Englard WW2 Flashcards
What was the invasion of Poland?
This event started WW2 and Poland was quickly defeated by Germany because Poland lacks natural boundaries (it has very flat plains that were easy to conquer)
What happened at Pearl Harbor?
Japan launched a surprise attack against the United States. This event brought us into the war
Why did Hitler fail to conquer Russia/Soviet Union?
They failed to conquer Russia/Soviet Union at the Battle of Stalingrad because of the harsh climates (Severe winter) and large size of the nation. The same was true of Napoleon Bonaparte 130 years earlier. Geography has always been Russia’s best defense
What was the D-Day Invasion?
This was the beginning of the final Allied push against Germany. It resulted in the eventual defeat of Germany.
What was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
This was the final event of WW2. The US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. Japan surrendered soon after
What was the holocaust?
This was the event in WW2 in which Hitler and the Nazis tried to kill all Jews in Europe. 6 million Jews and 6 million non-Jews were killed during this event.
What is a genocide?
The attempt to exterminate (kill off) an entire group of people. All genocides are considered human rights violations. The Holocaust is an example of genocide
What were the results of the WW2?
Formation of the United Nations and Nuremberg trials
What is the United Nations?
It is the organization that was created after WW2 in order to solve international problems (like poverty and disease) and prevent future wars. 191 nations (almost the entire world) currently belongs to the United Nations. They also created the Declaration of Human Rights. Main goal is to maintain world peace
What is the Declaration of Human Rights?
It is a document created by the United Nations that lists the rights that ALL people should have within their nations. This includes the right to freedom of speech, the right to life, and the right to participate in government
What was the Nuremberg trials?
This is the court case where the surviving Nazis who helped Hitler carry out the Holocaust were put on trial. 19 Nazi leaders were executed or sentenced to imprisonment as a result of crimes against humanity (genocide). This was important because they demonstrated that individuals in government could be held accountable for their actions.
What was WW2?
It’s the second major global conflict of the twentieth century. It was fought mainly in Europe and on the islands of the Pacific Ocean
What were the Japanese aggression?
Japan took over Korea, Manchuria (Northeastern China) and much of Southeast Asia in order to gain natural resources/raw materials (like coal and iron) and the Rape of Nanking
What was the Rape of Nanking?
It was a brutal event in which the Japanese raped and killed Chinese civilians (non-soldiers) in the city of Nanking. It was a major human right violation
What was the Italian aggression?
Benito Mussolini of Italy invaded and took over Ethiopia (country in Africa)
What was the German aggression?
Adolf Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles in a number of ways. He built up the German military and drafted soldiers into the army. He places soldiers in the Rhineland (an area between Germany and France). He also took over the neighboring countries of Austria and Czechoslovakia. He stopped paying reparations.
How did WW2 happen?
WW2 was allowed to happen because very little was done early on to stop Hitler, Mussolini, or Japan. The league of the nation failed and appeasement leads to this war.
What was the League of Nation?
It was an international organization created after WW1 in order to prevent war. It failed to stop the aggression
What was appeasement?
This is a policy where an aggressive nation is given what they want by the other nations in order to avoid war. At the Munich conference in Germany, Great Britain appeased Hitler by giving him control over Czechoslovakia. This led Hitler to demand even more land.
Why did WW2 start?
It started when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. Three days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany
When did Hitler decide to form the German Empire
1937, He announced his plans to form the Third Reich
Which side did Stalin decide to work with?
Stalin signed a nonaggression pact with Hitler
Who was the Axis power?
Germany, Italy, and Japan
Who was the Allied power?
England, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union
Why was the battle of Britain significant?
It showed people that it was possible to resist Hitler and the Nazis
What was Japan required to do when the war ended
Demilitarize- break apart its military
Democratize- establish a democratic government
