WW2 Flashcards
What were the main causes of WW2?
The expansions of Germany, Italy and Japan on the 1930s
Weakness of League of Nations
Failure of British and French appeasement policies
Treaty of Versailles 28th June 1919
7th May 1919, Allies gave Germany chance to change some agreements that were too harsh
Germany’s Weimar Republic was unstable and conflicting in left and right
Claims that if the armistice was not signed they would have won
What was the great depression and its implications
October 29 1929, stock market fell, US and global economy fell, causing countries to hog resources and ignore sanctions
How did the great depression cause the rise of hitler
The Great depression meant people were getting unemployed, and added to the fact that US was calling for its loans from the treaty, crippling Germany’s economy. This caused public anger and rise in dictators in 25 countries. In 1923, Hitler became leader of the nazi party with 50,000 members with its armed
Sturmabteiling force. In November 1923 he was arrested for 5 years for trying to overthrow the government and in 1934 he became the Fuher of Germany and sought to reverse the treaty and solve the economic problem
How did Hitler reverse the treaty of Versailles
He increased their army, staged a military rally in 1935, retrieved lost territory for Greater Germany which would have a population of 85 million
What was the League of nations
It was a collective of countries that came into being in 1920 to promote international cooperation and peace after WW1. The USA did not join due to their policy of isolationism. They maintained peace through Collective Security and work collectively to resolve conflicts. The main mandates were Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand
Failure of LON: Abyssinia
Mussolini the fascist leader of Italy invaded Abyssinia or Ethiopia in May 1936, with Britain and France almost agreeing to give the land in exchange for troop withdrawal on December 1935. 1937 Italy left the League of Nations
What was Australia’s involvement in Mussolini’s expanding into Greece?
The Australian 6th Division played a key role in the Allied defence of Greece, and they withdrew on 24th April 1941
What happened at Tobruk?
10th April 1941, The Australian 7th and 9th division were sent to help defend Tobruk a key base for Egypt and Suez Canal defence. They were called the rats of tobruk. 14,000 Australian soldiers made up half of the Allied force who faced an army twice as big. They got their supplies from Tiproli in November, and 559 deaths, 2500 wounded and 941 POWs. Resulted in statement.
What was the first battle of El Alamein
The Allies needed to be able to be able to maintain a supply route via the Suez Canal and Germany needed access to Middle East oil supplies. July 1942 with the First Battle of El Alamein Allied Forc3s halted the German advance. August 1942, British general Bernard Montgomery took control and began to put Rommel under further pressure
What is the second battle of El Alamein
October 23 1942 General Montgomery launched a counter offensive westward against the Panzer Army Africa
4th November they broke though German lines and forced the Panzer Army Africa into retreat
They ended Germans control of the middle east and showed Germany could be defeated
Timeline of events in the Malaya and Singapore campaign
North Malaya 7th December- British troops were hit by fast moving IJA and on the 10th they sunk two British ships
Central Malaya late December 1941 to early January 1942, IJA captured Kuala Lumpur on 11th Janurary and they uses small boats sto move down the peninsula to cut off retreating allies.
Southern Malaya - Early January 1942 to 31st January, final struggle. 8th Division went into action first time 2/30th Battalion from the 27th Brigade staged an ambush against the IJA which slowed their advance into Johore. Resulted in the massacre of 150 Australians and Infiand at the Parit Sulpng bridge
Singapore- on the 31st Janurary 1942 the Japanese broke through. On the 7th February they bombed defensive positions and 8th 13,000 IJA soldiers landed in Singapore. Within a week they were forced to surrender, about 85,000 personel were taken prisoner and 15,000 were from the Austrlian 8th divison
Describe the role of soldiers in new guinea
July 21st 1942, thr Japanese invaded Gona in the north PNG and their goal was Port Moresby in the south
Order of locations: Kokoda Trail, Owen Stanley mountains, overs cornerx Port Moresby
July to September 1942 they pushed Australia’s 39th infantry Battalion, From August 1942, Japanese troops bad been fighting the Americans on their mainland Guadacanal, and due to low numbers they order a retreat from New Guinea
The Australians fought the Japanese back to the beaches of the north coast, but Japanese had machine gun
23 January 1943, Allies defeated the Japanese
600 Australians died on the kokoada campaign, 1600 were wounded and 4000 contacted tropical diseases
