WW2 Flashcards
1
Q
Who were the Axis powers?
A
Germany, Italy, Japan
2
Q
Who were the Allies?
A
Soviet Union, Britain + Commonwealth (inc. Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada), France (surrendered early), US (joined later), Poland
3
Q
What were the causes of WW2?
A
Treaty of Versailles, weakness of LON, failure of appeasement, alliances, expansionist policies of Axis powers, non-agression pacts
4
Q
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
A
Treaty signed in Versailles, designed by Britain, US and France for Germany:
- Germany accepts responsibility
- Germany pays 6600 mil. euros in damages
- Germany’s army, navy and weapon production restricted
- Germany gives up all colonies, some of its own land and is not allowed to occupy Rhineland
5
Q
When did Germany sign the Treaty of Versailles?
A
28 June 1919
6
Q
How many restrictions did the Treaty consist of?
A
8
7
Q
Describe the timeline of German aggression and the Allies’ attempt at appeasement.
A
- Hitler withdraws from LON in 1933 after Germany joined in 1926
- 1935, Hiter announces conscription
- 1936, Hitler sends troops to occupy Rhineland - Allies do nothing
- 1938, he takes troops to Czechoslovakia
8
Q
What did Hitler do in Czechoslovakia?
A
He claimed Sudertenland in May 1938
9
Q
How did the Allies react to Hitler claiming Sudertenland?
A
They made the Munich agreement, signed on September 29, 1938, by Britain, France, Italy and Germany
- Germany can’t annex Czechoslovakia but can have Sudertenland - appeasement
10
Q
What does Hitler do after the Munich agreement?
A
Hitler takes Czechoslovakia anyways in March 1939 and then looks to Poland.
11
Q
How did Japan show aggression?
A
- Japan invades Manchuria in 1931
- Japan invades China in 1933
- LON orders Japan out of Manchuria so Japan leaves LON
- 1937, Japan invades East China
12
Q
What and when was the rape of Nanking?
A
13 December 1937, lasted 6 weeks, Japanese brutally murdered, tortuerd and raped Chinese people
13
Q
Who had expansionist policies in the 1930s?
A
The Axis powers: Germany, Italy and Japan
14
Q
How is Germany’s expansionist policy fueled?
A
Germany loses their land in the Treaty of Versailles and want it back.
15
Q
How are Axis expansionist policies fueled?
A
Many European borders are redrawn eg: Austria-Hungary breaks up.
16
Q
How was the League of Nations formed?
A
- US President Woodrow Wilson promotes a League of Nations based upon his 14 points.
- 40 countries join
- US citizens don’t want to be a part of LON and Wilson doesn’t even join
- League of Nations is a minority and powerless without the USA
17
Q
How were Alliances a cause of WW2?
A
Similar alliances to WW1:
- Grudges/revenge
- If one is attacked, they are all attacked and should respond
18
Q
What non-aggression pacts were made prior to the War?
A
The non-agression pact between USSR and Germany: They wouldn’t go to war and they would split Poland between them.
- Hitler breaks it with operation Barbarossa on 22 June, 1941
The 3-power pact between Axis powers:
- if 1 was attacked they were all atttacked
19
Q
What was fascism?
A
- An extreme form of nationalism
- Emphasised loyalty to the state and leader (dictator)
- Promised to restore order and national pride, punish those responsible for hard times and revive the economy
- believed peaceful countries were doomed to fail
- wore uniforms, performed salutes and held large rallies
20
Q
Who was Mussolini and what did he do?
A
Made Il Duce of Italy:
- outlawed all other parties but fascism
- had secret police
- censored the media
21
Q
Describe the rise of the Nazi party.
A
- Nazis hated the Weimar Republic, which was democratic
- promoted Swastika, organised mass meetings and used the media to promote ideas
- When it was formed in 1919, the Nazis had 50 members and by 1923 it had 50k members
- Hitler is made Leader
- Attempted to overthrow the government in 1923, but failed and Hitler was sent to prison
- Hitler writes Mein Kampf in prison and used Jews as scapegoats for economic woes
- In the 1930 Reichstag elections, they gained 107 seats, and by Nov. 1932, they had a majority
- In Jan. 1933, Hitler is made Chancellor of Germany
22
Q
When does the war start?
