Part 4 World War II and its Aftermath Flashcards
Series of acts passed by Congress starting in 1935. First two acts outlawed arms sales and loans to nations at war. Third act expanded to nations in a civil war and allowed the sale of non-military goods to warring nations as long as it was cash and carry (buyer pays in cash and arranges transportation). Another act in 1939, prohibited Americans from entering war zones, but extended cash and carry to include weapons.
Neutrality Acts
Signed into law in 1941, allowed the U.S. to sell, lease, or lend war materials to “any country whose defense was vital to the United States.” Intended to help Britain and was soon expanded to help the Soviet Union.
LEND LEASE ACT
Joint declaration of war aims from the U.S. and Britain – U.S. had not yet entered the war, but Roosevelt thought it was inevitable. Pledged disarmament, freedom of the seas, economic development, and selfdetermination. Also laid the foundation for the United Nations.
ATLANTIC CHARTER
U.S. naval base in Hawaii that was attacked by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941. This attack pushed Congress to approve Roosevelt’s request for a declaration of war and three days later Germany and Italy (Japan’s allies) declared war on the U.S.
PEARL HARBOR
Hitler’s plan to exterminate the Jews in Europe (genocide). Approximately six million Jewish men, women, and children were killed during the Holocaust. 5 million other “undesirables” were also murdered.
FINAL SOLUTION
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans living on the West Coast were forced into relocating to internment camps farther inland where they would be required to live until the end of the war. Many were forced to sell their property and belongings on short notice and for less than their true value.
JAPANESE INTERNMENT ACT
City in Italy where the Allied forces launched an amphibious attack to gain a foothold on Italy’s mainland. Met with strong resistance from German forces, and casualties were high.
SALERNO
City in Northern France – site of the Allied invasion into France on June 6, 1944 (DDay). After 7 days of fighting, the Allies held an 80-mile strip of France, after 2 months they liberated Paris, and by September the Allies had freed France, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
NORMANDY
Victory in Europe Day. Day Germany’s military leaders surrendered to the Allies.
V-E DAY
Five day battle (May 1942) where the fighting was done from airplanes that took off from aircraft carriers. First time since Pearl Harbor that a Japanese invasion had been stopped.
BATTLE OF CORAL SEA
Turning point of the war in the Pacific. Americans had broken the Japanese code and knew an attack was coming. They caught Japan unawares – destroying 4 of their aircraft carriers, a cruiser, and 250 planes.
BATTLE OF MIDWAY
Japanese cities where the atomic bombs were dropped by the U.S. three days apart killing an estimated 200,000 people. After Nagasaki, the Japanese surrendered on V-J Day.
HIROSHIMA & NAGASAKI
Had 172 military training centers. U.S. government spent more than $98 billion in FL to further the war effort – purchased/rented hotels for troop use, shipyards built “Liberty Ships, agriculture production increased, etc. Population grew by 46% between 1940 and 1950.
FLORIDA IN WW2
Trials of 24 Nazi leaders held between 1945 and 1946. They were charged with crimes against humanity, crimes against the peace, and war crimes. Trials established the idea of individual responsibility in international law as many claimed they were just following orders, but were still found guilty.
NUREMBERG TRIALS
2nd wartime conference held between U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union (first was Tehran Conference in 1941). Decide to split Germany into 4 occupation zones, free elections in Soviet-occupied Eastern European countries, and Soviet participation in an international conference (creation of the UN).
YALTA CONFERENCE
Created on June 26, 1945 by representatives from 50 nations – intended to promote peace. Came from “A Declaration of the United Nations” (signed by 26 nations in 1942) which was established from the Atlantic Charter’s aims – it called for a creation of a new peacekeeping organization.
UNITED NATIONS
African American woman (lived in Daytona where she opened a school for African American girls that became Bethune-Cookman College). She was appointed by Truman to be a delegate on interracial relations at the San Francisco Conference which drafted the United Nations Charter. Only woman of color at the conference.
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
Division in Europe between the Democratic West and the Communist East. Travel and contact between the two areas was restricted.
IRON CURTAIN
President Truman’s speech to Congress asking for aid to help Turkey and Greece resist the growing communist influence. Official beginning of the “containment” policy – stopping the spread of communism to other countries.
TRUMAN DOCTRINE
Highly successful plan to provide U.S. aid to war-torn European countries to help them rebuild their economies. Would create allies and trading partners for the U.S. while also helping to stop communism from spreading.
MARSHALL PLAN
Soviet Union closed off West Berlin from road and rail after the three Western powers merged their sections of Germany to form a unified West Germany. Western allies began an airlift to supply the city with food and other necessities. Within a year, the Soviets lifted the blockade.
BERLIN BLOCKADE
Soviet Union response to NATO – created with its own satellite countries. Used to justify the Soviet Union’s interference in the affairs of Eastern Europe.
WARSAW PACT
Korea was ruled by Japan in 1945 – when Japan surrendered those above the 38th parallel surrendered to the Soviets and below it to the Americans – two nations developed. North Korea attacked South Korea in 1950. UN forces (mostly American) defended S. Korea. After a year of back and forth fighting, a cease fire was issued. Two years later an armistice was signed at Panmunjom, a city in the demilitarized zone. Korea is still two nations divided at the 38th parallel.
KOREAN WAR
Created by Truman to conduct investigations of government employees and dismiss those that were found to be disloyal to the U.S. government.
LOYALTY BOARDS
Term used to refer to the antiCommunist hysteria of the 1950s or accusing people of disloyalty without evidence. Name comes from Joseph McCarthy a senator who charged that communists were taking over the government. He created a “witch hunt” for Communists.
MCARTHYISM
Pent up desire for consumer goods (unavailable during the war) and money to spend (savings from defense work, service pay, and war bond investments) leads to economic growth. Cold War keeps defense spending high and people employed. Demand for housing (suburbs especially) also increases employment and economic growth.
POST WWII PROSPERITY
Created by Congress in 1944 to help servicemen readjust to civilian life – pays part of their tuition, guarantees a year’s worth of unemployment benefits, and offered low-interest federally guaranteed loans.
G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS
(SERVICEMAN READJUSTMENT ACT)
Babies born in the years after WWII. Birth rate (number of babies born per 1,000 people) increased for more than a decade after the war ended.
BABY BOOMERS
Network of highways that unite the country – created from the 1956 Federal Highway Act. Contributed to the nation’s prosperity and encouraged the growth of suburbs (as people could use the highways to drive into work in the cities).
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY ACT
Minorities found it hard to obtain the same prosperity – excluded from middle-class jobs and the opportunity to move to the suburbs. African Americans – in the South, many were still tenant farmers; in the North, they were hired for low-wage jobs. Hispanic Americans – in the West, many were migrant farm workers
LIMITS OF POST WORLD WAR II PROSPERITY
