History Unit 3 Flashcards
What is communism and who was the first communist leader?
A type of government as well as an economic system used to create and share wealth. The leader of the first communist party was Joseph Stalin.
What is fascism and who was the first leader of fascism?
A new movement where its leaders offered simple answers to problems caused by the war. The leader that made the first fascist movement was Benito Mussolini.
What is nazism and who was the first leader of nazism?
When it was built on violent race hatred, in which it encouraged anti-Semitism or hatred of Jews, who the Nazis blamed for all of Germany’s economic problems. The leader of Nazism was Adolf Hitler.
Suggest how the policy of Appeasement can be justified, and how it can be seen as a failure.
The Appeasement is justified because it is at least able to avoid a war between the British and French, but it was seen as a failure because not everyone was pleased as Churchill thought that he still lost in the end.
Who did Hitler blame for all of Germany’s problems and why?
Hitler blamed the Jews for all of Germany’s problems because Jewish people stabbed Germany’s back, Hitler blamed them for his mother’s death and accused his father of being Jewish.
How did Hitler control information to the German public?
By appointing Dr. Joseph Goebbels as the head of the Nazi Propaganda Industry who took control of all forms of communication in Germany, like newspapers, magazines, radio broadcasts, music, and more.
Why did Canada “Sleep” through this period?
Canada didn’t do anything when Hitler stripped the rights of Jews from them because Canada didn’t want to get involved in the situation, wishing to focus on their own issues in their own country.
Explain the St. Louis incident. What happened to those on board?
In June of 1939, an ocean liner called the St. Louis arrived on Canada’s east coast carrying 937 Jews, including 400 women and children. The refugees had turned to Canada after being denied entrance to several Latin American countries. Earlier in 1939, the Canadian government had accepted a group of nearly 3,000 German refugees. Those on board the St. Louis hoped Canada would also welcome them with open arms. However, while the government believed that Germans would be good farmers, they felt that Jews would not. In the end, despite protest from 44 well-known Canadians, the ship was forced to return to Europe with all passengers on board. Many of the Jews on board later died in Nazi concentration camps.
When does Canada declare war and how was this declaration different from World War 1?
Canada declares war on September 10, 1939. This is different from World War 1 because Canada declared war with Britain against Germany, while Canada declares war independently against Germany.
What happened in the Battle of Dunkirk? Why was it considered a miracle?
In the Battle of Dunkirk, British and French troops were pushed back to the English Channel by advancing German soldiers in Dunkirk, a tiny French town. It was considered a miracle because of how fishermen, ferry boats, and pleasure sailors rescued trapped British soldiers.
Why did Germany want to control the skies over the English Channel?
Because they wanted to do so before its planned invasion fleet could sail.
How many days was London bombed and what did Londoners do during the bombing raids?
London was bombed for 57 consecutive nights. Londoners decided to move into air raid shelters, subway stations, reopening their stores, and just “carry on”.
What happened on December 7, 1941? Why was it significant?
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, in the United States. The United States declared war on Japan, and Canada followed suit. In Canada, concerns were raised that the Japanese Canadian population living near the coast would spy on or sabotage Canadian military and security measures for the Japanese. However, experts in the military and the RCMP did not believe that Japanese Canadians posed any threat to safety and security. Despite this, the Canadian government responded to the public’s racism and ordered all “persons of Japanese racial origin” to be removed from the “restricted zone” within 100 miles of the west coast of British Columbia. Almost 22,000 were affected by this order, with many of them being Canadian citizens and half of them being born in Canada. Most of the Japanese nationals have been living in Canada for over 25 years. Men, women, and children were forced to leave their homes, many with only two days’ notice or less to prepare. With severe restrictions on luggage, they left behind not only significant assets, such as homes, cars, and boats, but also treasured heirlooms and many other precious possessions. These were later sold by the government without the owners’ consent. The large number of Japanese Canadians were sent to hastily built camps in the BC interior, where they lived in tiny, crowded shacks with no insulation, which is often called the internment. Men aged 18-45 were forced to leave their families to work in road camps or be sent to prisoner of war camps if they protested. Some families, to stay together, went to sugar beet farms on the prairies, where they worked very long hours and lived in poor conditions for almost no pay, or went to other provinces.
