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World War 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

How & Why does
a nation decide
to go to war?

A

defend the land, want more land, civilians loss of life, maintain/achieve world power status, govt/economy threatened, people’s rights, allies go to war

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2
Q

What if a significant amount of population objects the war?

A

propaganda, boost morale

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3
Q

How do societal norms change in times of crisis?

A

increase nationalism, donate, $ & join military, job -> supplies, minoritized groups called upon to participate.

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4
Q

“History can only teach it’s lesson if it is remembered.”

A

“Even what seems like a sensitive topic, its still important to talk about these things so we keep going the good things & not repeat the bad.”

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5
Q

Dictators

A

leader who controls nation by force

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6
Q

Why do some Europeans resent the Treaty of Versailles after WWI?

A

Ended WWI, but Depression sinks into Europe (especially Germany), which adds to the to frustration. Dictators rise to power because of promises of a better life

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7
Q

Dictators (Countries)

A

Japan (Hideki Tojo), Russia (Joseph Stalin), Italy (Benito Mussolini) & Germany (Adolf Hitler)

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8
Q

Fascism

A

extreme nationalism & racism

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9
Q

Anti-semitism

A

hatred of Jewish Race

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10
Q

Totalitarianism

A

singe political party, leader suppresses opposition, controls all aspects of life

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11
Q

The series of Neutrality Acts of the mid 1930s were created to keep the US from selling arms to Europe, and thus, to avoid entering another war.

A

Ban the sale of weapons to nations in war, trade for cash only, Transport goods in own ship (not to repeat the Lusitania)

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12
Q

Why is Congress so worried about trading w/ European Countries at this time?

A

working to get out of Depression, Pay off WWI debts

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13
Q

Benito Mussolini

A

Italian fascist, IL Dulce (the leader), no democratic rule, no civil liberties or freedom of press

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14
Q

Hirohito & Hideki Tojo

A

Emperor & prime minister, expansion of power to become world power, attack on Manchuria & set up. Tojo- takes over, currently plans attack on US

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15
Q

Adolf Hitler

A

German, national socialist worker’s party, great speaker, used Treaty of Versailles dissent , Anti-Semitic, chancellor, no democratic rule, totalitarian, expansion of territory

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16
Q

Joseph Stalin

A

Communist, Soviet Union, General Secretary, “Lenin’s Mouthpiece”, executed rivals, ordered death of thousands, labor camps, people forced on govt farms.

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17
Q

Blitzkrieg

A

“lighting war” - a form of warfare in which surprise attacks with fast-moving airplanes are followed by massive attacks with infantry forces.

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18
Q

Allied Powers

A

Great Britain, France, Russia, US

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19
Q

Axis Powers

A

Germany, Japan, Italy

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20
Q

Battle of Britain

A

Britain stands in the way of Hitler’s domination. Set another offensive, killing many civilians, break British morale

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21
Q

Winston Churchill

A

inspirational British Prime Minister

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22
Q

America First Committee

A

including celebrities, like Henry Ford. Stay out of Europe’s Business! Vowed to remain neutral, FDR takes steps toward war anyway, strengthen navy & amend Neutrality Act. signed 1st peacetime draft law, men aged 21-35.

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23
Q

Lend-Lease Act

A

1941, sell, lend or lease arms/supplies to any notion considered “vital to the defense of US”

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24
Q

Who will oppose this act?