A
September 1, 1939
23
Q
What is the Phoney war?
A
Sept 1939 - Apr 1940
- Allies wait for Germany to attack France
- Little fighting takes place
- Ends when Germany invades Norway and Denmark on April 9, 1940
24
Q
How did France fall?
A
- In May 1940, the Germans distract the Allies by invading Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg and then invade France, trapping the Allies in the North
- Germany uses the Blitzkrieg strategy
- GB sends boats to rescue soldiers and civilians and rescues 338 000 people from May 26 to June 4
- Germany takes Paris by June 14
- French government surrenders on June 22
25
Describe the battle of Dunkirk.
- On May 20, 1940, Germans trapped Allies at the French port of Dunkirk
- Churchill calls for help to evacuate British troops and the Germans halt their attack
- Between May 26 and June 4, GB rescues 338k people
26
Describe the Battle of Britain.
- 7 September 1940
- Hitler tries to take Britain by first taking out RAF (Royal Airforce) and then attacking by land
- Luftwaffe (German airforce) bomb aircraft carriers, bases, aircraft manufacturers and then bomb civilian targets, particularly London
- Great Britain used Radar and Enigmas (decoders) to defend attacks
- The Germans began to bomb at night
- Civilians built bomb shelters, made procedures and sent kids to the countryside for their protection
27
Describe the Blitz.
- 7 Sept 1940 - 10 May 1941
- Nightly bombings
- 43k civilian deaths
- 1 million London homes damaged
- Hitler abandoned plan to invade Britain 8 months later
28
Describe the Battle of the Atlantic.
- Sept 1939 - May 1945
- British made a naval blockade to stop merchant ships supplying German war efforts
- Germans responded by sending U-boats (submarines) to torpedo ships carrying supplies from the USA to Britain
- By 1942, the Germans had destroyed 2600+ ships
29
When did Italy declare war?
10 June 1940
30
Who did Italy declare war on?
Britain and France
31
Describe the Battle of Greece and Crete.
- Oct 1940 - May 1941
- Italy invades Greece in October 1941
- In March 1941, the Allies support Greece
- on the 5th of April 1941, Germany invades Greece from Bulgaria (its ally) by gaining control of Greek airfields
32
How was Australia involved in the battle of Greece and Crete?
- The 6th Division of the AIF had a key role in the defence of Greece
- They began to pull out for service closer to Britain on the 24th of April 1941
- 320 died
- 2000 POW's
- After they had been evacuated to Crete, the Germans took the island on the 30th of May, 1941
33
Describe the battle of North Africa.
- June 1940 - 1943
- Italy attacks from East African colonies of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland
- Italy invades Sudan, Kenya and British Somaliland
- Initial success, the British evacuate
- In Jan 1941, the Allies launch a counteroffensive and regain British Somaliland and by November defeated the Italians in the region
34
Describe the battles in Libya.
- In Sept 1940, Italy invades British-controlled Egypt to try and control the Suez Canal for trade
- They outnumbered the British but lost: scattered forces, outdated tanks and machine guns
- British troops, reinforced by commonwealth soldiers, attacked in December and by early 1941 forced Italians to retreat back to Libya
- By Jan 4, 1941, the AIF 6th division was able to capture Bardia, then Tobruk and Benghazi
35
Who were the rats of Tobruk and what is their story?
- 11 April - late Dec 1941
- General Erwin Rommel laid siege to the port of Tobruk; a strategic resource collection point, Allies defended Suez +Egypt
- 9th AIF division and part of the 7th defended the port
- Faced a force twice as large
- Installed barbed wire and mines
- German propaganda called them 'rats in a trap' - Rats of Tobruk, pride for the 14k Aussies that served
- Allies only arrived with more people and resources in Nov
36
What were the Afrika Corps?
- British General Wavell wanted to fully defeat the Italians in Africa, but instead, Churchill transfers troops to Greece
- German sends General Erwin Rommel and the Panzer Army (Afrika Corps in Africa) - Tanks - to help Italy
- Rommel forces an Allied retreat
37
Why was Egypt so important to both sides?
- Axis wanted access to Middle-Eastern oil supply
- Allies wanted a supply route for trade
- By July 1942, Rommel threatened Allied control of Egypt
38
Describe the 1st Battle of El Alamein.