What trouble did Canadian troops face at the battle of Hong Kong?
Canadian troops were not well-equipped for the battle as they surrendered after 17 days of hard fighting. 290 soldiers, including the commander, died and nearly 500 were wounded, but survivors didn’t have it as lucky, either. They were transferred to Japanese prison camps for the remainder of the war, and many of them were mistreated horribly. They were prisoners of war who were used as slave labor in coal and iron mines. Some Canadians were tortured, badly beaten, caught diseases, and over 200 of them died in the prisoner of war camps.
What is an internment camp?
A hastily built camp in the BC interior, where many Japanese Canadians lived in tiny, crowded shacks with no insulation.
Why was Japanese Canadians interned during the war?
Because they were under the Defence of Canada’s Regulations.
How did Canada attempt to apologize to Japanese Canadians in 1988?
Hong Kong veterans have pressed Canada to exact a formal apology from the Japanese and compensate for their losses.
What was the purpose of the Battle of Dieppe?
For the Allies to take a quick punch at the German stronghold, hoping to worry the Nazis, gather crucial information about their coastal defences, and then return safely to Britain.
What went wrong at Dieppe and what lessons were learned?
What went wrong at Dieppe is that German forces were more ready to attack than the Allies. German artillery on the cliffs mowed down the soldiers as they left the landing crafts and tried to run for cover. Allied sea and air support was not enough to protect the soldiers on the open, stony shore. Tanks that were meant to lead the way for the soldiers bogged down on the beach. Some forces managed to reach the town, but the vast majority were killed as nearly 900 Canadians were dead or dying, over 1,000 were wounded, and 1900 prisoners of war were taken by the Germans, with only 2200 of those who landed that morning returned to Britain. The lessons that were learned were that fire support by the sea and air would be overwhelming, and a way would be found to land the land large numbers of troops and equipment safely on the beaches of France.
Why was the Battle of Italy so difficult for the Allies?
Because of how Italy’s winter cold and summer heat exhausted them.
What were Canadian troops specialized in doing at the battle of Ortona?
During the Battle of Ortona, Canadian troops were specialized in “mouse holing”, where they smashed through buildings and walls to avoid streets blocked with rubble.
What eventually happened to Mussolini?
Mussolini was executed, along with his mistress, Claretta Petacci, were executed the following afternoon, two days before Hitler’s suicide.
What was the purpose of D-Day?
To liberate Europe and defeat Germany.
What beach did Canadians attack?
Juno Beach.
Why was D-Day the beginning of the end for Hitler?
Because the Allies were able to push back the Germans and now the Allies can focus on restoring mainland Europe.
Explain what life was like under the Nazi with reference to the Nuremberg Laws?
Life was cruel and unfair for the Jews. Jewish people were humiliated in school as they had to measure all students’ skull size and nose length, and recorded the color of their pupils, hair, and eyes. Jews were declared second-class citizens, meaning that they were ineligible to vote and could not marry or have sexual relations with persons of “German or related blood”. Nazis also impoverished Jews by requiring them to register their property and then by “Aryanizing” Jewish businesses, where Jewish workers were dismissed, and the ownership of Jewish businesses were taken over by Germans who bought them at bargain prices determined in advance by the Nazis. Jewish doctors were forbidden to treat non-Jews and Jewish lawyers were forbidden to practice law. Jews were further singled out by identification by having a red” J” stamped on their identity cards and given new middle names, (“Israel for males and “Sara” for females) so the police could easily identify Jews.
What was the Holocaust?
The Holocaust was defined as a sacrifice totally burned by fire. It involved the annihilation of the Jews and other groups of people of Europe under the Nazi regime during World War 2.
