WWII Unit Test Flashcards
GENERAL CAUSES FOR THE RISE OF DICTATORSHIPS IN THE 1920s AND 1930s
Dissatisfaction with terms of the Treaty of Versailles following World War I
Debt, economic depressions, and mass unemployment
Widespread unrest and instability
Soviet Union
(Russia) Overview
Josef
Stalin
Communist
Totalitarian
state+dictatorship
-Russian Revolution
-desire to quickly modernize industry and agriculture
Italy Overview
Benito
Mussolini
(Prime Minister)
King- limited power
Fascist
Totalitarian
state+dictatorship
-fighting due to economic and social problems
-desire to bring Italy back to its former glory (Roman Empire)
-belief in racial superiority
Germany Overview
Adolf
Hitler
Nazi
(National Socialist)
Totalitarian
state+dictatorship
-anger over Germany’s defeat in WWI and the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
-belief in racial superiority
-economic
depression
Japan Overview
Emperor
Hirohito+Prime Minister
Hideki Tojo
No recognized political party
Military
rule
-economic depression
-desire for more land and raw materials
-belief in racial superiority
USA Overview
Franklin Delano
Roosevelt
(FDR)
Democrat
Representative
democracy
No dictator
Totalitarian state:
a nation in which a single party controls the government and every aspect of people’s lives
What freedoms that we as Americans enjoy do citizens of totalitarian states NOT have?
Freedom of press, religion, assembly, right to a trial by jury, no cruel and unusual punishment, unwarranted searches and seizures, free elections.
Fascism:
a political system based on militarism, extreme nationalism, and blind loyalty to the state and its leader
Explain the Nazi’s idea of the “master race.”
The Nazis believed that Germans were racially superior to other people and it was their destiny to rule them. They especially believed in anti-Semitism, or hatred of Jews. Jews were used as a scapegoat for Germany’s defeat in World War I and all of the problems their country faced in the years afterward
Scapegoat:
someone on whom to blame problems. The Nazi’s blamed Jews for Germany’s loss in World War II in addition to Germany’s economic and political struggles following the war. Pre-existing anti-Semitism in Europe, in addition to anger and resentment about WWII, made this easier for Germans to accept.
What actions were taken against Jews in Germany in the 1930s?
Jews lost many rights under the Nazis. Laws were passed that prevented Jews from attending public school or from working in certain professions. Their homes were attacked and many were arrested and sent to labor camps.
Aggression:
a warlike act by one country against another without cause
Act of Aggression: Japan
Manchuria
1931
League of Nations protested but did nothing
China
1937
none
Act of Aggression: Italy
Ethiopia
1935
Weak response by League of Nations; other countries were suffering through depression
Act of Aggression: Germany
Rhineland
1936
none
Austria
1938
none
Sudetenland
1938
Munich Conference: Britain and France appease or give in to an aggressor in order to avoid war. Germany gets the Sudetenland and promises not to take any more territory.
Czechoslovakia
1939
none
Poland
1939
Britain and France declare war on Germany: WORLD WAR II BEGINS
Axis:
alliance between Germany, Italy and Japan
Neville Chamberlain:
Prime Minister of Great Britain; orchestrated the Munich Agreement with Hitler in 1938 in which Germany received the Sudetenland but had to forgo future territorial acquisition. This is an example of appeasement.
appeasement:
meeting the demands of a hostile power in order to avoid war
blitzkrieg:
German “lightning war” tactics that emphasize coordination of overwhelming force against an enemy
Which countries in Europe were conquered by Germany using this tactic (blitzkrieg)?
Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
Describe what is referred to by the “Battle of Britain.” What was the outcome?
Hitler launched an air attack of Great Britain including bombing major cities. Instead of it causing Britons to give up,
it increased their spirit and perseverance. The British people were inspired by their Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.
After months of bombing, Hitler gave up attacking Great Britain. He was never able to conquer the country.
What agreement did Hitler and Stalin come to in August of 1939? How did Hitler betray this agreement?
Hitler of Germany and Stalin of the Soviet Union agreed to not attack each other. They also agreed to take over Poland
and divide it up between the two of them. In 1941, Hitler violated this agreement, launched an invasion of the Soviet
Union and tried to take it over. He feared Stalin and wanted the Soviet Union’s natural resources. The Soviet Union
then began fighting on the side of the Allies.
Scrap Metal Drives:
people encouraged to donate unused metal for the war effort
Rationing-
certain foods & goods were scarce so they needed to be conserved, people used ration books to buy things like meat, wheat, gas
War Bonds -
people bought war bonds or made loans to the government where they would get paid back with interest, this helped the gov’t pay for the war
Victory Gardens -
people at home grew their own food in victory gardens to conserve food for soldiers
SIGNIFICANCE OF HOMEFRONT
INITIATIVES
People at home during the war were critical to the war effort because they saved food & metal. They also purchased bonds to help pay for the war and grew their own food. This is important because all citizens, even those not fighting in the war, were needed to achieve victory in WWII.
