Major Events Of World War 2 Flashcards
What were the turning points of world war 2
- The evacuation from Dunkirk
- If Britain had not stood firm, Hitler would have dominated Europe, the USA had not yet entered and Germany might have won or prolonged the war
- The USA joins the war on the side of Britain
- The USSR has helped the allied cause immensely. Their military is spar-heading the military defeat of Germany in the East.
- The USA, Britain, France and allies defeat western German forces
- The auto mic bomb brings Japan to a defeat and ends world war 2. It also poses major questions about the future with nuclear weapons.
When was the nazi soviet pact signed
In 1939
When did germany and the USSR attack Poland
In 1939
What tactic did the Germans use to beat their opponents
The blitzkrieg tactic
What other countries were attacked by the USSR and Germans after Poland
It was finland, Norway and Denmark
What did the defeats in Norway lead to
It led to a lack of confidence in chamberlain, the British prime minister . He resigned in May 1940 and was replaced by Winston Churchill
How did Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics work
Germany’s blitzkrieg was designed to avoid stalemate and trench ware fare of world war 1. The objective was to break through enemy lines at the weakest points and then rush forward to spread fear and confusion behind the lines. Pockets of enemy resistance could then be isolated and destroyed. A blitzkrieg attack unfolds in 6 stages
What is the first stages of the blitzkrieg tactic
- German attackers identify a weak spot in the enemy’s defensive line
What is the second stages of the blitzkrieg tactic
- Infantry troops create a smokescreen to hide the forces gathering for a breakthrough.
What is the third stage of the blitzkrieg tactic
- Planes bomb military and civilian targets behind the lines. Paratroopers disrupt communications and slow the movement of enemy reinforcements
What is the fourth stage of the blitzkrieg tactic
- Tanks break through the weak spot, spreading panic among troops and civilians.
What is the fifth stage of the blitzkrieg tactic
- Motorised divisions move through the opening and circle back to surround the enemy forces from behind
What is the sixth stage of the blitzkrieg tactic
- Infantry troops arrive to take care of any remaining areas of resistance
Who replaced chamberlain as prime minister
Winston Churchill
What was turning point 1 in world war 2
The evacuation from Dunkirk and the fall of France
On which countries did Germany launch their next wave of blitzkrieg
Holland, Belgium and France on 10 May 1940
When did Holland surrender
15 May
When did Belgium surrender
28 May
What option did the British have during the fight at Dunkirk
To either evacuate as many of their troops as possible or fight to the bitter end
What is operation Dynamo
An operation to evacuate the allied soldiers from Dunkirk
When did operation Dynamo start and end
It started 26 May 1940 and ended in 4 June 1940 when the Germans captured Dunkirk
How many soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk
Over 300 000 soldiers were evacuated and this was labelled a success
What did Churchill say after the evacuation form Dunkirk
Wars are not won from evacuations
What did they use to evacuate the soldiers from Dunkirk
They made use of civilian ships and boats
Where did the evacuation of Dunkirk take place
In the Channel between Britain and France
What did Churchill say about the Battle of Britain to motivate the British people to persevere
“We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them on the landing-grounds, we will fight them in the fields and in the streets, we will fight them in the hills; we will never surrender”
What was the of plan hitler devised to invade Britain
Opération sea lion
What did operation sea lion entail
It entailed heavy bombing of Britain to destroy the Royal Air Force, followed by a major invasion from the sea to conquer the land
What was the German airforce
Luftwaffe
How long was the Battle of Britain
July to end October 1940
Why did Britain win the Battle of Britain
- The radar: an early air defence warning system
- ultra: the breaking of the German coding system which allowed them to understand the German radio communications.
- the help obtained from the US.
