World War 2 Flashcards
What are the causes of WW2?
Treaty of Versailles - Italy is angry at everybody for not getting its land
Germany is angry because they took the blame and then went into depression
Who are the Major Leaders in WW2?
Hitler - Germany
Stalin - Russia/Soviet Union
Mussolini - Italy
Churchill - UK/Britain
Truman - US (Last Few Months)
What were the alliances for WW2?
Germany, Italy, and Russia
(Rome - Berlin Axis)
(USSR later turned to Allies)
UK, US, and France (Allies)
What is Appeasement?
Satisfying reasonable demands of dissatisfied powers in an effort to maintain peace and stability
Who is the leader behind Appeasement?
Neville Chamberlain (Britain’s Prime Minister)
What is Anschluss?
March 13, 1938
Hitler threatened Austria with invasions and Forced their chancellor to put Nazis in charge (Annexed Austria to Germany)
France and Britain didn’t provide opposition and Austria was pursued
What is the Munich Conference?
Hitler demanded land and was willing to risk world war, occupied Sudetenland, promised no more demands but kept demanding
Britain, France, Germany, Italy didn’t object his plans and met his demands
What happened at Rhineland?
Hitler sent troops to Rhineland to militarize them
France could’ve used force but didn’t because Britain didn’t support force (Practiced Appeasement)
When was the Invasion of Poland?
September 1, 1939
What is the Rome-Berlin Axis?
1936
All European countries revolve around Rome and Berlin
Developed as forced isolation
What is Anti-Comintern?
Germany and Japan in 1937
Wanted to contain in Russia so Germany and Japan kept in
What is Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact?
Hitler feared that the West and Soviet Union would make a pact which would be a 2 front war for Germany
He signed with Soviet Union to not attack each other (Offered to Poland and Baltic)
Soviet Union gained Poland and Baltic
Hitler eventually broke the promise and attacked
What is the Invasion of Manchuria?
Japan military leaders wanted full control over regions while protecting railways
They detonated dynamite on railway and blamed it on China
Used this as an excuse to bring the army and invaded Manchuria
China called the League of Nations but they didn’t do anything (Showing how weak they actually are)
What was the Attack on Pearl Harbor?
Japan did a surprise attack on US battle ships
What is the Rape of Nanjing?
December 1937 - January 1938
Period of Mass Killings and Ravaging of China
Mass executions, rapes, looting, and burned cities
Guilty of War Crimes
100,000 to 300,000
What is Blitzkrieg?
Lightning War in Poland
Swift attacks with all divisions, tanks, and troops
Soviets invaded September 17, 1939
What is the Maginot Line?
Germany border was a series of French troops when Dunkirk happened
When did Hitler invade France?
May 1940
Mainly through Luxembourg and Ardennes Forest
When did Paris fall?
June 14, 1940
When did Italy join Germany?
June 10, 1940
When was French Armistice Day?
June 22, 1940
(Germany occupied 3/5 of France)
What is Vichy France?
Authoritarian Regime
Importance and Date of Dunkirk
May 26-June 10, 1940
Allies pushed to beaches of Dunkirk
300,00 troops by 1,200 boats
Importance and Date of Battle of Britain
July 10, 1940
Boosted the moral of the people into thinking they had a chance at winning
Importance and Date of Stalingrad
August 23, 1942
Stopped German advances into Soviet Union and was the turning point in favor of Allies
Importance and Date of D-Day and Normandy
June 6, 1944
Start of campaign to liberate Europe and defeat Germany
Importance and Date of Battle of Bulge
December 16, 1944
Last German offensive in western front
Importance and Date of V-E Day
May 8, 1945
Germany Surrender and European War is Over
Importance and Date of Atom Bombs
August 6, 1945 - Hiroshima
August 9, 1945 - Nagasaki
Importance and Date of V-J Day
August 15 - September 2, 1945
Japan surrenders and US Victory over Japan
