Social Science Flashcards
Which president ultimately decided to drop the atomic bomb on Japan?
Harry Truman
Within 24 hours of the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan attacked this country with American military bases
Philippines
Who did Hitler appoint to command all Axis troops in their occupation of North Africa and the Mediterranean?
Albert Kesselring
After securing the island of Iwo Jima, American forces were now prepared to invade this island
Okinawa
The Works Progress Administration started under President
Roosevelt
Approximately how many years after the sinking of the USS Panay in China did Japan launch an attack on a naval base at Pearl Harbor?
Four
Which president signed an executive order establishing the Office of War Information?
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Approximately how long after the start of the Allied forces’ invasion of Sicily was Benito Mussolini ousted as prime minister of Italy?
Two weeks
What is the name of the range of mountains that is situated between the borders of France and Spain?
Pyrenees
In 1945, scientists in America successfully test detonated the first atomic bomb in a place in New Mexico called
Alamogordo
The capital of Romania
Bucharest
The North African campaign was comprised of
Three phases
Civilian fear of being captured by American forces and policy for military servicemen led many Japanese to
Suicide
An investigation by this organization led Stalin to sever the relations between the Polish government-in-exile and the Soviet Union
International Red Cross
During the Tokyo War Crimes Trial, how many days did the defense of those accused of war crimes run?
255
Comprised mostly of women from this country, “comfort women” were women forced into prostitution for the use of imperial troops stationed throughout Asia
Korea
This was an American and British struggle against German forces to keep important shipping lanes open
Battle of the Atlantic
As a result of the Holocaust, the United Nations adopted the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The city of Hiroshima is part of which island chain?
Honshu
special SS paramilitary units, performed cleaning up operations in the rearguard following invasion of Poland (1939) and Soviet Union (1941); largely responsible for mass killing of Jews and other ethnic minorities
Einsatzgruppen
in Belgium, central battleground between German and American forces during the Battle of the Bulge
Bastogne
public non-aggression pact between Germany/Soviet Union, Aug 23, 1939
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
originally built in 1940 to hold Polish prisoners, because the largest extermination camp, 1.1 million people died
Auschwitz-Birkenau
1933 amendment to Weimar Constitution, granted Hitler as chancellor the power to enact laws without the German Parliament or Reichstag
Enabling Act
agreement between American and British military/gov. March 29, 1941, that defeating Nazi Germany has to have the highest priority in the war
Europe First Strategy
radical right-wing movement first in Italy and later in Germany during interwar period, response to perceived threat of Communism
Fascism
name given to Polish government-in-exile, recognized by Allies as legitimate gov. of Poland after fall to Nazis
London Poles
pro-Soviet government installed by Stalin in Poland that he said was legitimate gov. of Poland
Lublin Poles
confrontation between Japanese troops/Chinese forces near Marco Polo Bridge outside Peking, July 7, 1937; provides Japan with excuse to invade China
Marco Polo Bridge incident
use of air power to destroy an enemy nation’s morale and material capability to carry out war-related activities
strategic bombing
codename given to deciphering of high-level German military communications first by Polish Cipher Bureau and then British military intelligence at Bletchley Park
Ultra program
abbr. for American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, est. early 1942 for defense of the Dutch East Indies against Japan
ABDACOM
political agreement between Germany and Japan, Nov. 24, 1936, and later Italy, opposed the activities of the Communist International (Comintern)
Anti-Comintern Pact
British/French strategy designed to avert war by granting concessions to aggressor states (Germany, Italy, Japan)
Appeasement
heavily forested, hilly terrain along borders of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Germany
Ardennes Forest
statement of postwar aims of the Allies, issued Aug 14, 1941, included right of self-determination for peoples
Atlantic Charter
colloquial name for Fascist action squads (Squadre d’Azione) formed in Italy 1919
Blackshirts
popular name for Nazi Party Sturmabteilung (SA) in 1920s and early 1930s; later replaced by SS
Brownshirts
policies/action carried out by Nazi Germany to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe
Final Solution
systematic targeting and extermination of a particular group of people based on racial/ethnic ideals
genocide
military strategy used by Allied forces in Pacific Theater, focused on bypassing strongly fortified islands held by Japanese in order to focus on most important strategic islands
island hopping
Japanese term meaning “divine wind,” applied to Japanese suicide pilots, first used Oct 1944 during Battle of Leyte Gulf
Kamikaze
Nov 9-10, 1938, Jewish homes/ businesses/synagogues were attacked by SA and German civilians
Kristallnacht
American government act, Mar 11, 1941, US provides war materials to Great Britain/any country whose defense was “deemed vital” to US
Lend-Lease
codename for American program that deciphered Japanese diplomatic/military codes prior to/during WWII
Magic
codename given to join American, British, Canadian program to research/develop atomic weapons
Manhattan Project
mass public demonstration of Italian Fascist Party, Oct. 22-29, 1922. Mussolini named as Prime Minister of Italy
March on Rome
staged attack on Japanese railway in Manchuria, Sept 18, 1931, to give Japan excuse to invade Manchuria
Mukden Incident
speech by FDR, Oct 5, 1937, in response to Japanese invasion of China, called for international quarantine of aggressor nations
Quarantine Speech
misapplication of Charles Darwin’s ideas of natural selection in the biological world to human society
Social Darwinism
complete control of all aspects of society, both public and private, by the gov. in power
Totalitarianism
a surrendering power is offered no guarantees, announced by FDR in 1943 during Casablanca Conference
unconditional surrender
authoritarian government that became ruling power in unoccupied France following French surrender to Germany, June 1940; collaborated with Nazi Germany
Vichy France
forced march of American and Filipino prisoners taken by the Japanese after conquest on the Philippines, April 1942; Allied prisoners subjected to intense physical abuse, nearly 3,000 Allied prisoners died
Bataan Death March
failed coup attempt by Hitler against state government of Munich, Nov 8-9, 1923
Beer Hall Putsch
union of Austria and Germany, forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles (1919)
Anschluss
hatred/prejudice against Jews as an ethnic/racial group
anti-Semitism
German term for “lightning war”; emphasized coordination between armor units and close-air support
Blitzkrieg
German cipher machine used by German military
Enigma
Adolf Hitler’s autobiography, political manifesto of Nazi Party
Mein Kampf
territory in western Poland that provided Poland with Baltic Sea access, cut Germany off from its territory in East Prussia
Polish Corridor
German term for “living space”; used by Hitler in Mein Kampf, territorial expansion = national greatness
Lebensraum
political philosophy - importance of military power to state’s well-being
militarism