What were the major British aircrafts
The Spitfires, the hurricanes
What was the major German aircraft
The Messerschmitt
Were the Germans successful in their air raids and why
Yes the Germans were very successful in their air raids. They knocked out many British airfields do the British were reduced to crisis measures
What les Britain to start its bombing of German cities
When in one German air raid some bombs fell on London Britain started bombing German cities. I’m retaliation hitler ordered that British cities(Liverpool, London, Coventry) be bombed
Why did hitler postpone operation sea lion
The bombing of cities in Britain gave the British Air Force a chance to recover and turn the tide of the battle
When did operation Barbarossa
22 June 1941
What was operation Barbarossa
The plan to invade Russia during the summer of 1941
What was the largest land invasion ever
When Hitler attacked the ussr
Where did Germany attack in Russia
There were three prongs— Leningrad, Moscow and the oil fields which were in the North, centre and south
What policy had the Russians adopted when things were looking desperate for them
They had adopted the scorched earth policy in retreating, which meant that crops were burnt, factories destroyed and so on. This meant that the Germans could get very little from the areas through which they were moving
Why did Germany decide to break the nazi- Soviet Union pact
Because German was a fascist country and Russia was a democratic country. Germany went against any country that worked different to theirs
Why were things Turing bad for Germany even though they had initial success at the invasion of the USSR
- winter was approaching in Russia
- petrol froze in petrol tanks
- they weren’t wearing the appropriate uniform
- frostbite
What did the Russians when they saw the Germans were struggling form the ferocious winter in Russia
They launched a major counter attack from December 1941 (during Russian winter)
What did the USA declare herself during the outbreak of world war 2
They declared they were neutral, but through the cash and Carry and lend-lease act favoured Britain and France
Why did the USA move from being neutral to being a non-belligerent country
The USA and especially the President F.D Roosevelt felt much sympathy towards Britain. They felt that they could not allow Britain to lose the war and wished to revise the neutrality act so as to take action against Hitler, because they were horrified at what he was doing.
What was the cash and carry clause
That allowed nations at war to purchase weapons and other goods from USA as long as they paid cash for them and carried them away in their own ships
What was the lend a lease act
That allows the USA to loan weapons etc to the allies, if the president thought their defence was essential to that of the USA. Such goods would be returned to the USA after war
What eventually brought the USA into the war
- when Japan attacked Pearl harbour
- Germany and Italy declared war on USA
Why USA declare war on Japan
The Japan had practised a policy of expansion in the Far East from 1931 onwards. The USA had moved her fleet to Pearl harbour in Hawaii in order to keep a better look on the Japanese expansion moves. Japan had to either submit to US authority or challenge by attacking the US fleet. They negotiated for some time before Sunday 7 December 1941 when Japan attacked the US fleet at Pearl harbour without warning.
When did USA declare war on Japan
On 8 December 1941
What countries had Italian colonies dominated
Ethiopia and most of east Africa.
What were the Italians forced to do when the allies moved up Africa to defeat them
They were very unsuccessful and were forced to surrender in Ethiopia and were being pushed back into North Africa.
What did the Germans do to help Italy
The Germans under general Römmel came to help
What did Rommels tactics lead to
They lead to the allied forces being pushed back towards Egypt and British losses at Tobruk in 1942
Who were the British forces in Africa led by
General Montgomery, a flamboyant, energetic and successful commander
When was the battle of El Alamein fought
From 23 October 1942 to 5 November 1942
What happened during the battle of El Alamein
The Germans were defeated by the British force under Montgomery
Where did much of the bitter fighting occur in Europe from 1942 to 1944
Between the USSR and Germany on the eastern front
When did the Germans finally surrender against the USSR
At the end of 1943
What was the largest tank battle of world war 2
The battle of Kursk that took place 1943
What was D-day
Ok 6 June when British, America and other allies launched operation overlord (the largest ever seaborne invasion)
What was operation overlord
It is whereby the allied invaded Europe.
Who led the allies during the invasion across the Chanel and the land at Calais
General Eisenhower from the USA
And what beaches did the British land
At gold, Juno and sword beaches
What beaches did the us land at
Utah and Omaha beaches
What two factors helped the US and the British while they were at the beaches
The artificial harbour and PLUTO
Why did the British under Montgomery want to push and move quickly as possible into Germany
So as to capture Berlin before the Russians. The US under Eisenhower and supported by Roosevelt wanted to consolidate their positions and move more slowly. This last position is we the one that was adopted
When did the allies arrive on German soil
In 1945
When did Eastern and western forces meet and what happen when they did
On 25 april 1945 and then by agreement the Russians went in to capture Berlin, which they did, with considerable cruelty.
When did hitler commit suicide
On 30 April 1945
When did the German forces surrender world war 2
On victory in Europe day on 8 May 1945
When did Japan surrender
On 2 September 1945, this brought the war to an end
At which battles where the japans defeated
The battle of midway, coral sea and Leyte gulf
What is kamikaze
Suicide pilots. A kind of warfare where planes with explosives were flown by pilots to crash directly into enemy ships
What strategy did the US use against Japan
The island hopping strategy
What was the project called for creation of the atomic bomb called
The Manhattan project
What was the name of the first atomic bomb dropped
The fat man
When was the first atomic bomb dropped
6 august 1945
Where was the first atomic bomb dropped
In the city of Hiroshima from the aircraft Enola gay
What was the name of the second atomic bomb dropped
The little boy
When was the second atomic bomb dropped
9 august 1945
Where was the second atomic bomb dropped
On Nagasaki