- July 1942, Allies halt the German advance
- Both sides stop to rebuild strength
- General Bernard Montgomery puts pressure on Rommel
- Plans to build up and train Allied army to defeat Panzer army
39
Describe the 2nd Battle of El Alamein.
- 23 Oct - 4 Nov 1942
- On Oct 23, Montgomery launches an attack on the Panzer army at El Alamein
- Germans were protected by barbed wire and 500k mines so the attack failed
- Montgomery orders the 9th AIF division to attack the Germans' heavily defended Northern side
- The week of fighting forces Rommel to call for reinforcements from the south
- This opened the south up to an Allied tank advance
- By the 4th of Nov, the Allies broke through German lines and forced a retreat
- Continued west to Africa controlled by Vichy France
- Germans in Africa surrendered on the 13th of May 1943
- Major turning point as the battle had used up many resources and good soldiers
- Victory gave control of oil and trade and a base to attack the Balkans and Italy
40
What was Vichy France?
Southern France, cooperated with and was occupied by the Nazis
41
When was Operation Barbarossa?
22 June 1941
42
Describe Operation Barbarossa.
- Hitler breaks non-aggression pact by invading the USSR on 22 June 1941
- 3.3 million men, 3500 tanks, thousands of Aircraft along 2900km front
- Take Russia by surprise and capture Minsk and Smolensk and lay siege to Leningrad (starved them), captured Kyiv and almost take Moscow
- By Nov 1941, 1 million Russians were dead, 3 million were POWs and Russia lost 60% of their metal resources
- The Russian winter and German shortages stopped Germany from taking Moscow and Leningrad
43
What were Hitler's goals in Operation Barbarossa?
- Gain lebensraum (living space)
- Gain resources + oil
- Gain slave labour (Jews)
- Destroy the communist government
44
When was the Battle of Stalingrad?
Aug 1942 - Feb 1943
45
Describe the Battle of Stalingrad.
- Stalingrad was key for industry, manufacturing and rail and water links
- 1 million Soviet troops were sent to defend it
- Germans were cut off from ammunition and food and surrendered on 2 Feb 1943
- Huge turning point for the USSR, began to regain land
46
When was the Battle of Kursk?
July - Aug 1943
47
Describe the Battle of Kursk.
- German counterattack
- Soviets had weeks of warning and resources
- Largest tank battle in history, Soviets win
48
How did the Nazis treat Jewish people prior to the war?
- Scapegoated Jews for Germany's economic problems (Jews were bankers)
- Passed laws stripping Jews of rights
- Segregated Jews in Ghettos (then were sent to concentration/extermination camps later)
- Organised Kristallnacht, Nov 9, 1938: The night of broken glass
49
What and when was Kristallnacht?
- The night of broken glass, Nov 9, 1938
- Civilians attacked Jews on the streets and vandalised/destroyed Jewish businesses
50
What were concentration camps?
- Created as a way to use Jews for forced labour away from the public and later kill them
- Jews secretly deported on trains like animals
- Lack of food hygiene, brutal treatment from Nazis = high death rate even before the gas chambers
- Mostly located in Poland (highest concentration of Jews), some were even visible from town
51
What was the final solution and when was it 'created'?
- Created in late 1941, coinciding with the invasion of Russia
- Made Operation Barbarossa a struggle for the annihilation of communism (Jews)
- Einsatzgruppen killed Jews around the USSR and Eastern Europe by lining them up, shooting them and throwing their bodies into a ditch
52
What was one of the largest mass killings of Jews?
Babi Yar, just outside of Kiev
- Sept 1941
- 34k deaths
53
Why were extermination camps built?
- Einsatzgruppen were inefficient
- Men suffered psychological trauma from killing
- It was hard to conceal the killings from the rest of the population
- Jews deported to be gassed in extermination camps: more efficient, less contact between victims and killers, far away from the population
54
Whose priority was it to defeat Germany?
USA's
55
How would an invasion of Western Europe help the Allies?
From 1942, Eisenhower planned an invasion that would relieve the pressure on the Soviets and began bombing military, industrial and civilian targets
56
When was the bombing of Hamburg?
July 1943
57
How long was the bombing of Hamburg and how many died?
7 days, 40k dead
58
When was the bombing of Dresden?
