ww2 Flashcards
Fascism
Political philosophy that places the importance of the nation over that of the individual
Antisemitism
Hostility or discrimination towards Jews
Land Lease Act
let the US send equipment and resources to the Allies during WWI
Totalitarianist Countries
Germany, Soviet Union, Italy
Jewish Death Count
6,000,000
Kamikaze
Japanese suicide plane
Manhattan Project
Secret American project to develop the atomic bomb
Totalitarianism
Form of government that controls every aspect of its citizens’ lives.
The Holocaust
Nazi Germany’s attempt to murder all European Jews
Kristallnacht
Night whem Nazis throughout Germany destroyed Jewish property and terrorized Jews.
Soviet Death Count
17,700,000
Axis Death Count
802,0300
American Death Count
405,400
War refugee board
Federal agency created in 1944 to try to help people threatened with murder by the Nazis
Death Camp
German camp solely for mass murder
Concentration Camp
Place where prisoners are confined usually under harsh conditions
Atlantic Charter and Its Significance
British and American statement of goals for fighting World War II
Affirmed sense of solidarity between the U.S. and Great Britain against Axis aggression
March 9, 1936
German troops invaded Rhineland
GI’s
American soldiers in ww2
Carpet Bombing
Planes scattered large numbers of bombs over a wide area
Neutrality acts
Law that declared that Us would withhold weapons and loans from nations at war
Wannsee Conference
1942 conference in Germany to plan the murder of European Jews
Appeasement
Policy of giving into demands in order to preserve peace
Why were countries appeasing the Germans?
In order to keep the peace
Yalta Conference Stipulations
after Germany’s surrender, it would be divided into four occupation zones, controlled by U.S., British, French and Soviets
Japan peace treaty with Russia importance
avoid fighting on multiple fronts.
What things did Japan lack?
Sufficient Raw materials, markets for its industries
What were the circumstances surrounding french surrender?
France was overran by German and Italian forces.
George Marshall
US General, created plan for rebuilding Europe (Marshall plan)
Blitzkrieg
War tactic that rapidly struck into enemy territory before foe had time to react
What did Hitler and Mussolini feel would bolster national pride?
Expansion
Yalta Conference
1945 meeting between churchill stalin and roosevelt in which they discussed postwar plans
How and why did a trench war break out along the french border?
France had ammassed massive defense system along border with Germany due to Polish invasion
Who was Adolf Hitler: How did he rise to power?
German Nazi dictator. Joined Nazi Party and his speech skills and promises lead him to running the state
Who was Benito Mussolini?
Italian fascist dictator
Why did the U.S. decide to stay neutral?
Believed that American interests would be best served by staying out of other nation’s quarrels
Why did America feel that they had fought the 1st war?
To make the world safe for democracy
What effect did the Depression have on the world?
Economic and political instability which lead to dictators who sought to solve their nations problems
How was Mussolini overthrown?
Voted out of power by his own grand council
With whom did Germany sign a peace treaty that “eased its concern about being attacked”?
Soviet Union
What things was the U.S. doing to prepare itself for war?
Mass production of weaponry. Drafting citizens into the Army. Naval buildup
Why did Germany attack Russia? How devastating were the results?
Lebensraum. citizens slaughtered en masse
D-day preparation
Allies amassed troops and equipment in Britain. and increased air strikes and bombings in German territory