Women at home:
Women took on many different jobs and roles to help fill the place of men who were fighting, women in workforce increased by 10%
Rosie the Riveter -
symbol of women in the workforce
Women at war:
Hundreds of women volunteered in the military (Women Army Corp , Navy Reserve etc.)
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
WOMEN
Women played a critical role in the war effort . This caused women to want to pursue working outside the homemore and other opportunities. However, many women lost their jobs at the end of the war but their efforts in WWII led to the basis for the women’s rights movement.
African-American Jobs:
African Americans came from all over the country for wartime jobs and this increased racial tension because of the competition for jobs. Black women also stepped in to fill wartime factory positions (Black Rosies).
“Double V” Campaign:
victory in the war and against racism at home
Tuskegee Airmen:
distinguished segregated unit made up of the first black fighter pilots
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
AFRICAN AMERICANS
African Americans made many contributions to the war effort both in combat and at home while still facing discrimination/racism. In 1948, the Armed Forces were desegregated.
What quantity of native American tribes volunteer to fight in WWII?
-Almost every native American tribe volunteered to fight in WWII
Navajo Code Talkers -
Navajo Indians used by the U.S. Marines as radio operators in the Pacific. They spoke in their language so the Japanese could not understand the messages being sent.
Native American men who didn’t qualify for combat…
helped on the homefront (40,000 contributed to defense)
Native American women helped
maintain reservations, sewed uniforms, canned food etc.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
NATIVE AMERICANS
Native Americans provided significant support in battles, especially the Navajo Code Talkers.
“Not only did American Indian service members have to navigate the dangers of combat, they also had to grapple with the idea that they were fighting on behalf of a nation that had gone to great lengths to destroy their cultures and ways of living.”
Braceros:
Mexican laborers hired to perform farm labor during World War II because of labor shortages who faced prejudice
Mexican American communities contributed to many…
homefront initiatives in the Southwest
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
MEXICAN AMERICANS
Like other minority groups, Mexican Americans made great contributions to the war effort especially in terms of labor but faced discrimination and prejudice.
Propaganda designed to get people to support the war effort
Promote patriotism
Engage in war effort
Demonize axis powers
Used many different methods for propaganda including posters, cartoons, radio broadcasts, and movies
SIGNIFIGANCE OF WWII HOMEFRONT
PROPAGANDA
Although the propaganda was not always accurate, it was an effective tool in mobilizing citizens to support homefront initiatives.
Japanese-American internment:
more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to internment camps due to security concerns and prejudice. (Executive Order 9066)
Korematsu v. U.S.:
Supreme Court upheld Executive Order 9066 as a military necessity
442nd Infantry:
segregated, all-Japanese unit; most highly decorated military unit of all time; some were volunteers from internment camps
June 6, 1944: Allied forces invade Western Europe (Operation Overlord)
What happened:
Effect(s):
Allied forces landed in Normandy, France. The Germans fortified the area, making it one of the bloodiest days of the war. Within a month, a million Allied troops had stormed ashore.
A second front was opened, leading to the end of the war.
August 25, 1944: Allied forces liberate Paris
What happened:
Effect(s):
Allied forces liberated Paris, driving the Germans out and into Germany.
The Germans moved into full retreat and were forced to fall back to protect their homeland.
December 16, 1944: German forces launch an offensive at the Battle of the Bulge
What happened:
Effect(s):
As the Allies pushed eastward, the Germans counterattacked in Belgium. Hitler poured his remaining reserves into this attack. Bad weather grounded Allied aircraft and this allowed the Germans to create a “bulge” in the American lines. The Germans almost broke through the Allied lines. Germany was severely lacking soldiers & supplies
This was the last offensive for the Germans and they were on the retreat from there on out.
1944-1945: Allied forces discover Nazi concentration camps
What happened:
Effect(s):
The Allies liberated the concentration camps freeing the survivors. Some 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
People saw the horrors of concentration camps revealing the evils of Hitler. Nazis would be charged with war crimes. Nuremberg trials: trials to convict Nazis of war crimes
February 4, 1945: The Big Three meet at the Yalta Conference
What happened:
Effect(s):
FDR, Churchill (leader of GB), and Stalin (leader of the Soviet Union) met for the final time and discussed their plans for post-war Europe.
Germany would be divided in 4 zones, Stalin would allow free elections in the Soviet Union. Stalin agrees to declare war on Japan.
May 8, 1945: V-E Day or Victory Europe Day
What happened:
Effect(s):
A few weeks before, Hitler took shelter in his bunker and committed suicide. The Nazi empire was in ruin. German forces unconditionally surrendered on May 8 known as V-E day.
The war was over in Europe and there was much rebuilding to be done. However, the war was not over in the Pacific.
Kamikaze
Japanese suicide pilots who would intentionally crash their planes into Allied targets. This came from the ancient bushido code of honor that taught death was better than surrender. Kamikaze tactics showed how desperate Japan had become towards the end of the war.
Iwo Jima
A small island close enough to be used as an airbase to bomb Japan. In February 1945, the U.S. took the island with 6,000 Americans killed.
