The Second World War Flashcards
Causes
- dissatisfaction with treaty of versailles
- rise of fascism and nazism
- policy of appeasement
- japanese invasion of china
- failure of league of nations
- hitler’s invasion of poland
when was ten year alliance formed with italy and germany
1939
effects of Mussolini
- opposed treaty
- attacked Abyssinia
- LON failed to take action
effects of Hitler
- wanted to re-establish prestige of germany in international field
- declared re-armament
- in 1938, annexed Austria and dismembered erstwhile Czechoslovakia
define appeasement
policy of conciliating an aggressive power at the expense of some other country. means accepting the hostile demands of an aggressive nation to gain peace
policy of appeasement
- Britain and france followed this policy towards germany and italy because they felt that the dictators had a real cause of grievance due to humiliating treaty, and if their grievances were removed then they would not disturb world peace
- wanted to check the rising tie of communism and russian Bolshevism
- britain allowed germany to re-arm and re-militarise the Rhineland and capture Austria and Czechoslovakia
japanese invasion of china
- japan intervened in manchuria, occupied it, and set up a government there
- started undeclared war against china
- china appealed to LON to declare sanctions against japan, but britain and france did not pay attention
- formed Berline-rome-tokyo axis
- japan occupied british territories, which were following policy of appeasement
immediate cause of WW2
hitler’s invasion of poland
causes of hitler invading poland
- by the treaty, germany was divided into two in order to give a land route to poland upto the sea and the port of Danzing was also given to poland
2.city of Danzing was inhabited mainly by the germans and occupying Danzing corridor, germany could connect with East prussia
- germany signed a non-aggression pact with russia in August 1939, Poland was accused of committing atrocities against germans living there
when did german armies march to poland
September 1, 1939
why did germany attack france
britain and france gave an ultimatum to germany
why did britain and france declare war on germany
september 3, 1939
countries that remained neutral during WW2
sweden
switzerland
spain
portugal
turkey
axis powers of WW2
japan, italy, germany
allied powers of WW2
britain, france, USA, soviet union
when was aerial attack on pearl attack ordered
december 7, 1941, ordered by general Tojo
attack on pearl harbour
- US pacific fleet based at pearl harbour in Hawaii
- battleships and airfields were destroyed
- 3700 people were killed
mistakes made by the japanese at pearl harbour
- did not destroy ship repair facilities at the base
- didn’t seek out and destroy US carriers (Lexington and Enterprise)
when did USA join the war halting the japanese advance
december 8, 1941
special air force formed by Japanese in the Philippines
kamikaze (suicide air corps)
where was first atomic bomb detonated
in the desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico
when was bomb dropped in hiroshima
august 6, 1945
when was bomb dropped in nagasaki
august 9, 1945
when did japan surrender, ending WW2
September 2, 1945
consequences of WW2
- defeat of axis powers
- formation of UN
- cold war
when was Postdam conference and what happened there
July 26, 1945
Allied powers asked Japan to surrender, but Japan refused . consequently, america dropped bombs
constitutional monarch of japan
Emperor Hirohito
Japanese parliament retained some of its law making powers, all lands seized by japan was taken away
who met to form UN
- Roosevelt (president of USA)
- Churchill (PM of Britain)
- Stalin (Premier of USSR)
when did the big 3 meet to form UN
February 1945 in San Francisco
when was UN established
October 24, 1945
define cold war
an atmosphere where there is no armed struggle, but the rivals continue to maintain their peace time diplomatic relations along with their hostility
it occured between USA and soviet union
