WW2 Flashcards
Who was part of the Axis
Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada
Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Thailand
Who was part of the Allies
Great Britain, France, Canada, United States
Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Brazil, Mexico
Who had a non aggression pact with Germany at the beginning of the war
Soviet Union
How did Canada enter the war
In 1939, PM King told Britain’s high commissioner “we will take this stand on our own, not in any colonial attitude of mind, simply following the lead from England”.
Canada declared war Sept 10, 1939 with most Canadians supporting its entry into the war as many still defined their identity through Great Britain while others were against the growing dictatorships in Europe
Who said “we will take this stand on our own, not in any colonial attitude of mind, simply following the lead from England” to who?
PM King said this to Britain’s high commissioner
What countries got invaded in order first in WW2
1936- Rhineland 1938- Austria 1939- Sudentenland - all of Czechoslovakia 1939- Poland
What was the date Poland got invaded
Sept 3,1939
What is the battle of the Atlantic
The worlds largest continuous naval military campaign
When did Canada join the battle of the Atlantic and how
1940 by providing supplies via convoys
Where did Canada reinforce the supply of ships during The battle of the Atlantic
Halifax and Sydney
Why were German u boats extremely successful in taking down allied ships
- They had bases all along the European coast.
- the boats ran in wolf packs which attacked convoys in great numbers.
- Air cover for convoys was not large enough (black gap).
- Convoys often stood out against the bright lights of shore
What were wolf pack
The U boats ran in wolf packs which attached convoys in great numbers
How did the allies deal with U-boats
- RAF bomber uboats shortly after leaving port
- Fog screens
- Water mines and explosives
- Corvettes
- Aircraft carriers
What are the reasons for German success in the West
- Blitzkrieg
- German superiority in equipment
- German advantages
- Allied weaknesses (weren’t prepared for blitzkrieg)
Why was Britain saved by the blitz
Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union in June 1941
What is operation Barbarossa
Hitler attacked Soviet Union ( Leningrad, Moscow and Stalingrad)
Why did Hitler break the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
- he hated communism
- the USSR provided valuable living space for the German people
- eastern Soviet Union has valuable supplies of wheat and oil
What was the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact
A non-aggression pact between Germany and Soviet Union. Hitler later broke this pact and started operation Barbarossa
Why was the German Blitzkrieg initially successful
- Stalin was not prepared for the German invasion
- the Luftwaffe won control of the air after destroying a large number of soviet planes on the ground
- The Soviet armies were short of weapons, tanks and motorized transport
- in some parts of the USSR the Germans were welcome
Why did German ultimately fail to achieve its objectives in the blitzkrieg
- the geography of the USSR
- The Soviet weather
- German mistakes
- Allied aid
- Soviet resistance
What was agrued as the beginning of the end for Hitler
Germany’s great at Stalingrad