World War 2 Flashcards
Describe the concept that involves reduction of military arms.
Disarmament
What does “disarmament” mean?
The act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons.
Describe the international conference held in 1921 aiming for naval disarmament.
Washington Conference 1921
What happened during the Washington Conference 1921?
Major naval powers met to discuss naval disarmament and led to several significant treaties aimed at preventing naval armaments race.
Describe the treaty from the Washington Conference that involved five major powers agreeing to limit naval capacity.
Five-Power Treaty
What did the Five-Power Treaty stipulate?
It limited naval construction and committed signatories to a ratio regarding their largest warships.
Describe the treaty that sought to stabilize China by affirming its sovereignty.
Nine-Power Treaty
What was the objective of the Nine-Power Treaty?
To ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China by making all signatories respect its rights.
Describe the international agreement aimed at renouncing war as a national policy.
Kellogg-Briand Pact
What was the significance of the Kellogg-Briand Pact?
It attempted to prevent war by making it illegal as a tool of national policy, although it lacked enforcement mechanisms.
Describe the payments imposed on Germany as a condition of the Treaty of Versailles.
Reparations
What are “reparations”?
Payments required from Germany to compensate the Allies for damages caused during WWI.
Describe the 1924 plan designed to resolve Germany’s reparations and stabilize its economy.
Dawes Plan
What was the purpose of the Dawes Plan?
To resolve the crisis surrounding Germany’s reparations payments and to stabilize the German economy.
Describe the U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America in the 1930s promoting cooperation.
Good Neighbor Policy
What was the essence of the Good Neighbor Policy?
It was aimed at strengthening friendly relations and mutual defense among the nations of the Western Hemisphere.
Describe the series of meetings involving Western Hemisphere countries focused on diplomatic and economic issues.
Pan-American Conferences
What was the objective of the Pan-American Conferences?
To improve economic and diplomatic cooperation among American states.
Describe the 1931 event where Japan expanded its control in China.
Japan’s aggression in Manchuria
What was Japan’s aggression in Manchuria and its impact?
Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, leading to international condemnation and a shift in Japanese foreign policy.
Describe the U.S. policy of non-recognition regarding territorial changes enforced by aggression.
Stimson Doctrine
What did the Stimson Doctrine state?
It declared that the U.S. would not recognize any international territorial changes that were enforced by aggression.
Describe the alliance formed by Germany, Italy, and Japan before WWII.
Axis Powers
Who were the Axis Powers?
Germany, Italy, and Japan formed this alliance during WWII, opposing the Allied Powers.
Describe the Italian leader who founded the Fascist Party.
Benito Mussolini
What was Benito Mussolini’s significance?
He established the Fascist Party and ruled Italy as a dictator, aligning with the Axis Powers during WWII.
Describe the political party founded by Mussolini in Italy.
Fascist Party
What was the core ideology of the Fascist Party?
The party emphasized aggressive nationalism and dictatorial power, opposing democratic and socialist movements.
Describe the authoritarian ideology that emerged in early 20th century Europe emphasizing totalitarian control and nationalism.
Fascism
What is “fascism”?
A political ideology that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.
Describe the German political party that led to the rise of Adolf Hitler.
Nazi Party
What was the Nazi Party’s significance?
Under Adolf Hitler, it promoted the ideology of Nazism, leading to WWII and the Holocaust.
Describe the leader of the Nazi Party during WWII.
Adolf Hitler
Who was Adolf Hitler and what was his impact?
Hitler was the dictator of Germany who led the Nazi Party, initiated WWII, and orchestrated the Holocaust.
Describe the conflict in Spain (1936-1939) that was marked by international involvement.
Spanish Civil War
What was the outcome of the Spanish Civil War?
It resulted in the victory of Franco’s forces, who then established a dictatorial regime in Spain.
Describe the military leader who became the dictator of Spain after the Spanish Civil War.
Francisco Franco
Who was Francisco Franco and what was his regime’s nature?
Franco led Spain as a dictator after the Spanish Civil War, ruling with an authoritarian approach until his death.
Describe the African country invaded by Italy in 1935.
Ethiopia
What was the significance of Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia?
It demonstrated Mussolini’s imperial ambitions and was part of the broader aggressive policies of the Axis Powers.
Describe the region remilitarized by Germany in 1936, violating the Treaty of Versailles.
Rhineland
What was significant about the remilitarization of the Rhineland?
It marked a direct challenge to the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties, escalating tensions in Europe.
Describe the region in Czechoslovakia primarily inhabited by German speakers, significant in 1938.
Sudetenland
What happened in the Sudetenland in 1938?
