WWII Notes 2, 3a, 3b

Question 1

What was Blitzkrieg?

Answer 1

• the strategy of attacking your enemy quickly and overwhelming them so they can’t retaliate
• was used to invade multiple territories such as Poland and France, and also was used to overwhelm the Allied defenses.

Question 2

What was Pervitin?

Answer 2

• was known as the “People’s Drug” and was the psychological and economic result of the Treaty of Versailles
• Provided assistance for German soldiers. Pervitin reduced fear and anxiety, as well as increased focus and boldness when in battle. Pervitin was a big part of Blitzkrieg.

Question 3

What was the French Maginot Line?

Answer 3

• a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles, and weapons

- was used to help protect France, however Germany just went around it and pushed deeper into France.

Question 4

What was armistice?

Answer 4

• the agreement to stop fighting

- Armistice was signed by France and Germany after France had asked for armistice

Question 5

What is Luftwaffe?

Answer 5

• the German Air Force
• was used to target airfields and aircraft, as well as target cities so that they can prove they are not afraid to take down large amounts of people and factories.

Question 6

What was RAF?

Answer 6

• Britain’s Royal Air Force

- ultimately caused the Luftwaffe to take too many loses to continue consistent bombing campaigns.

Question 7

What was Operation Pied Piper?

Answer 7

• when 3.5 million people were officially relocated

- the British had to move civilians, most importantly children, to rural areas they thought would be less at risk

Question 8

What was Isolationism?

Answer 8

• not getting involved in other countries affairs

- America wanted to stay an isolated country, but the aggression of Axis countries forced America to respond.

Question 9

What was the Neutrality Act?

Answer 9

• It prohibited the sale of arms or making loans to countries at war
• When Italy invaded Ethiopia, America quit selling weapons to both countries

Question 10

What was the Cash and Carry Act?

Answer 10

• said that countries at war could buy American goods if they paid cash and picked up their goods at American ports
• Roosevelt didn’t want to risk the lives of US citizens or ships and by doing this, America was also making money from the war.

Question 11

What was the Lend-Lease Act?

Answer 11

• allowed sales or loans to “any country whose defense the President deems vital to the security of the US”
• this helped keep US citizens safe and secure

Question 12

What is antisemitism?

Answer 12

• Prejudice against or hatred of Jews

- it was used by politicians during the holocaust

Question 13

What is boycott?

Answer 13

• refusing to by goods as a punishment or protest

- there was a boycott of Jewish businesses and Germans quit buying from Jewish buisnesses

Question 14

What are ghettos?

Answer 14

• large and crowded sections of cities
• Jews were forced to move to ghettos that were separated by walls from the main German population. food was rationed and most of the time there were 20 people in one room apartments

Question 15

What was genocide?

Answer 15

• the extermination of a entire group of people

- genocide was very popular in Auschwitz. Nazi’s would trick Jews into gas chambers and then kill them all at once.