Besides Jews, what three other groups were persecuted by the Nazis?
Disabled people, homosexuals, and Slavic people.
How many people died in the Holocaust?
A total of 11 million people.
Provide two points of information for each stage of Hitler’s plan of action against the Jews:
Stage 1: Stripping of Rights: The Nuremberg Laws stated that Jews were forced to carry ID cards and that they were banned from German schools and universities.
Stage 2: Segregation: Jews were forced to live in designated areas called “ghettos” to isolate them from the rest of society, but they were filthy with poor sanitation and extreme overcrowding.
Stage 3: Concentration Camps: Prisoners faced undernourishment and starvation, and camps were built on railroad lines for efficient transportation.
Stage 4: Extermination (Final Solution): Nazi extermination camps fulfilled the singular function of mass murder and Nazi had a policy to eliminate “life unworthy of life” (mentally or physically challenged) to promote Aryan “racial integrity”.
What finally happened to Hitler?
Hitler and his wife committed suicide.
What happened on May 8, 1945? What does V-E day stand for?
On May 8, 1945, V-E Day was when Germany unconditionally surrendered its military forces to the Allies, including the United States. It also marked the end of World War 2 in Europe. V-E Day stands for Victory in Europe Day.
What two Japanese cities did the U.S drop the atomic bomb on?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
What happened to people who were in the bomb zone?
They died, were burned alive, got cancer by radiation poisoning, lost their hair, and many other problems.
Outline four reasons the U.S. was justified in dropping the atomic bomb and four reasons they were not justified in dropping the atomic bomb.
The U.S. were justified in dropping the atomic bomb as they thought that it would prevent a Japan invasion, it would save more American lives by stopping the invasion, it would save money, and because of America’s hatred for the Japanese and desire for revenge. The four reasons they were not justified in dropping the atomic bomb is because it killed numerous people, destroyed several buildings, people suffered long term effects of radiation poisoning, and people being burned alive.
List four contributions of Canadian women to the war effort at home.
Canadian women worked in munitions factory, built for ships and aircraft, treated injured soldiers, and flew planes.
How did women contribute to the Canadian military in World War 2?
By serving as nurses, cooks, machine operators, and secretaries.
What was Camp X and what was its purpose?
Camp X, which operated in Oshawa, Ontario from 1941 to 1946, was a training camp responsible for training recruits for the Special Operations Executives of the British Security Coordination during World War 2.
How did Camp X prepare agents for their work behind enemy lines?
By covering a variety of intelligence/counter intelligence and infiltration techniques, enduring intense physical fitness training, live fire exercises, hand to hand combat, parachute jumping, and many more.
What is the significance of Camp X in Canadian history? Consider impact (quality, quantity, duration), and relevance to the larger story of Canadian history.
It was significant because it was the first experiment of its kind in Anglo/American/Canadian intelligence cooperation and operated as one of the hubs of intelligence training and wartime communications for the Allied war effort.
What happened during Operation Barbarossa? Why was it significant?
In 1939, just before attacking Poland, Hitler had signed a treaty with the Russians agreeing that the two countries would not go to war. Hitler had always hated the Russians as he disliked their form of government (communism) and thought Russia’s Slavic population were only good as slaves. As a result, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the codename for the surprise invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler invaded Russia in June 1941 using his Blitzkrieg (lightning war) tactics. He invaded the Soviet Union (Communist Russia) primarily to gain lebensraum (living space) for his German Aryan master race and for resources. Hitler invaded in 1941 because he believed the Soviet Union was then very weak and that their army could not put up a fight against his experienced troops who had conquered most of Europe. Hitler made a big mistake where he spent little time on gathering intelligence, spying or scouting before the Soviet Union. The General that Hitler picked didn’t even speak Russian. Hitler’s second mistake was the lack of supplies, such as clothes and equipment, he gave his soldiers. In Russia, winters are hard, and the temperatures are often 20 below zero. The bitter cold prevented the German army from fighting and carrying on its invasion as it lost its strength through the winter. The German army was totally unprepared for fighting in this huge country as it was exhausting, it stretched the army to their limit and were already suffering badly from the winter. The Russians saw their chance and Stalin (their leader) counter-attacked near Moscow and Stalingrad using fresh reinforcements which were brought from the far Eastern side of Russia, from Siberia and the far East.