It was annexed by Germany following the Munich Agreement, a high point of the policy of appeasement.
Describe the agreement reached in 1938 involving Germany, Britain, France, and Italy.
Munich Agreement
What was the Munich Agreement?
It allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland in an attempt to avoid war, epitomizing the policy of appeasement.
Describe the policy of conceding to aggression to avoid conflict.
Appeasement
What is “appeasement” and its historical context?
The policy of making concessions to dictatorial powers (e.g., Nazi Germany) to avoid conflict, associated particularly with the Munich Agreement.
Describe the European country invaded by Germany in September 1939, sparking WWII.
Poland
What was the significance of Germany’s invasion of Poland?
It led to the outbreak of World War II as Britain and France declared war on Germany in response.
Describe the lightning-fast military strategy used by Germany during the early stages of WWII.
Blitzkrieg
What does “blitzkrieg” involve?
A military tactic involving rapid advances by combined forces of airplanes, tanks, and infantry to quickly overwhelm enemies.
Describe the U.S. Senator who led a committee to investigate the munitions industry pre-WWII.
Gerald Nye
What was the significance of Gerald Nye and his committee?
The Nye Committee fueled isolationist sentiment in the U.S. by suggesting that arms manufacturers had unduly influenced the U.S. entry into WWI.
Describe the laws passed in the U.S. in the 1930s to prevent it from entering foreign conflicts.
Neutrality Acts
What were the Neutrality Acts?
A series of acts passed to limit U.S. involvement in future wars, exemplifying isolationist policy.
Describe the U.S. organization advocating for non-intervention in WWII.
America First Committee
What was the goal of the America First Committee?
To lobby against American intervention in WWII, promoting a strong isolationist stance.
Describe the famous American aviator who was a prominent member of the America First Committee.
Charles Lindbergh
Who was Charles Lindbergh and what was his stance during WWII?
Lindbergh was a noted aviator and a leading isolationist voice, advocating against American entry into WWII.
Describe the U.S. foreign policy stance favoring minimal involvement in international political affairs.
Isolationism
What is “isolationism”?
A national policy of avoiding involvement in the political and economic affairs of other countries.
Describe FDR’s 1937 speech that suggested a stronger international stance against aggression.
Quarantine Speech
What was the Quarantine Speech about?
FDR suggested that aggressor nations should be “quarantined” to prevent the spread of war, signaling a shift from strict isolationism.
Describe the WWII policy that allowed the sale of munitions to belligerents on a cash-and-carry basis.
Cash & Carry
What was the “Cash & Carry” policy?
It allowed countries at war to purchase goods and arms in the US as long as they paid cash and transported them on their own ships.
Describe the first peacetime draft in U.S. history, enacted in 1940.
Selective Training and Service Act
What was the Selective Training and Service Act?
It required men between the ages of 21 and 35 to register for the draft, marking the first peacetime conscription in U.S. history.
Describe the 1940 deal between the U.S. and Britain involving naval destroyers.
Destroyers-for-Bases Deal
What was the Destroyers-for-Bases Deal?
It was an agreement where the U.S. gave Britain 50 older destroyers in exchange for land rights on British colonial bases.
What was significant about FDR’s third term?
He broke the tradition of U.S. presidents serving only two terms, indicating the severity of the international situation.
Describe the Republican candidate who ran against FDR in 1940.
Wendell Willkie
Who was Wendell Willkie and his political significance?
Willkie ran as the Republican candidate against FDR in 1940, advocating for aid to Britain but still maintaining some isolationist views.
Describe the 1941 speech by FDR outlining key human freedoms.
Four Freedoms Speech
What were the “Four Freedoms” outlined by FDR?
Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear, as basic human rights worth defending.
Describe the 1941 act that allowed the U.S. to supply Allied nations without immediate payment.
Lend-Lease Act
What was the Lend-Lease Act?
It permitted the U.S. to lend or lease arms and other supplies to Allies, signifying increasing support against the Axis powers without direct combat involvement.
Describe the 1941 declaration between FDR and Churchill outlining post-war goals.
Atlantic Charter
What was the Atlantic Charter?
It set out joint goals for the post-war world, including disarmament, self-determination, and economic cooperation.
Describe the event on December 7, 1941, that led to the U.S. entering WWII.
Pearl Harbor
What happened at Pearl Harbor?
The Japanese launched a surprise military strike against the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, leading to U.S. entry into WWII.
escribe the U.S. agency responsible for overseeing war production during WWII.
War Production Board
What was the role of the War Production Board?
It coordinated the production of war supplies, converted civilian factories to war production, and managed scarce materials.
