter accuse the US government of making?

A. They trusted their allies to come to their defense.
B. They did not believe that Japan would launch an attack without a declaration of war.
C. They thought that their base at Pearl Harbor could not be attacked.
D. They did not think that their ships could sink.

Answer 29

B. They did not believe that Japan would launch an attack without a declaration of war.

Question 30

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation. . . .

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

–Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941

What is the most likely reason Roosevelt uses the phrase “unprovoked and dastardly” to characterize the attack on Pearl Harbor?

A. to show the importance of supporting the Allies in the war against Germany
B. to criticize the personality of the average Japanese citizen
C. to explain the effects of the attack on Hawaii and its people
D. to convince the American public that going to war is the honorable thing to do

Answer 30

D. to convince the American public that going to war is the honorable thing to do

Question 31

It was not long until the advancing soldiers started beating us. Any Japanese who could reach an American hit him with a fist, elbow, or rifle butt. Their blows were strong; some broke jaws and bloodied noses. . . . Throughout the ordeal, I stayed as inconspicuous as possible. . . .

. . . Conditions on the march were very tough. So many factors worked against us. The hot tropical sun drained precious energy from the men. . . .

As time wore on and prisoners began straggling more and more, the guards’ tempers worsened, and the beatings increased. . . .

. . . I stumbled along like a dazed zombie. I was thoroughly exhausted, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. Yet with each mile that I survived, I grew tougher and vowed to carry on
. . . . Above all, I fought to live.

–Bataan: A Survivor’s Story,
Eugene Boyt

What can be inferred about Allied prisoners of war from this passage?

A. Many were forced to fight for Japan.
B. Most were quickly turned over to US forces.
C. Most were forced to leave the Philippines.
D. Many were killed by Japanese soldiers.

Answer 31

D. Many were killed by Japanese soldiers.

Question 32

Which statement explains why the Doolittle Raid and the Battle of the Coral Sea were important?

A. Both were surprise attacks by Japan against the United States.
B. Both resulted in strategic American victories, increasing US morale.
C. Both were surprise attacks by Japan against China.
D> Both increased Japan’s territory in the Pacific.

Answer 32

B. Both resulted in strategic American victories, increasing US morale.

Question 33

Why was the battle at Midway Island a turning point in the war?

A. It reversed the trend of Japanese expansion.
B. It helped the United States crack Japan’s naval code.
C. It forced Axis powers to admit defeat.
D. It forced the Allies to admit defeat.

Answer 33

A. It reversed the trend of Japanese expansion.

Question 34

What was the state of the war in Europe in 1943?

A. The Axis powers had turned the tide of the war in their favor.
B. The Allies had turned the tide of the war in their favor.
C. The Allies had forced a German surrender and were moving against Italy.
D. The Axis powers had forced a Soviet surrender and were moving against France.

Answer 34

B. The Allies had turned the tide of the war in their favor.

Question 35

How did the results of the Tehran conference compare with the goals of Allied leaders?

A. Allied leaders compromised in order to open a second front in the Mediterranean.
B. Allied leaders compromised by turning their attention to Japan and the Pacific.
C. Allied leaders compromised and agreed to open a second front in France.
D. Allied leaders refused to compromise, and each nation continued with its own strategy.

Answer 35

C. Allied leaders compromised and agreed to open a second front in France.

Question 36

The following declaration has been approved . . . . to form interim governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people.

–Declaration on Liberated Europe,
February 11, 1945

Whose goals does this declaration represent?

A. Britain and Japan’s
B. Russia and Japan’s
C. Germany and the United States’
D. Britain and the United States’

Answer 36

D. Britain and the United States’

Question 37

How did the war in Europe come to an end?

A. Allied forces seized Germany from the east and west, forcing a surrender.
B. Allied forces seized Italy, forcing Mussolini to surrender his forces.
C. The German military overthrew Hitler and surrendered to Allied forces.
D. The German government negotiated a cease-fire with the Allies.

Answer 37

A. Allied forces seized Germany from the east and west, forcing a surrender.

Question 38

How did Soviet goals at the Potsdam Conference compare with those of Western nations?

A. Stalin wanted to punish Germany, while Western nations did not.
B. Stalin wanted to allow Germany to hold free elections, while Western nations did not.
C. Stalin wanted to protect Germany, while Western nations did not.
D. Stalin wanted to create the United Nations, while Western nations did not.