Explain why people in Germany would have supported Hitler and believed that he was a good leader.
People supported Hitler and believed that he was a good leader because not only was he a popular and dramatic public speaker, but he promised a new and better life for Germans and a glorious new future for the German State.
How did Hitler become the only leader of Germany? What did he do to ensure that he would be the only one to rule the country?
Hitler became the only leader in Germany by him and the Nazis winning 33% of the votes cast in the German elections. He ensured to be the only one to rule the country by using the SA and SS to handle enemies and show his power as Chancellor.
Who were the SA and the SS? What were each of their duties?
The Storm Troopers (SA) are auxiliary policemen who intimate and beat up opponents of the Nazis, while the Protective Squad (SS) is an elite squad who served as auxiliary police and later as concentration camp guards.
How did Hitler feel about the Aryan race?
Hitler felt that it must remain pure in order to take over the world one day.
How did Hitler portray the Jewish people? Why did he do this?
Hitler portrayed the Jewish people with large noses, full lips, and menacing looks. He did this because he hoped that people in Allied countries would be persuaded that Jews should be blamed for the war.
Who was Joseph Goebbels and what did he do?
Joseph Goebbels was the head of the Nazi Propaganda Ministry. He tried to take control of all forms of communication in Germany, including newspapers, magazines, books, public meetings, rallies, art, music, movies, and radio broadcasts.
How did Hitler try to control what people read and believed? Why would he do this?
Hitler tried to control what people read and believe by burning the old books from bookstores and libraries made by Nazi student organizations, professors, and librarians across Germany and introducing new books in schools that taught blind obedience to the Nazi party, love for Hitler and anti-Semitism. One schoolbook titled “The Poisonous Mushroom” was meant to install hatred of Jews at a very young age for school children. Youth groups such as Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls trained children to be faithful to the Nazi Party. Hitler did this because the Nazis employed a massive propaganda campaign designed to win the loyalty of the German population.
How did the SS target Jewish businesses? Why was this done?
The SS targeted Jewish businesses by the storm troopers standing menacingly in front of Jewish owned shops. The yellow star of David was painted across thousands of doors and windows. Signs were posted saying “Don’t Buy from Jews” and “The Jews Are Our Misfortune”. This was done because since the German population was filled with 600,00 German Jews, all were targeted for discrimination and eventual death with the rise of Nazism.
Why was this event important or significant?
Because it marked the beginning of a nationwide campaign by the Nazi party against the entire German Jewish population.
What was Kristallnacht/The Night of Broken Glass?
Where pogroms, like Jewish businesses being trashed and looted, dozens of Jewish people being killed, and one thousand burned synagogues, became known as “The Night of Broken Glass” or “Kristallnacht”. It’s also called “The Night of Broken Glass” for the shattered glass from store windows that littered the streets.
Why is this night significant?
Because Kristallnacht marked the turning point toward more violent and repressive treatment of Jews by the Nazis.
What event brought the U.S. into World War 2?
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in December 1941.
Why are some Canadians sent to defend Hong Kong?
Because Canada is allies with Britain and wants to stop Japan from trying to take over Hong Kong, a British colony.
Why was Sergeant-Major John Osborne awarded the Victoria Cross?
Because his unit was pinned down by Japanese forces.
How many Canadians were wounded in Hong Kong?
Nearly 500 Canadians.
How many Canadians were killed in Hong Kong?
A total of 267 Canadians.
