World War 2 Flashcards
(54 cards)
1
Q
spanish flu - causes
A
- began in the US
- WW1 troops
- trade routes spread disease
- after world war 1
2
Q
spanish flu - effects
A
- 50-100 million died
- 27% of world population infected
- slowed global economy
3
Q
women’s suffrage - causes
A
- by 1890, most industrial nations had granted male suffrage
- women played big role during WW1
- women believed they deserved the same rights as men
- organized protests; seneca falls
4
Q
women’s suffrage - effects
A
- 1893: New Zealand was first to grant
- 1920: US, 19th amendment
- more rights
- further gender equality
5
Q
the great depression - causes
A
- european economies were in a state of decline after WW1
- stock market crashed
- roaring 20’s: too much bought on credit
- pulling $$ out of banks
- war debt
6
Q
the great depression - effects
A
- unemployment
- lose faith in capitalism and democracy
- authoritarian leaders took control
- misery
7
Q
how did japan change after WW1
A
- in the 1920’s, Japan’s economy soared, Japanese exported goods to allies
- young Japanese backed democratic changes and rejected traditions
- after WW1, underlying problems began to surface and militarists + extreme nationalists gained power
8
Q
how did the Great Depression affect Japan?
A
The Great Depression crushed Japan’s economic growth because it meant a loss of foreign markets
9
Q
how did acts of aggression challenge peace in JAPAN in the 1930’s
A
- 1931: seize Manchuria
- this seizure was condemned by League of Nations; Japan withdrew from the League
- 1937: took over much of China starting the second Sino-Japanese war
10
Q
manchuria
A
a region of NE China, historically the home of the Manchus, rulers of China from 1644 to 1912
11
Q
how did acts of aggression challenge peace in ITALY in the 1930’s
A
- 1935: Mussolini invades Ethiopia
- Ethiopia asked League for help
- League condemned the invasion but did nothing
12
Q
how did acts of aggression challenge peace in GERMANY in the 1930’s
A
- began rebuilding the German army
- German troops enter the Rhineland, a 30 mile buffer zone between France and Germany
- these actions both violated the TOV
- league did nothing
13
Q
Rome - Tokyo - Berlin Axis
A
Germany, Japan, and Italy agree to work together to fight communism and to not interfere with each others imperialist goals
14
Q
how did great britain and france react to the new axis trio
A
- Great Britain and France followed a policy of APPEASEMENT
- France and Britain feared another war
15
Q
appeasement
A
this is when nations give in to an aggressor to preserve the peace
16
Q
how did the US react to the new axis trio
A
- US adopts a policy of neutrality: congress passes Neutrality Act, banning the sale of arms to ANY nation at war
17
Q
how was the spanish civil war a dress rehearsal for WW2
A
- 1931: King of Spain leaves the throne due to revolts/unrest
- Italy and Germany send troops/supplies to help him and the Nationalists
- Britain and France remain neutral
- featured modern warfare tactics, such as air raids and urban warfare
- Francisco Franco came to power as the leader of the Nationalist faction
18
Q
how did Germany continue it’s agression
A
- Hitler seeks to unite all German speaking people into the 3rd Reich
- 1938: Hitler takes over Austria (“Anschluss”)
- Hitler then seeks the Sudetenland part of Czechoslovakia
19
Q
Munich Pact
A
- meeting between France, Germany, and Britain
- convince Czechoslovakia to give Germany the Sudetenland without a fight
20
Q
Nazi Soviet Non-Aggression Pact:
A
- August 1939: Hitler & Stalin agree that they will not attack one another
- agree to divide Poland
21
Q
How did WW2 begin?
A
- Britain and France agree to protect Poland
- Sept. 1, 1939: Germany invades Poland
- 2 days later, France and Britain declare war
22
Q
hitler’s war strategy
A
- used the “blitzkrieg” or “lightening war”
- speed, massive warfare
- conquered Poland in 3 weeks
- the “Phony War”; Maginot Line
- April 1940: Conquer Denmark and Norway
23
Q
“Phony War”
A
- Period of little fighting on Western Front (Sept. 1939 - May 1940)
- French, British fortified defenses, Germans planned next moves
- Ended with German invasion of France and Low Countries, beginning of Blitzkrieg
24
Q
Maginot Line
A
- French defensive fortifications along German and Italian borders
- built in 1930s after World War I
- Concrete bunkers and artillery emplacements
- Bypassed by Germans in 1940 invasion
25
How was Germany able to conquer France
- Germany soon took it's blitzkrieg to France
- May 10, 1940: the invasion begins
- Great Britain sent a fleet to save the allied troops trapped on the beach
26
Battle of Britain
- after the fall of France, Hitler looks to invade Great Britain
- Operation Sea Lion: Hitler plans to destroy Royal Air Force, then invade Britain
- Germany bombs factories and cities
- stunned by BRITISH resistance, Hitler calls off the attack
- German's continued to bomb, especially London
27
in what ways was the Battle of Britain a turning point
it proved that Hitler could be resisted
28
Battle of El Alamein
- Oct. 23 - Nov. 11, 1942
- British forces defeat Axis powers in North Africa securing the Suez Canal
- Open up Allied supply lines to the Middle East and puts Axis forces on the defensive
29
Invasion of Italy
- Sept. 3, 1943
- Allied forces land in Italy, aiming to weaken Axis control
- Forces Axis powers to divert resources and attention away from the other fronts
30
Battle of Stalingrad
- August 23, 1942 - Feb 1943
- Soviet forces successfully defend Stalingrad, halting German advance
- 1st major defeat of German forces and turns the tide of the Eastern Front
31
Hitler Invades the Soviet Union
- June 22, 1941
- German forces invade USSR, breaking the non-aggression pact
32
D-Day
- June 6, 1944
- Allied forces land in Normandy, France, launching the liberation of West Europe
- marks the beginning of the end for Germany's control over West Europe
33
Invasion of Pearl Harbor
- December 7, 1941
- Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor leads US to enter WW2
- alters the balance of power by bringing the industrial might of the US into the conflict
34
what strategies did the allies use in fighting Japan?