Answer 38

A. Stalin wanted to punish Germany, while Western nations did not.

Question 39

Which were outcomes of the Potsdam Conference? Check all that apply.

1. Germany was officially divided, as was the city of Berlin.
2. Eastern Germany was occupied by the United States, Britain, and France.
3. Western Germany was occupied by Soviet forces.
4. The Allies demanded Japan’s unconditional surrender.
5. The first war crime trials were scheduled.
6. Germany was forced to pay reparations to the USSR.

Answer 39

1. Germany was officially divided, as was the city of Berlin.
2. The Allies demanded Japan’s unconditional surrender.
3. The first war crime trials were scheduled.
4. Germany was forced to pay reparations to the USSR.

Question 40

The photo was taken in August 1944.

A photo of Allied troops on vehicles, driving through Paris. A crowd of Parisians line the street and the Arc de Triomphe is in the background.

What event does the photo show?

A. the Allied D-Day landings
B. German troops entering Paris
C. the liberation of Paris
D. the Battle of the Bulge

Answer 40

C. the liberation of Paris

Question 41

In 1945, which country developed the first atomic bomb?

A. Japan
B. the United States
C. Germany
D. the Soviet Union

Answer 41

B. the United States

Question 42

At the Tehran Conference in 1943, Winston Churchill proposed that the Allies attack Germany from

A. northern Europe.
B. the Mediterranean.
C. western Europe.
D. the Soviet Union.

Answer 42

B. the Mediterranean.

Question 43

Which agreements were reached at Yalta? Check all that apply.

1. Germany would be forgiven for starting the war.
2. Germany would remain a united country.
3. Germany would be divided among the Allied nations.
4. The Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan.
5. The United Nations would be created.
6. The Soviet Union would colonize Eastern Europe.
7. The Allies would pay reparations to Germany.

Answer 43

3. Germany would be divided among the Allied nations.
4. The Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan.
5. The United Nations would be created.

Question 44

What happened to Adolf Hitler at the end of the war?

A. He surrendered and was put on trial.
B. He escaped and was never found.
C. He committed suicide.
D. He was killed in combat.

Answer 44

C. He committed suicide.

Question 45

The main goal of the Allied leaders at the Potsdam Conference was to

A. find a way to force Germany to surrender.
B. finalize the decisions made at Yalta.
C. make plans for the United Nations.
D. agree on strategies to defeat Japan.

Answer 45

B. finalize the decisions made at Yalta.

Question 46

What was the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad?

A. Germany’s victory at Stalingrad gave Germany control of the Soviet Union.
B. Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad was a turning point in the war.
C. Germany’s victory at Stalingrad gave Germany control of North Africa.
D. Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad was a minor setback.

Answer 46

B. Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad was a turning point in the war.

Question 47

At the Tehran Conference, the Big Three agreed on which overriding goal?

A. the need to bring a halt to the fighting
B. the need to invade the Italian peninsula
C. the need to open a second front against Germany
D. the need to invite Hitler to future conferences

Answer 47

C. the need to open a second front against Germany

Question 48

Which agreements were reached at the Tehran Conference? Check all that apply.

1. The Allies would attack Germany from the north.
2. The Allies would allow the Soviet Union to stop fighting.
3. The Soviet Union would provide help in the war against Japan.
4. The Allies would open a second front in France.
5. The Allies would invite Germany to a peace conference.
6. The Soviet Union would set up communist governments in Eastern Europe.

Answer 48

3. The Soviet Union would provide help in the war against Japan.
4. The Allies would open a second front in France.

Question 49

Operation Overlord was the name of the Allied invasion of northwestern _______ .

A. Great Britain
B. Italy
C. Africa
D. France

Answer 49

D. France

Question 50

Why was the Battle of Midway important to the war in the Pacific? Check all that apply.

1. It turned the war in the Allies’ favor.
2. It stopped Japanese expansion in the Pacific
3. It turned the war in Japan’s favor.
4. It resulted in the fall of the Philippines to Japan.
5. It was a turning point in the war in the Pacific.

Answer 50

1. It turned the war in the Allies’ favor.
2. It stopped Japanese expansion in the Pacific
3. It was a turning point in the war in the Pacific.