International Relations WW2

Question 1

Who were the Allies of WW2

Answer 1

Britain, USA( from 1941), France, USSR (from 1941), China

Question 2

Who were the Axis in WW2

Answer 2

Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary

Question 3

Explain Blitzkreig

Answer 3

German military tactics involving heavy bombing from the air and rapid tank movements on the ground

Question 4

Describe Germany’s attack of Poland

Answer 4

Used Blitzkreig tactics

Poland was forced to surrender to Germany and the USSR

Question 5

When were Germany’s invasion of Denmark, Holland, Norway, Belgium

Answer 5

1940

Question 6

Explain Phoney War

Answer 6

After attack of Poland there was no fighting during winter 1939-1940

Question 7

Describe Germany’s capture of France

Answer 7

Maginot Line of France was heavily guarded
Germans avoided Maginot lines
Attacked April 1940 through rough woodland called Ardennes region
Was not protected because it was rough terrain for tanks
Germany occupied North France with element of surprise
South became known as Vichy France

Question 8

What was Operation Dynamo

Answer 8

British sent hundreds of boats to rescue thousands of British and French soldiers from beaches at Dunrick in response to French Defeat

Question 9

What was the Battle of Britain

Answer 9

1940 German Luftwaffe attack RAF airfields
British and Germans fought for control of the air
Both sides suffered heavy losses
Britain won by help of radar and superior planes to Germans
Germany bombed London giving the RAF time to recover

Question 10

What was the Blitz

Answer 10

Luftwaffe attack on British cities 1940-1941
Bombs and incendiaries were dropped around Britain
Many evacuated London and cities
Ended when Hitler ordered attack on Russia

Question 11

What was Operation Sea Lion code name for

Answer 11

Hitler’s invasion of Britain leading to the Battle of Britain

Question 12

What was Operation Barbarossa

Answer 12

Hitler’s invasion of the USSR. Began month late 22 June 1941.

Question 13

How was the German army organised for the attack of the USSR (Operation Barbarossa)

Answer 13

Over 3 million soldiers, 4,000 planes and 4,000 tanks invaded from North, centre and south

Question 14

Why did the Soviets suffer many losses

Answer 14

Germans caught Russia by surprise and Soviet roops were poorly led

Question 15

Why was fighting tough in the USSR for Germany’s army?

Answer 15

Russians used scorched earth policy
Rain in October caused Mud
As German s advanced they suffered heavy losses
Extreme winter temperatures caused frostbite, frozen petrol (-40°C)

Question 16

Explain Scorched Earth Policy

Answer 16

As Russians retreated they destroyed anything of use the Germans ex. Factories, railway lines

Question 17

How was Moscow saved by the Soviets

Answer 17

Using cold to their advantage the Soviets launched a counter attack forcing the Germans to retreat and Moscow was saved.

Question 18

Why did USA join the war

Answer 18

Japan attack Pearl Harbour December 1941

USA enter war led by Roosevelt

Question 19

Why did Hitler attack Stalingrad?

Answer 19

Oilfields

Question 20

Describe the fighting at Stalingrad

Answer 20

German army led by General Paulus attack 1942. Stalin orders for city to be defended. Fierce street fighting ensues

Question 21

Explain how the German army lost at Salingrad

Answer 21

November 1942 general Zhukov of the USSR launched a counter attack called operation uranus trapping the German army.
Paulus and his army surrendered in 1943 (February)
Germans suffered massive loss of 300,000 soldiers

Question 22

Explain why the Germans suffered losses at El Alamein in Egypt

Answer 22

German troops sent to help Italian troops in North Africa. British in Africa prepare to attack. October 1942 British troops attack the German troops with 200,000 men. Rommel surrendered after two weeks and Germany’s army retreated to Tunisia

Question 23

Explain Operation Overlord

Answer 23

Code name for D-Day

Question 24

How was the attack on D-Day organised by the Allies?

Answer 24

Allies planned to land near Normandy with American, British and Canadian troops to invade led by General Eisenhower. Landed at five beaches codnamed.
Invaded on the 6th June 1944

Question 25

What were the codenames of the five beaches on D-Day

Answer 25

Omaha, Juno, Gold, Sword, Utah

Question 26

Why was fighting difficult during Operation Overlord

Answer 26

Countryside terrain (Bocage)
Woods and hedgerows
A lot of cover for the Germans

Question 27

What happened to the German army when the Allies won Operation Overlord

Answer 27

By August Allies destroyed German Army in France and Paris was liberated. German troops then left France

Question 28

Explain VE day

Answer 28

Victory in Europe

Question 29

Describe Germany’s surrender

Answer 29

March 1945 Allies cross the Rhine, closing in on Berlin
30th of April- Hitler commits suicide
Germans surrender
8th of May becomes VE Day

Question 30

Why did the Allies win the war

Answer 30

Bigger population so more powerful armies
America produced mass amounts of tanks, planes and weapons during War
Allies produced more Oil
Allies won the battle in the air, bombing Germany
The Red army (Soviets)
Loss of German soldiers as a result of Hitler interfering with Generals decisions (ex Stalingrad or D-Day)

Question 31

Explain Holocaust or Final solution

Answer 31

Mass murder and extermination of the Jews in Europe under Hitler

Question 32

Why did operation barbarossa not take place in may 1941 as planned by Hitler

Answer 32

It was delayed a month because of Germany invading Greece and Yugoslavia