- used "island hopping"
- take over one island, use it as a base for the next invasion
- eventually they will reach Japan
35
How did the US end war with Japan
- used the atomic bomb
- 110,000+ died
- many died later from radiation
Hiroshima:
- August 6, 1945
- 70,000 died
Nagasaki:
- August 9, 1945
- 40,000 died
36
What was the cost of WW2
- 75 million killed
- 22.5 million in the USSR alone
- 292,000 US killed
- 20 million refugees in Europe
- Hunger, disease, mental illness scarred Europeans
- 6 million Jews killed in Holocaust
- cities, factories, farms destroyed
- no job / money
- war debts
37
Nuremberg War Trials
- over 200 Germans and Austrians tried
- 22 top Nazi officials put on trial for "crimes against humanity"
- 12 sentenced to death
- held in Nuremburg, Germany
38
United Nations
- est. 1945
- world problems can be addressed
39
occupation of Japan and Germany
- US occupies Japan
- worked on creating democracy
- Allies occupy west Germany; promote democracy
- USSR occupy East Germany; communism
40
how did Treaty of Versailles set the stage for WW2
- War Guilt Clause blamed Germany for WWI, creating resentment
- Territorial losses weakened Germany, fueled desire for revenge
- Military restrictions left Germany militarily weakened
- Reparations burdened German economy, led to instability
- Humiliation and nationalism fostered by treaty terms
- Destabilization of Europe due to unresolved disputes and economic hardship
41
Leader of Italy
- Benito Mussolini
- Fascism
- Came to Power: King refused to fight against Fascists and appointed him PM. He had the right to make his own laws.
- Goals: The est. of a fascist dictatorship to restore Italian pride and expand
42
Leader of Soviet Union
- Joseph Stalin
- Communism
- Came to Power: After the death of Vladmir Lenin, he outdid his political rivals within the Communist Party and took control
- Goals: Industrialize and modernize the Soviet Union while solidifying his own power through authoritarian rulers
43
Leader of Japan
- Hideki Tojo
- Militarism
- Came to Power: Through his role as the military leader and influence in Japanese politics during the early 20th century
- Goals: Aggressive expansionism in Asia and establishing a Greater East Asia Coprosperity Sphere
44
Leader of Germany
- Adolf Hitler
- Nazi
- Came to Power: Democratic means, exploiting economic turmoil, nationalist sentiments, and fear of communism
- Goals: Est. of a racially pure totalitarian state, expansion through conquest extermination of "enemies"
45
sudetenland
- Sudetenland: German-speaking border region of Czechoslovakia
- Became a geopolitical issue due to Hitler's expansionist policies
- Munich Agreement of 1938 allowed Germany to annex Sudetenland
- Demonstrated appeasement policy of European powers
- Seen as a precursor to WWII
46
Weimar Republic
- German government from 1919 to 1933
- Established after WWI, replaced the German Empire
- Faced economic challenges, including hyperinflation in 1920s
- Politically unstable, plagued by extremist movements
- Ended with Adolf Hitler's rise to power in 1933
47
Why did the U.S. follow the policy of neutrality or nonalignment in the beginning of WWII?
- Legacy of World War I trauma
- Desire to avoid entanglement in another European conflict
- Economic focus on recovering from the Great Depression
- Lack of direct military threat to the United States
- Public opinion favoring neutrality
- Legislative restrictions like the Neutrality Acts
48
Why did Japan take on a policy of imperialism?
- Need for resources like oil, coal, and iron
- Overpopulation and limited land in Japan
- Economic growth and industrialization
- Nationalism and desire for prestige
- Military and strategic concerns
- Response to Western imperialism in Asia
49
a. Why did the Japanese want to acquire Manchuria?
- resources: coal, iron, timber
- strategic: buffer against soviet union, access to Chinese market
50
What was the Rape of Nanking
- mass atrocities in Nanking
- mass killings, rape, looting
- shocked international community, contributed to WW1
51
What was the importance of the D-Day invasion of 1944?
- Opening of Western Front
- Turning point in Europe
- Meticulous planning and coordination
- Significance of Normandy beaches
- Psychological impact on Allies and Axis
- Accelerated Allied advance and downfall of Nazi Germany
52
Why were the people of Italy, Germany, and Spain willing to accept Fascist governments/leaders?
- Promised solutions to economic instability
- Appeal to nationalism and revanchism
- Presented as strong leaders restoring order
- Exploited fear of communism and socialism
- Utilized propaganda and manipulation
- Established repression and control over dissent
53
What is Fascism
Authoritarian ideology emphasizing nationalism, dictatorship, and anti-democratic principles
54
How did Mussolini pursue his goals of
imperialism?
- Invaded Ethiopia in 1935 to expand Italian empire
- Aimed to restore Roman glory and establish dominance in Mediterranean
- Used military force and propaganda to justify conquest
- Saw empire as crucial for economic resources and national prestige
