WWII Flashcards
When did WWII happen?
1939 - 1945
M.A.I.N.A.T.T.A
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
Appeasement
Totalitarianism
Treaty of Versailles
Attack on Poland
Japanese Aggression
(Leading factor of WW2)
Japan took over Korea, Manchuria, and much of Southeast Asia in order to gain natural resources/raw materials
What was the Rape of Nanking?
(Leading factor of WW2)
Brutal event in which the Japanese raped and killed Chinese civilians in the city of Nanking. It was a major human rights violation.
Italian Aggression
(Leading factor of WW2)
Benito Mussolini of Italy invaded and took over Ethiopia (country in Africa)
German Aggression
(Leading factor of WW2)
Adolf Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles
Why exactly did WW2 happen?
World War II took place mainly because very little was done early on to stop Hitler,
Mussolini, or Japan
What was the League of Nations?
The League of Nations was an international organization created after World War I in
order to prevent war. It failed to stop Hitler, Mussolini, or Japan from being aggressive.
What was the Appeasement Policy?
a policy where an aggressive nation is given what they want by
other nations in order to avoid war. At the Munich Conference in Germany, Great Britain appeased Hitler by giving him control over Czechoslovakia. This led Hitler to demand even more land.
What started WW2?
World War II started when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. Three days later, Britain and
France declared war on Germany.
Invasion of Poland
This event started WWII. Poland was quickly defeated by Germany because Poland lacks natural boundaries
Pearl Harbor
Japan launched a surprise attack against the United States. This event brought US
into World War II
Why did Hitler fail to conquer Russia (USSR)?
Hitler failed to conquer Russia (the Soviet Union) at the Battle of Stalingrad because of the harsh climate (severe winter) and large size of the nation. The same was true of Napoleon Bonaparte 130 years earlier. Geography has always been Russia’s (USSR) best defense.
D-Day Invasion
defeat of Germany
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
This was the final event of World War II. The U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. Japan surrendered soon after
The Holocaust
(Genocide- human right violation)
This was the event during World War II in which Hitler and the Nazis tried to kill all
Jews in Europe. 6 million Jews and 6 million non-Jews were killed during this event.
What was formatted after WW2?
United Nations
What was the United Nations?
The United Nations is the organization that was created after World War II in order to
solve international problems (like poverty and disease) and prevent future wars.
What are some things the United Nation is made up of?
The Security Council- Keeps peace
International Court of Justice- Settles disputes
General Assembly- Votes on key policies Secretariat- Responsible for day-to-day administration of the United Nations.
What was the Declaration of Human Rights?
This was a document created by the United Nations that lists the rights that ALL people should have within their nations. This includes the right to freedom of speech, the right to life, and the right to participate in government.
What was the Nuremberg Trials?
- court case where the surviving Nazis who helped Hitler carry out the Holocaust were put on trial
- 19 Nazi leaders were executed or sentenced to imprisonment
Why were the Nuremberg Trials important?
The Nuremberg Trials are important because they demonstrated that individuals
in government could be held accountable for their actions