Describe the U.S. agency tasked with controlling inflation during WWII.
Office of Price Administration
What was the purpose of the Office of Price Administration?
It controlled prices and rents after the outbreak of WWII to prevent inflation.
How did federal spending change during WWII?
It increased significantly to support the war effort, including funding for military operations and home-front initiatives.
Describe the financial burden the U.S. government faced as a result of WWII.
Accumulated Debt
What was the Accumulated Debt post-WWII?
The U.S. national debt increased greatly due to extensive borrowing to finance the war effort.
Describe the secret U.S. project to develop nuclear weapons during WWII.
Manhattan Project
What was the Manhattan Project?
A research and development project during WWII that produced the first nuclear weapons.
Describe the U.S. agency responsible for disseminating propaganda and information during WWII.
Office of War Information
What was the purpose of the Office of War Information?
To distribute propaganda to promote the war effort and boost morale among Americans.
Why is WWII often referred to as “the Good War”?
It is viewed positively for the clear moral lines and the unification of Americans to defeat fascism.
Describe the major demographic shifts in the U.S. during WWII due to war-related jobs.
Wartime Migrations
What were the Wartime Migrations?
Significant movements of Americans, particularly African Americans from the South to urban centers for war jobs, altering demographic profiles.
How did WWII impact civil rights movements?
It accelerated the push for civil rights as minorities and women took on roles traditionally held by white men, leading to increased calls for equality.
Describe the campaign symbolizing the fight for democracy abroad and racial equality at home.
“Double V”
What was the “Double V” campaign?
A movement by African Americans advocating for victory against fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home.
Describe FDR’s directive to prohibit discrimination in war industries.
Executive Order to Prohibit Discrimination
What did the Executive Order to Prohibit Discrimination entail?
Issued by FDR, it banned discriminatory employment practices by federal agencies and all unions and companies engaged in war-related work.
Describe the 1944 Supreme Court case involving primary elections in Texas.
Smith v. Allwright
What was the significance of Smith v. Allwright?
The Supreme Court ruled that state-sanctioned white primaries were unconstitutional, which was a significant victory for African American voting rights.
Describe the program that brought Mexican laborers to work temporarily in the U.S. during WWII.
Braceros
What was the Braceros program?
A series of agreements between the U.S. and Mexico to bring Mexican workers to the U.S. to alleviate labor shortages during the war.
Describe the WWII policy regarding the confinement of Japanese Americans.
Internment Camps
What were the Internment Camps during WWII?
Places where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and incarcerated during the war due to national security concerns.
Describe the 1944 Supreme Court case concerning the internment of Japanese Americans.
Korematsu v. U.S.
What was the outcome of Korematsu v. U.S.?
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the internment as a wartime necessity, a decision later criticized and formally apologized for by the U.S. government.
Describe the cultural icon representing women who worked in manufacturing during WWII.
Rosie the Riveter
Who was Rosie the Riveter and what did she symbolize?
Rosie the Riveter was a fictional character who became an icon of women’s contribution to the war effort by taking on industrial jobs traditionally held by men, symbolizing strength and female empowerment.
Describe the sense of unity and cooperation among citizens and allies during WWII.
Wartime Solidarity
What was “Wartime Solidarity”?
It refers to the widespread sense of unity and mutual support among citizens and allies during WWII, crucial for mobilizing efforts on the home front and sustaining morale through the hardships of war.
Describe the prolonged naval conflict between the Allies and Axis powers in the Atlantic Ocean.
Battle of the Atlantic
What was the Battle of the Atlantic?
It was a crucial and lengthy campaign during WWII where Allied naval and air forces fought to protect convoys against German U-boats and aircraft in order to secure vital supply routes.
Define the type of WWII military tactic that involved bombing strategic enemy infrastructure.
Strategic Bombing
What was “strategic bombing” during WWII?
A military strategy that involved bombing specific enemy targets, such as industrial sites, transportation networks, and support systems, to cripple their ability to wage war.
Describe the U.S. general who led the Allied forces in Europe during WWII.
Dwight Eisenhower
Who was Dwight Eisenhower and his role in WWII?
Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe and led the D-Day invasion, playing a crucial role in defeating Nazi Germany.
Describe the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944.
D-Day
What was D-Day and why was it significant?
D-Day was the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy, France; it was the largest seaborne invasion in history and marked the turning point in the European theater of WWII.
Describe the systematic extermination of six million Jews and others by Nazi Germany.
Holocaust
What was the Holocaust?
The Holocaust was the genocide of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime during WWII, characterized by the use of concentration camps for mass murder.
