World War II Flashcards
What was Adolf Hitler’s role in WWII?
He came to power as the leader of the Nazi party in Germany, Commander of the Third Reich. He was a fascist, and committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin on April 30, 1945.
What was Joseph Stalin’s role in WWII?
He was the leader in Russia, and a communist.
What was Emperor Hirohito’s role in WWII?
He was the leader of Japan, worshiped like a god in his country, and was a fascist.
What was Mackenzie King’s role in WWII?
He was the Prime Minister of Canada, a democrat, handled the conscription crisis, and created the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
What was Winston Churchill’s role in WWII?
He was the Prime Minister of Britain, came to power in the beginning of the war, and was a democrat.
What was Benito Mussolini’s role in WWII?
He was the fascists leader of Italy, invaded Ethiopia with illegal weapons, and was executed April 28, 1945 with his mistress.
What was Franklin Roosevelt’s role in WWII?
He was the President of the USA, and they got involved after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.
What was the RAF?
The Royal Air Force of Britain.
What was Blitzkrieg?
A new military strategy that relied on speed and coordination; known as ‘lightening war’ in English. Used by Hitler to conquer Europe.
What was Lebensraum?
Living space for the German people, Hitler’s excuse for invading other countries.
What was totalitarianism?
A form of government or state that controls all phases of people’s lives.
What was the Manhattan project?
The American research project to develop nuclear bombs.
What was ‘Mein Kampf’?
A book written by Hitler; in English ‘My Struggle’.
What was the Atlantic Wall?
The German defense line set up along the coast of France.
Who were Axis powers?
Germany, Italy and Japan.
What was appeasement and who supported it?
Agreeing to Hitler’s demands to avoid a war. Neville Chamberlain and Mackenzie King were some of the main supporters of appeasement.
What happened in the Munich conference?
In 1938, Britain, France and Italy let Hitler have Sudetenland and the rest of Czechoslovakia go to Poland and Hungary, if he promised to not take any more land.
What were the six events in chronological order that led up to WWII?
- Hitler marched on the Rhineland, Britain and France didn’t attempt to stop him (1936)
- Hitler forced Austria to join Germany, violating the Treaty of Versailles. (1938)
- In the Munich conference, Germany was allowed Sudetenland in return for the promise of peace. (1938)
- Germany takes all of Czechoslovakia, violating the Munich Pact. (1939)
- Hitler invades Poland. Germany had a Non-Aggression Pact with the USSR. (1939)
- Britain and France declare war and Canada follows one week later. (1939)
Which group of Canadians were placed in internment camps in British Columbia during WWII?
Japanese
Where were the American nuclear bombs dropped?
Nagasaki and Hiroshima
Which Battle did the Canadians win on Christmas 1943?
The Battle of Ortona.
Who were the four dictators of WWII?
Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito and Stalin.
What were the nicknames of the two nuclear bombs dropped on Japan?
Fat Man and Little Boy.
When and what was V.E. Day?
The Germans formally surrendered on May 8, 1945, known as Victory-in-Europe Day.
What was Kristallnacht?
“The Night of Broken Glass”. In November 1938, Nazis destroyed thousands of Jewish businesses and synagogues in response to the assassination of a German diplomat in Paris by a Polish Jewish student.
When did Hitler and Stalin sign the Non-Aggression Pact?
On August 23, 1939
When did Hitler break the Non-Aggression Pact?
He invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941
How did Canadian women contribute to the war efforts in WWII? (6)
They built planes (Hurricanes, Helldivers) and other resources needed, ran wartime production, went into male-dominated fields, sent care packages over to Europe, rationed food and resources, and served as war nurses, in the air force, or navy.