A

isolationists

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25
"Shoot on Sight"
orders by FDR any German/Italian ships in certain waters
26
Who seized China & continued expansion into the Philippines because America occupied them?
Japan, causes FDR to seize all Japanese assets in US banks & no sales to them, prime minister, who believes Japan can beat the US, resigns.
27
December 7th, 1941
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to destroy the Pacific fleet
28
Name 3 locations Japan attacked on on 12/7/1941
Guam, Pearl Harbor & Philippines
29
What is the purpose of FDR's speech?
Convince Congress to start War, protect American land, avenge the dead
30
How long after Pearl Harbor does the US join the war?
3 weeks after Pearl Harbor, US joins Allied Powers w/ more than 20 other nations. Britain, Soviet Union included, vow to defeat axis powers.
31
1st Concentration: Hitler & Germany... Why not Japan?
1) Too Far, Germany in Eastern (Russia) & Western (France) Front. Occupies most of Europe & North Africa, worried if Germany defeats Soviets, maybe unstoppable.
32
Allies Strategies
Stalin + America= Attack Germany through English Channel = Defend the Heart of Their Empire. Churchill worried about the strong German Army 's presence, FDR agrees
33
Operation Torch
Code name for allied invasion of North Africa (Fighting on 2 Fronts)
34
Invasion of Italy & Air War over Germany
Allies use bases in North Africa to launch their European Invasion. Took Sicily, overthrowing of Mussolini; took mainland & Italians surrender. Continued to fight Germans until major advance to Rome, liberated in 1944.
35
liberate
free from enemy occupation
36
What do the Brits & US begin to launch?
Launch a major bombing campaign. Day-US batters cities & factories. Night- Brits hit same targets.
37
Operation Chastise
Strategic Bombings. Chastise- to embarrass someone. Show axis powers that the Allies have increased control over them.
38
Tide turns in Europe: Eastern Front
Soviets & Germans in ferocious combat. SU= the brunt of the German Force
39
Leningrad, 1941
Germans begin a siege of, blockade, lasting 100 days. Attack continues, Leningrad doesn't fall. Food becomes scarce, people go to extremes... bread made of wallpaper paste.
40
Stalingrad, 1942
German offensive, Oil rich land, fight in the streets & even house by house. Soviets surrounded the city & cut off German supply lines. 1943, tattered German army surrenders. Drives Germany back 100s of miles. turning point in war.
41
Explain the rationale to fight in the heart of the German empire & Africa first.
Attack the main leader first, everything else will fall with it.
42
Invasion of France & Victory in Europe!
Su pushes Germany from the East, allies plan massive attack from west into France
43
Operation Overload (D-Day)
led by General Eisenhower, planned to land in Normandy, on the coast. June 6th, 1944; beginning of allied invasion. France liberated 2 months after.
44
Battle of the Bulge
December 1944, Germany launches surprise attack. 100,000 casualties, marks the end of serious German resistance. April 1945, Soviets surrounded Berlin, capital of Germany
45
VE Day (Victory in Europe)
May 8, 1945; victory in Europe Day when the Germans surrendered, unconditional surrender signed by Germany
46
The European Theater
German Blitzkrieg, Battle of Britain, Germany invaded Soviet Union, Mussolini captured & executed, Battle of Stalingrad (turning point), D-Day (turning point), VE day, Holocaust "discovered", Allies occupy Germany, United Nations
47
The Pacific Theater
Japanese aggression in Asia, Pearl Harbor Attack, Japan takes Western colonies, Battle of Midway (turning point), Island Hopping Strategy (US), Manhattan Project, Potsdam Conference (Big Three), Atomic Bomb: Hiroshima, Atomic Bomb: Nagasaki
48
Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor, Guam & the Philippines?
US occupied
49
Douglas MacArthur
American general, who commanded allied troops in the Pacific during World War II. Forced to retreat out of the Philippines to Bataan Peninsula.
50
Bataan Death March
A forced march of American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese. 6 days, 60 miles march prisoners to death, 76000 prisoners
51
Island Hopping (Allied Strategy #3)
Japan's quick string of victories, causes low American morale. US bombs Tokyo, led by James Doolittle in hopes of raising American spirits.
52
Battle of Coral Sea & Battle of Midway
use island hopping
53
Island Hopping
attacking & capturing key islands, used to leap frog to others.
54
Kamikazes
Japanese suicide pilots who fly airplanes into Allied Ships purposely.
55
Iwo Jima & Okinawa
islands near Japan, seized
56
Is propaganda showing a safe, healthy soldier, effective?
Yes effective because it shows that the person is healthy & was able to get through Bataan with support from American citizens.
57
Who warned FDR about the German nuclear capabilities?
German born physicist, Albert Einstein, wrote to FDR to warn of the Nazi use of "energy of the atom".
58
Manhattan Project
develop nuclear weaponry 1st, in New Mexico 1945.
59
Potsdam Declaration
Warning to Japan to surrender or face prompt & utter destruction
60
Enola Gay/Hiroshima (8/6/45)
American B-29 Bomber, drops bomb on Hiroshima, second bomb later dropped on Nagasaki. 70,00 + 40,000 people died due to immediate impact.
61
Kristallnacht
(Night of the Broken Glass) 1938, Rampage to destroy Jewish homes, synagogues, & businesses; provides Nazi govt w/ an opportunity to totally remove Jews from German public life.
62
Concentration Camps
prison camps that were made by the German govt to kill off Jewish people. Shaved heads, tattooed numbers on forearms, forced in to terrible conditions.
63
What does this do to people?
Lowers morale, numbs feeling/emotions, physical & mental torture.
64
Final Solution (Holocaust)
plan of destruction of Jewish people. Death Camps included gas chambers & crematoriums.
65
Auschwitz
Nazi extermination camp in Poland, the largest center of mass murder during the Holocaust. Close to a million Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and others were killed there.
66
How do we finance a war?
The Federal govt spent about $350 billion or twice as much as it had spent in total for its entire history. 40% of that came from taxes, rest coming through govt borrowing (liberty bonds).
67
Revenue Act of 1942
raised corporate taxes & required all American citizens to pay taxes.
68
Women during WWII
Many women joined the armed forces in noncombat roles. Women went to work in the war industries. Women saved grease, metal and other things that could help the war effort.
69
War Production Board (WPB)
supervised that conversion of peacetime industries to war production. Automakers to military vehicles, Copper needed from pennies, Metal Source... Developed plastic
70
Ration
consumers purchased a limited amount of product
71
Tuskegee Airmen
1st combative assignment for AA
72
Navajo Code Talkers
developed a special code based on Navajo language so radio messages couldn't be intercepted by Japanese.
73
Interment Camps
Detention centers where Japanese Americans were relocated after Pearl Harbor, desert area, crowded & uncomfortable, terrible conditions.
74
executive order
a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.
75
Executive Order 9066
Japanese American required to register & relocate to an interment cam in 7 different states, 12000 relocate, even after volunteering for the draft.
76
Korematsu v. US
1944 Supreme Court case where the Supreme Court upheld the order providing for the relocation of Japanese Americans. It was not until 1988 that Congress formally apologized and agreed to pay $20,000 2 each survivor
77
Security (US) v. 14th Amendment (Korematsu)
Security: Rights of the nation outweigh rights of individuals. 9066 protects against rising change of espionage, sabotage, & subversion (spying). Not constitutional racism, discrimination in order to protect nation as a whole. Imminent Danger of War present, more lives at stake. 14th: Due Process of Law, Korematsu is a citizen who has not committed any crimes to result in relocation to as prison camp. Legalization of racism, seems like regimes we're fighting against.
78
Why does America mourn the death of FDR so much?
Leads us through the Great Depression, saved American way of life. War in Europe coming to a close, War in Pacific Theater coming soon. Made the world a better place for democracy
79
VJ Day (Victory over Japan)
Victory in Japan. After bombings, Japan surrenders, August 15ht, 1945. Top Nazi & Japanese leader put on trial, accused of committing war crimes & crimes against humanity.
80
Most Destructive in History
40 million lives lost, more than half = civilian deaths, by bombings, starvation, disease & torture.

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