World War II Flashcards
what is the treaty of versailles
the 1919 peace treaty at the end of WWI which established new nations, borders, and war reparations
what is a democracy
power to rule comes from the consent of the governed; people have the power
what is communism
the state owns all property and means of production; all citizens share the wealth
what is capitalism
factories, equipment, and other means of production are privately owned rather than controlled by the government
- free market
- found in democracies
what is totalitarianism
a form of government that controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives
- citizens have NO rights
- NO opposition
what is facism
Political philosophy that places the importance of the nation over the individual
DICTATOR
what is militarism
glorifying and building up your military; using military force to promote your countries goals
what is a dictator
a ruler with all the power, usually obtained by force
what is isolationism
opposition to political and economic entanglements with other countries
what is mobilization
how the country prepared for war (ex. had a draft, made tanks and weapons)
what is appeasement
the granting of concessions to a hostile power in order to keep the peace
what is a blitzkrieg
took enemies by surprise with awesome speed to achieve quick victory
what is a monarchy
the ruler inherits the right to rule and has power for life; people must follow leaders rule
what is a monarchy
the ruler inherits the right to rule and has power for life; people must follow leaders rule
who was the leader of the Communist Soviet Union
Joseph Stalin
what was Stalin’s Plan
2 main goals:
- raise agricultural production
- modernize industry
what was Stalin’s Five Year Plan
- take private lands from farmers- collectivization
- those who refuse forced into hard labor in concentration camps
- export food for profit = famine
what was The Great Purge
secret police
-use of force against all other political parties and those who stood against him
what were difficulties in Germany
- high debts from WW1
- high unemployment
- massive inflation in the 1920s
what did Hitler do
- promised the people work and a stable government
- increased his power through force
- arrested enemies and opponents
- built up the armed forces
- extreme nationalist and racist
- believed in military expansion
- anticommunist
who was the leader of Italy
Mussolini
what did Mussolini do
- in 1919 Mussolini formed Fascist Party
- appointed prime minister in 1922
- extreme nationalist
- believed in military expansion
- anticommunist
- suspended elections
- banned labor unions
- outlawed opposing political parties
- employed spies and secret police
who was the leader of Japan
Hideki Tojo
what did Hideki Tojo do
- promoted to prime minister
- pushed to expand Japan’s control in Asia