Great Depression and WWII Flashcards
How did the Nazis rise into power? Role of appeasement?
Nazi’s rose to power as Germany was falling apart from both the Great Depression and the debt from the Treaty of Versailles. Nazi’s rose to power legally (not with a coup/military takeover). As Hitler took over territory from several of his neighbors, Europeans and Neville Chamberlain appeased Hitler (basically ignored/let Hitler get away with it). This gave Hitler time to build up military and break off more pieces of territory. Europe only took action after the invasion of Poland.
What caused the worldwide Great Depression?
Throughout the 20s, Americans invested poorly and in risky industries and took out debt for their investments. Eventually, the stock market crashed worse than ever before on Black Tuesday 1929, as people panicked and sold their stocks and pulled their money out of banks in things called “bank runs”. This stock market crash spread worldwide through growing global markets.
How did the Great Depression lead to dictators rising to power?
The Great Depression made people desperate enough to support anyone who promised a better life; dictators utilized nationalism, racism, and promises of brighter futures to get support
Who was the dictator of the USSR? What did he do to his own party members and the Kulaks in the Great Terror? What did he do in Ukraine during the Holodomor?
Joseph Stalin
Persecuted and killed anyone who was deemed anti-communist, a ‘wrecker’, or anyone who was his political enemy
Who was the dictator of Italy leading up to WWII? What was his political party called?
Benito Mousilini; the Fascist Party
Which country did Hitler make a deal with to never attack each other?
USSR
What caused WWII to break out in Europe?
Hitler attacked Poland after appeasement allowed him to get away with conquering several other countries. After this, Europe could no longer trust appeasement to work
What event pulled the U.S. into the war and when did it happen?
Pearl Harbor; December 1941
Approximately how many Jews lost their lives during the Holocaust?
6 million
What was the “Final Solution”?
Hitlers ideology of genocide of the Jewish people
Which two cities had an atomic bomb dropped on them?
Nagasaki and Hiroshima