Feb 1945
59
How long was the bombing of Dresden and how many died?
3 days, 25k dead
60
When was D-Day?
6 June 1944
61
Describe the D-Day invasions.
- 133k troops +23k paratroopers landed at Normandy
- 10k Allied casualties on the 1st day
- Troops advanced through France and forced a German retreat
- Resistance fighters then attacked Germans throughout the EU
62
What was the succession of events that lead to Germany's surrender?
- In March 1945, the Allies enter German territory
- Hitler committed suicide on 30 April
- 8 May all Germans cease fighting
- 9 May German generals surrender to the USSR (official end of Eu war)
63
When was the Pearl Harbour bombing?
7 Dec 1941
64
Why did the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbour?
- The islands they were conquering required naval invasions
- the Japanese hated the US for freezing their US assets, restricting trade and providing money to their enemies
- Wanted to neutralise the US naval threat before the takeover (BAD IDEA!)
65
When did the US declare war on Japan?
8 Dec 1941
66
When did Germany declare war on the USA?
11 Dec 1941
67
Why did Germany declare war on the USA?
Because of the Tripartite pact, alliances were very important in WW2
68
When was the fall of Singapore?
Feb 1942
69
Describe the fall of Singapore.
- British believed Singapore was safe
- Days after Pearl Harbour, Japan invades Singapore from Malaya and occupies it
- A battle of bombing, submarines and land fighting
70
When was the Darwin Air raid?
Feb 1942
71
Describe the fighting seen in North Australia.
- the US established a base in NT against Japan
- Darwin Air raid in response (95 by 1943)
- Guerilla warfare, bombing, submarines
72
When was the battle of the Coral Sea?
May 1942
73
Describe the battle of the Coral Sea.
- On May 4, the Japanese plan to take Port Moresby
- Allies find out
- Battled in the Coral sea
- 1st time the Allies stop the Japanese in the Pacific
74
When was the Battle of Midway?
June 1942
75
Describe the Battle of Midway.
- Japan attacked Midway in an attempt to defeat the US and gain a Naval base to attack other islands
- The US had warning and won the battle by severely weakening the Japanese Navy to the point of no recovery
76
When was the Battle of the Kokoda Trail?
July-Nov 1942
77
Describe the Battle of the Kokoda Trail.
- After the battle of the Coral Sea destroyed the chances of taking Port Moresby by sea, the Japanese tried getting there by land (Kokoda trail)
- Allies trekked through mud, rain and got diseases to stop the Japanee getting to Port Moresby
- 600 Aus dead, 10 000 Japanese dead
78
When was the Battle of Guadalcanal?
Aug 1942 - Feb 1943
79
Describe the Battle of Guadalcanal.
- Allies launched a surprise offensive
- Invaded with HMAS Canberra, Hobart and Australia
- Allies were able to replace men and resources more quickly
- Japanese suffered 9k killed from diseases
- Turning point, put the Japanese on the defensive
80
When was the Island Hopping campaign?
Nov 1943 - June 1945
81
Describe the Island Hopping campaign.
- Led by Generals MacArthur and Nimitz
-Involved small battles to capture islands and get within bombing range of Japan
- Japanese believed dying was more honourable than surrender and called for Kamikaze to use jets as missiles
- US develop good defence tactics against them
- There was an initial plan for a land invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) but the death toll would be too high
82
What was the Manhattan Project?
- Secret US project to develop an atomic bomb
- Other allies not told
- Potsdam declaration July 1945, 10 days after successful test: Surrender unconditionally now or face anhiliation
- Japan fights on
83
When and where was 'little boy' deployed?
August 6, Hiroshima
- Japanese don't surrender
84
When and where was 'fat man' deployed?
August 9, Nagasaki
85
How many died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively?
70k and 40k
86
When and why did Japan surrender?
- Emperor, against the government's will, surrendered on 15 August
- Government still believed it was honourable to die
- Emperor thought the loss of life was too great: 'the war has not developed in Japan's favour'
87
When and which Australian prime minister declared war on Japan?
John Curtin declared war on Japan in solidarity with the US, independent of Britain, in Dec 1941
88
Why did Australians enlist?
- Adventure
- Duty
- Part of the ANZAC WW1 heritage