Okinawa
A Japanese island south of the main group of islands. In April 1945, 12,000 Americans were killed taking the island and only 1% of Japanese defenders survived with many soldiers and civilians taking their own lives.
Atomic Bombings
Rather than launching an invasion of Japan, President Truman chose to use the newly developed atomic bomb to try to force Japan to surrender.
August 6, 1945: first bomb dropped on Hiroshima, killing over 135,000
August 9, 1945: second bomb dropped on Nagasaki, killing over 35,000
Japanese Surrender
August 14, 1945: After the first use of atomic weapons in history which leveled entire cities, the emperor announced Japan’s surrender. (V-J Day)
Sept. 2, 1945: Formal surrender officially signed in Tokyo; WWII ends
Reasons for WWII
W.A.R
World War I
and the Treaty of Versailles
Appeasement
Rise of Authoritarian Regimes
World War I and the
Treaty of Versailles.
World War I was supposed to be the ‘War to End All Wars”, however you’ll see in Scene One that the decisions made in theaftermath of the war actually helped lead to another world wide conflict.
What does appeasement mean?
When you appease, it means you give in to someone’s demands or satisfy them by granting some sort of concession inorder to avoid conflict, often at the expense of your own principles.
Rise in
Authoritarian Regimes.
Authoritarian governments have very strict laws and enforce obedience. They have complete and total authority and very little personal freedom will exist or be allowed.
anti-Semitism:
prejudice against Jews. Throughout the 1930s after the Nazi Party took power in Germany, German Jews had even their most basic rights gradually stripped away. By the late 1930s, Jews were forced to relocate to concentration/labor camps and ghettos, places within cities where Jews were segregated.
lebensraum:
the concept of “living space” required by the German people in order to survive. The Nazi’s planned to expand into Eastern Europe and colonize it with Germans. This meant removal or enslavement of the people already living there.
eugenics:
belief in the ability to improve the human race genetically. The Nazis attempted to accomplish this by preventing those they considered to be untermenschen or, subhuman (Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, people of color), and the physically or mentally disabled, from reproducing with those they considered to be part of the “master race” (Nordic/Germanic Aryans). Eventually, this extended to murder.
“Final Solution:”
the Nazi plan to commit a genocide, a deliberate attempt to destroy an entire group of people, of all the Jews of Europe. This plan led to the deportation of Jews in ghettos and concentration camps to extermination camps where they were systematically murdered.
The Holocaust
The systematic murder of about 6 million Jews (almost two-thirds of European Jews) and about 5 million other Europeans considered undesirable (Gypsies, Poles, Russians, political prisoners, homosexuals, and the disabled)
1941 – 1945
Nuremberg trials:
war crime trials of Nazi leaders following World War II. These trials reinforced the idea that people are responsible for their actions, even during wartime.
War crimes:
wartime acts of cruelty and brutality that are judged to be beyond the accepted rules of war and human behavior
Immigration:
many Jews did not return to their homes and sought to rebuild their lives in new countries. They often had to deal with immigration restrictions. Some went to the British Mandate of Palestine, part of which became the Jewish state of Israel established by the United Nations in 1948.
widespread damage from bombings left cities destroyed and economies in ruins, while millions of survivors, orphans and refugees were homeless and starving
untouched by the war, the US economy boomed and continued to grow following the war’s end
Japan: U.S. forces occupied Japan and created several recovery programs
Europe: Secretary of State George Marshall’s Marshall Plan gave more than $13 billion to European countries to help them rebuild
a desire to hold people responsible for their actions, even in wartime, and prevent conflict and genocide in the future
Nuremberg trials: war crimes trial of top Nazi leaders held in Nuremberg, Germany. Many were executed or imprisoned for their actions.
need to form an international peace-keeping organization to replace the weak League of Nations, enable nations to work together, and prevent future wars
United Nations: international peace-keeping body founded by 50 nations, including the United States, in 1945 following World War II
devastated countries and economies created conditions for social and economic change
spread of communism, a single-party political system in which the government controls and plans the economy with the goal of common rather than private ownership of all property
veterans returned home, deeply impacted by their experiences, and facing competition from each other for jobs, education and housing
G.I. Bill of Rights: government bill that paid for veteran’s education and living expenses
the Truman administration addressed the country’s housing shortage as many were living in crowded cities
G.I. Bill of Rights:
government bill that paid for veteran’s education and living expenses
during the war, millions of Americans relocated to find war-related jobs in California and major cities
a population shift occurred from the South to the North and West Coast
African Americans found economic opportunity but also faced prejudice and poor living conditions in major cities
in response to the Holocaust, the United Nations created the new nation of Israel from Palestine as a homeland for Jews
Arabs in Palestine opposed the creation of this new country
Fighting broke out between neighboring Arab countries and Israel
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to this day
The Soviet Union emerged from World War II as a great power
Stalin broke his agreement to promote self-government in Eastern Europe, establishing communist dictatorships instead
The United States did not support this type of government and tried to stop its spread, leading to future conflict (The
Cold War)
The United States use of atomic weapons against Japan in World War II brought the world into a new age of weaponry
the powerful new weapon increased the already existing tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