Following the surrender, explain what happened to the surviving Canadian soldiers?
The surviving Canadian soldiers lived awful lives because they were forcibly sent to prison camps for the remainder of the war. Several of them were treated very cruelly as they became slaves, working in coal and iron mines. They also had to suffer torment and getting pulverized.
What was the code name for the Dieppe raid?
“Operation Jubilee”.
Briefly describe the events of August 19th, 1942.
At 4:50 in the morning, 5000 Canadians began to land on the beaches at Dieppe, but the German forces were ready to attack. Germany artillery on the cliffs moved down the soldiers as they left the landing crafts and tried to run for cover. Allied sea and air support wasn’t enough to protect the soldiers on the open, stony store. Tanks that were meant to lead the way for the soldiers bogged down on the beach. Some forces managed to reach the town, but the vast majority were killed.
How many Canadian troops went to Dieppe?
A total of 5000 Canadians
How many Canadian troops were killed?
Nearly 900 Canadian troops.
How many Canadian troops were wounded?
Over 1000 Canadian troops.
Overall, how many soldiers who landed that morning were taken as prisoners of war?
1900 soldiers.
Overall, how many soldiers who landed that morning returned to Britain?
Only 2200 soldiers.
What important lessons were learned from the Dieppe raid?
That when the decisive invasion of Europe finally came two years later, the Allies remembered their Dieppe experience. This time, fire support by sea and air would be overwhelming, and a way would be found to land large numbers of troops and equipment safely on the beaches of France.
Why was the island of Britain in “deadly danger” in 1942?
Because fifty million people could not live or fight without food and supplies from outside.
How big was the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) at the beginning of the war?
It was a small force.
How big was the RCN at the end of the war?
It became Canada’s third largest navy in the world with nearly 400 warships and 113,000 personnel, including 7000 women.
Why was the Canadian convoys and corvettes an important contribution to the war at sea?
Convoys are ships that travel as a group in fifty or sixty supply ships, while corvettes are small, fast vessels that accompany the larger, supply ships. Civilian sailors of the Merchant Marine sailed the cargo ships, which were the main targets of the German submarines, in the convoys. Convoys had to suffer the greatest losses in the war as they often had to go on when one of their ships was torpedoed. It was too dangerous to slow down and pick up survivors. Even in Canadian coastal waters, soldiers were at risk.
Why were the Germans and the Allies bombing cities and civilian targets?
The Germans and the Allies bombed cities and civilian targets because the Allies initially wanted to destroy German industries, railways, highways, bridges, and oil refineries. However, Allied air chiefs decided to try to destroy the German fighting spirit by mercilessly pounding cities from the air.
Many pilots lost their lives in battle. What difficulties did pilots have to contend with while fighting?
Pilots had to contend with fast enemy fighters, anti-aircraft fire, radar, poor weather, darkness, unreliable equipment, fatigue, and being found in the glare of enemy searchlights. They even had to deal with bombers falling at the rate of one a minute as one pilot noted.
What was the purpose of the “Dambusters” raid? Was it successful?
The purpose of the “Dambusters” raid was to cripple German industry and shorten the war. The raid was partially successful because despite two dams being blown, the cost to Canadians was high and of the 30-aircrew sent out, 13 were killed and one was taken prisoner.
What does the word “Blitzkreig” mean?
Lightening war.
What did Nazi use for air and ground attack?
Dive-bombers, tanks and mobilized infantry.
Nazi armies crushed Poland in less than how many months?
1 month.
What is the Phony War in winter 1940?
When no fighting took place and where the Nazis were carefully staging their attack.
Nazi crushed Denmark for how long?
1 day.
Nazi crushed Norway for how long?
2 days.
Nazi crushed the Netherlands for how long?
5 days.
Nazi crushed Belgium for how long?
18 days
Nazi crushed France for how long?
6 weeks.
Where where British and French troops pushed back to?
The English Channel.
Who rescued trapped British soldiers?