Describe the 1942 naval battle that was a turning point in the Pacific Theater.
Battle of Midway
What happened at the Battle of Midway?
It was a decisive naval battle where the U.S. Navy, using aircraft carriers, significantly weakened the Japanese fleet, shifting the balance of naval power in the Pacific.
Describe the WWII strategy used by Allied forces in the Pacific to gain ground against Japan.
Island Hopping
What was “Island Hopping”?
A military strategy used by the Allies to capture key islands and bypass others to reach Japan more directly and cut off Japanese forces.
Describe the U.S. general who led Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific during WWII.
Douglas MacArthur
Who was Douglas MacArthur and his role in WWII?
MacArthur was a key American general in the Pacific Theater known for his “island hopping” strategy and later for overseeing the occupation of Japan.
Describe the Japanese military tactic involving pilots crashing their planes into enemy targets.
Kamikaze
What was a “Kamikaze” attack?
A suicide attack by Japanese pilots during WWII, where they would deliberately crash their aircraft loaded with explosives into enemy ships.
Describe the physicist who led the Manhattan Project during WWII.
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Who was J. Robert Oppenheimer and his contribution to WWII?
Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Manhattan Project, the secret U.S. project that developed the atomic bomb.
Describe the weapon first used by the U.S. against Japan in August 1945.
Atomic Bomb
What was the significance of the Atomic Bomb in WWII?
It was used to bring about the swift conclusion of WWII by forcing Japan’s surrender after bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Describe the Japanese city that was the first to be targeted with an atomic bomb.
Hiroshima
What happened in Hiroshima during WWII?
Hiroshima was the first city targeted with an atomic bomb, dropped by the U.S. on August 6, 1945, resulting in massive casualties and destruction.
Describe the second Japanese city hit by an atomic bomb during WWII.
Nagasaki
What was the impact of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki?
Nagasaki was bombed on August 9, 1945, leading to high casualties and severe destruction, contributing to Japan’s unconditional surrender in WWII.
Describe the U.S. President who succeeded FDR and led during the final stages of WWII and early Cold War.
Harry S. Truman
Who was Harry S. Truman and what were his key decisions?
Truman became president in 1945 after FDR’s death, made the decision to use atomic bombs on Japan, and played a significant role in postwar diplomacy and the beginning of the Cold War.
Describe the alliance of the U.S., USSR, and UK during WWII.
Big Three
Who were the “Big Three” and their significance?
The Big Three refers to the leaders of the United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom, who met at several conferences to plan military strategy and postwar world order during WWII.
Describe the 1943 meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt where they discussed future military strategies.
Casablanca
What was the Casablanca Conference and its key outcome?
Held in Casablanca, Morocco, this 1943 meeting led to the decision to accept only “unconditional surrender” from the Axis powers, aiming to prevent any negotiated peace.
Define the term indicating a demand for total defeat without any concessions.
Unconditional Surrender
What does “unconditional surrender” mean in a historical context?
It refers to a surrender without any concessions, used by the Allies during WWII to ensure total victory and the complete acceptance of defeat by Axis powers.
Describe the 1943 conference where the Big Three planned the final strategy against Germany.
Tehran
What was significant about the Tehran Conference?
The Tehran Conference in 1943 was the first meeting of the Big Three—Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin—and focused on opening a second front against Germany in Western Europe.
Describe the 1945 conference where the Big Three discussed Europe’s postwar reorganization.
Yalta
What were the key agreements at the Yalta Conference?
At Yalta, the Big Three agreed on the division of Germany, the formation of the United Nations, and the need for free elections in liberated European countries.
Define the democratic principle promoted by the Allies for territories liberated from Axis control.
Free Elections
What was the Allied promise regarding “free elections”?
The Allies, particularly at the Yalta Conference, promoted the principle that all liberated territories should have the right to determine their own governments through free elections.
Describe the 1945 conference where Truman, Churchill, and Stalin finalized postwar arrangements.
Potsdam
What was the Potsdam Conference and its outcomes?
The Potsdam Conference was where the leaders of the U.S., UK, and USSR met to negotiate terms for the end of WWII, including the ultimatum to Japan to surrender or face destruction.
Describe the international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation.
United Nations
What is the role of the United Nations?
Established in 1945, the United Nations aims to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achieving world peace.
Describe the new class of weaponry developed during WWII that changed global military dynamics.
Atomic Weapons
What are atomic weapons and their impact on warfare?
Atomic weapons are a type of nuclear weapon that release energy through nuclear reactions, significantly more powerful than conventional explosives and altering the approach to international security and warfare.
