World War II Flashcards
Versailles Treaty
one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers.
“guilt clause”
Article 231, commonly known as the “Guilt Clause” or the “War Guilt Clause”, is the first article in Part VIII, “Reparations” of the Treaty of Versailles.
reparations
payments and transfers of property and equipment that Germany was forced to make under the Treaty of Versailles (1919) following its defeat during World War I.
demilitarization of Rhineland
had no intentions of using force to maintain the treaty of Versailles, Hitler sent armies into here
remilitarization of Rhineland
took place on 7 March 1936 when German military forces entered the Rhineland. This was significant because it violated the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties, marking the first time since the end of World War I that German troops had been in this region.
Rhineland
Western Germany, Along the Rhine River
Disarmament Conference
was an effort by member states of the League of Nations, together with the U.S. and the United Kingdom, to actualize the ideology of disarmament. Further, all the major powers except the US had committed themselves to disarmament in both the Treaty of Versailles and the Covenant of the League of Nations
League of Nations
an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations; although suggested by Woodrow Wilson, the United States never joined and it remained powerless; it was dissolved in 1946 after the United Nations was formed
British-German Naval Agreement
was signed between England and Germany in of June 18, 1935. Despite provisions in the Treaty of Versailles, the agreement negotiated by von Ribbentrop allowed Germany to increase the size of its Navy to one-third the size of the Royal navy. At the same time, Britain agreed to withdraw its navy from the Baltic Sea completely, making Germany the dominant power in the Baltic
Rome-Berlin Axis
Italy and Germany coalition. Later included Japan.
“Spheres of expansion”
none
Anti-comintern Pact
an anti-communist pact concluded between Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan (later to be joined by other, mainly fascistic, governments) on November 25, 1936 and was directed against the Communist International (Comintern).
“Anschluss” (Austria)
the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938
Munich Pact
settlement permitting Nazi Germany’s annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia along the country’s borders mainly inhabited by German speakers, for which a new territorial designation “Sudetenland” was coined.
Sudetenland
the German name to refer to those northern, southwest, and western areas of Czechoslovakia which were inhabited mostly by German speakers.
Czechoslovakia
remained the only functioning democracy in central and eastern Europe.
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Non-aggression between S.U. and Germany
Appeasement
The policy of granting concessions to potential enemies to maintain peace.
Isolationism
a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, esp. the political affairs of other countries.
“Lebensraum”
the territory that a state or nation believes is needed for its natural development, esp. associated with Nazi Germany.
“open door” Policy in China
grant multiple international powers with equal access to China, with none of them in total control of that country
Manchuria
a region in northeastern China
expansionism
policy of territorial or economic expansion.
economic sanctions
are domestic penalties applied by one country on another country. Economic sanctions may include various forms of trade barriers and restrictions on financial transactions
embargo
an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.
“freeze” a nation’s assets
none
Blitzkreig
an intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory.
Battle of Britain
the prolonged bombardment of British cities by the German Luftwaffe during World War II and the aerial combat that accompanied it
Operation Barbarossa
was the code name for Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II
Normandy Invasion (D-Day)
the invasion and establishment of Western Allied forces in Normandy, during Operation Overlord in 1944 during World War II. At the time it was the largest amphibious invasion to ever take place.
Pearl Harbor
a harbor on Oahu to the west of Honolulu; location of a United States naval base that was attacked by the Japanese
Hiroshima
a port city on the southwestern coast of Honshu in Japan; on August 6, 1945 Hiroshima was almost completely destroyed by the first atomic bomb dropped on a populated area
Nagasaki
second populated area to receive an atomic bomb