HIST Exam 3 - FLASHCARDS - Clues Deck
What was the Kellogg Briand Pact of 1928?
Called for elimination of war as tool for foreign policy
Why was the Kellogg Briand Pact significant?
It showed America’s desire to be isolationist again–didn’t want to get involved in international affairs, same reason they didn’t join the League of Nations
What factors led to American isolationism?
Great Depression which turned focus back to US; wanting to invest economically in Europe but not get involved in their politics
What was Japan’s buildup to war?
Militarists dominated government, left League of Nations, and invaded China.
What were the Axis powers?
Germany, Italy, and Japan
Who did Hitler blame for Germany’s problems?
The Jews
When does Japan invade China?
1937
What was the Weimar Republic of Germany?
the democracy that existed between the end of WWI and the rise of Nazis–weak democracy because of economic problems but had a period of artistic and cultural vibrancy
What was the Nazi party known as?
National Socialist German Workers Party
What characterized Europe in the 1930s?
nationalism, fascism, Great Depression led to rise in charismatic dictators like Hitler and Mussolini
Who was Benito Mussolini?
Published a socialist newspaper. Went from anti-war to pro-war. Kicked out of the Socialist party. Formed a group called the Fighting Leagues, creating the Fascist party.
What were the blackshirts?
marched on the capital of Rome. Mussolini ruled over Italy from 1923 to 1943 as a Fascist leader
What did Mussolini want to build?
an empire in the sun. Invades Ethiopia in 1935
What was the Nye Committee?
investigated US munitions dealers and claimed enormous profits made during the war. Bankers, munitions workers were Merchants of Death
What were the neutrality acts?
1935, 1936, and 1937. Banned sale of arms and weapons to nations of war. Warned Americans not to sail on belligerent ships. Banned loans to countries of war. Forbade American ships to carry goods or passengers to ports of nations at war or in a civil war.
When did Hitler annex Austria and Czechoslovakia?
1938
What was the Munich Conference?
Hitler agreed to not seize any more countries. He broke that promise but England was desperate not to go to war again after losing so many men in WWI
What started World War 2 in Europe?
Invasion of Poland in 1939. Britain and France declare war on Germany
What was blitzkrieg?
“lightning war,” German attacks that were fast and intense, usually by air
What was the Tripartite Pact?
agreement by Japan/Germany/Italy to be allies, deter US from entering war
What was the Battle of Britain?
German against British Air Force. British defeated Germany because of radar.
What was the 1940 presidential election?
Roosevelt announced he wanted to run for a third term. Ran against Wendell Wilkie and won. First time a president served more than two terms
What was the Lend Lease Act?
Military aid to powers fighting the Axis powers, as long as it was returned after the war. This was Roosevelt’s way of helping England for as long as they needed it without violating Neutrality Acts which said you couldn’t sell weapons to countries at war
What was Operation Barbarossa?
largest invasion where 3 million German troops invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. 80% of the U.S. wanted to stay neutral.
What did the U.S. do to support the Allies before they declared war?
the Lend-Lease Act allowed them to send a lot of money and help to the Allies; started attacking German submarines
Why didn’t the US get in the war earlier?
polls showed 80% of Americans opposed to entering the war
Who did Hitler blame for Germany’s problems?
Treaty of Versailles and the Jews
What agreement did Hitler make with Stalin?
non-aggression pact in which they agreed not to fight each other
What happened to the nonaggression pact?
Hitler thought Russia was week so he attacked it in 1941, opening up a second front
What exports did America limit to Japan?
Japan was very dependent on the U.S. for resources. Limited petroleum and scrap metal, banned sale of aviation gasoline. Froze all Japanese assets in the United States. Japan sent envoys to the U.S. to negotiate.
Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?
They were afraid of the U.S. entering the war, so they chose to attack the U.S. navy
What was the attack on Pearl Harbor?
In 1941, Japanese planes bombed Pearl Harbor destroying 14 ships, 188 planes, and killing 2500 men.
What was the America First Committee?
isolationist group opposed to entering the war; supported by Charles Lindbergh and also by some people who had pro-Nazi sympathies; committee disbanded after Pearl Harbor attack
Who was in command of Allied troops?
General Dwight Eisenhower
What was the Battle of Stalingrad?
Russia defeated Germans and advanced into Eastern Europe. Major defeat for Germans they never really recover from
What was the Battle of Coral Sea?
U.S. naval airplanes affected Japanese plans to occupy Port Moresby, New Guinea
What was the Battle of Midway?
Victory for the U.S. at Midway aided by superior air power. Turning point where U.S. starts winning
What did the War Production Board do?
Tax credits for businesses, awarded lucrative contracts for urgently needed goods. War bonds covered half of the cost of the war and increased income tax covered the rest. Class taxation changed to mass taxation.
What was the War Manpower Commission?
Helped ensure a large army ready and able to fight.
How did home industry contribute to the war?
American factories met needs of military and out producing Japanese factories. Built ships faster than Germans could sink them (1 ship per day)
What was unemployment in 1943?
2%–the war was really good for the US economy and basically ends the Depression
When did hatred for the Japanese grow?
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor
How many Japanese Americans lived in California?
70% (2/3 native born) 110 thousand people of Japanese descent (1/3 Japanese born)
What was Executive Order 9066?
Expelled all Japanese from west coast
What were Japanese internment camps?
110,000 removed to detention centers in 7 western and southern states.
What was Korematsu vs USA?
Supreme court said concentration camps were constitutional
What was D Day?
June 6, 1944. Large force of Allied troops (6,000 ships) to cross the English Channel hoping to catch Hitler by surprise. Major land invasion of Europe that the US had been wanting. Also known as Operation Overlord. 4500 British lost their lives on the first day. Germans pushed back
What was the Battle of the Bulge?
Last major German offensive. Germans failed
What were postwar goals of the Soviet Union?
The Soviet Union were determined to control Eastern Europe and wanted to prevent another Western attack with satellite states loyal to Russia.
What was the Yalta Conference?
Feb 1945, discussing postwar world. Held in Crimea. Russia refused to grant self government to Balkan states and Poland. Russia agreed to enter war in the Pacific against Japan three months after Germany fell. Members were Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Stalin
What was the significance of the Yalta conference?
It was clear that the Allies were going to win and they were planning out the postwar world. Negotiations are basically between Stalin and Roosevelt
What was the 1944 presidential election?
FDR ran for fourth term and defeated Thomas Dewey, but died of a stroke in 1945. Truman succeeded him and was informed of secret Manhattan Project
What was the bombing of Hiroshima?
August 6th. “Little Boy” bomb dropped on Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing 80 thousand people
What was the bombing of Nagasaki?
August 9th. “Fat Man” atomic bomb dropped on Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing 45 thousand people
What was the Potsdam Conference of 1945?
Discussion on how to administer defeated Germany. Final big 3 meeting. Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Harry Truman. West Germany controlled by British. East controlled by Soviet Union
What was the Iron Curtain speech?
speech by Winston Churchill. Increased mistrust between Stalin and the west. Said there was
What was the Truman Doctrine?
Offered help to any country struggling with communist insurgencies
How did Truman become president?
FDR got elected to fourth term in 1944 but died a few months later; Truman was VP and became president
What major was decision did Truman make?
deciding to drop atomic bombs on Japan
What was Truman’s major civil rights contribution?
desegregating the military