Fishermen, ferry boats, and pleasure sailors.
How many soldiers were rescued?
350,000 soldiers.
Who is Winston Churchill?
Britain’s new prime minister
What did Churchill promise his citizens?
“Blood, toil, tears, and sweat” to end this war.
What does the RAF stand for?
British Royal Air Force.
When did Germany need to control the skies over the Channel by?
Before its planned invasion fleet could sail.
What else happened once the London raids allowed the few RAF to regroup?
New pilots were trained and planes came off assembly lines at about 500/month.
Battle of Britain was won by a few hundred pilots, which include:
Canadians, Poles, Britons, South Africans, and New Zealanders.
How many planes did RAF and Luftwaffe lost?
RAF lost 915 planes and Luftwaffe lost 1,722 planes.
What would happen if Hitler could not wipe out Britain?
Then he would turn against the Soviet Union.
What part did Albert Einstein play in the atomic bomb?
Albert Einstein came up with many theories that helped scientists in the making of the atomic bomb. When he realized that such a bomb could be made, he was frightened about what might happen if Hitler and Germany learned how to make the bomb first. He wrote a letter to US President Franklin Roosevelt telling him about the atomic bomb. As a result, Roosevelt set up the Manhattan Project.
What was the Manhattan Project?
It was the name for the research and development program for the atomic bomb. It started small, but as the bomb became real, the United States added scientists and funding to be sure they were the first to have the bomb. Ironically, many of the scientists involved in making the bomb have defected from Germany. By the end of the project, funding had reached $2 billion and there were around 200,000 people working on the project.
Explain on the First Atomic Bomb.
On July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was exploded in the New Mexico desert. The explosion was massive and the equivalent to 18,000 tons of TNT. Scientists figured that the temperature at the centre of the explosion was three times hotter than the centre of the sun. Although the scientists were happy they had successfully made the bomb, they also were sad and fearful. This bomb would change the world and would cause mass destruction and death. When president Harry Truman heard of the bomb’s success, he wrote “We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world”.
What happened on the deciding to drop the bomb?
By the time the first atomic bomb had been made, Germany had already surrendered and World War 2 in Europe was over. Japan was defeated as well, but would not surrender. The US was contemplating an invasion of Japan. Army leaders figured that anywhere from 500,000 to 1 million US and Allied soldiers would die in an invasion. President Truman decided to drop the atomic bomb instead.
What was the name of the atomic bomb that dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945?
Little Boy.
How many people were killed in Hiroshima when the Little Boy dropped?
Tens of thousands of people.
What was the name of the plane that dropped the Little Boy and who piloted the plane?
The Enola Gay was the name of the plane and Colonel Paul Tibbetts was the name of the pilot.
How long and how much did the Little Boy weigh?
The Little Boy was over 10 feet long and weighed around 10,000 pounds.
Why was there a small parachute on the Little Boy?
In order to slow its drop and allow the plane time to fly away from the blast zone.
What was the name of the atomic bomb that dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945.
It was nicknamed the Fat Man.
How many days after the bombing of Nagasaki did Emperor Hirohito and Japan surrender to US forces?
Six days after the bombing of Nagasaki.
Who was the lead scientist on the Manhattan Project?
J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is often called the “father of the atomic bomb”.
What was the Little Boy that dropped on Hiroshima made from?
Uranium.
What was the Fat Man that dropped on Nagasaki made from?
Plutonium.
Is plutonium even more powerful than uranium?
Yes.
How many people died from the Hiroshima explosion?
At least 135,000 people.
How many people died from the Nagasaki explosion?
Another 70,000.
Why was Hiroshima chosen to be bombed?
Because it was a large port city with an army base. It also had not been damaged much by earlier bombings. This would show just how powerful the new weapon was.
Why did the Empire of Japan invade Manchuria?
In order to increase its natural resources.
What did Japan do in order to prevent the US from interfering with their plans?
They staged a sneak attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.
