World war 2 unit test Flashcards
(20 cards)
Why did democracy begin to fail in some European countries after WWI?
- Economic Instability: inflation and unemployment.
- Political Extremism: fascism and communism
- Weak Institutions: New democracies lacked strong political traditions
- Treaty of Versailles: Resentment over harsh peace terms
- Social Unrest: Widespread strikes and protests
What is Fascism?
Fascism is a form of government where most of the country’s power is held by one ruler or a small group, under one party. Ex. Adolf Hitler in germany
What is Communism?
Communism is a form of government where all property and resources are owned collectively, with the goal of creating a classless society.
Ex. North Korea
How did Hitler turn Germany into a Totalitarian State?
- Banning other political parties
- Using the SS and Gestapo to crush opposition
- Controlling the media through propaganda
- He passed the Enabling Act in 1933, which gave him power to make laws without parliament
What are the characteristics of German Rearmament in
the 1930s?
- Violation of the Treaty of Versailles: Germany building up its army, navy, and air force, which was banned by the treaty.
- Increase in Military Spending: investing in weapons, tanks, planes, and soldiers.
- Conscription Introduced: Hitler brought back compulsory military service to grow the army.
Explain how Hitler “tested the waters” from 1935 to 1939?
Hitler “tested the waters” by slowly breaking the Treaty of Versailles to see how other countries would react
What made Blitzkrieg so effective?
- Fast Attacks: German forces moved quickly with tanks, planes, and troops to overwhelm enemies.
- Surprise: Attacks came suddenly, giving enemies little time to prepare or respond.
- Air and Land Coordination: Planes bombed targets ahead while tanks and soldiers moved in right after.
Which 2 battles made Canada look powerful?
D-Day and the Battle of Normandy: Canada played a major role in the successful Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France, especially at Juno Beach, where Canadian forces pushed inland further than most other Allied troops.
Which 2 battles made Canada look weak?
- The Battle of Dieppe (1942): A poorly planned raid on the French coast where nearly 60% of the 5,000 Canadian troops were killed, wounded, or captured.
- The Defence of Hong Kong (1941): Canadian troops were sent to help defend Hong Kong against Japan, but they were underprepared and outnumbered.
Explain why the Allies had such a difficult time trying to
take France back from Nazi forces?
- Strong German Defenses
- Difficult Terrain: Dense forests, rivers, and fortified cities, which made it harder for the Allies to move quickly
- Air Superiority: The Germans had control of the skies for much of the war
How did WWII affect people on the Homefront?
- Rationing: People had to limit food, gas, and other goods to make sure there was enough for the soldiers.
- Work Changes: Many people, especially women, went to work in factories and offices while men were away fighting.
- Wartime Economy: Industries switched to making war supplies instead of regular products.
- Fear: People were scared of air raids, bombings, their country being invaded and family members fighting in the war.
How did WWII improve Canadian industries?
- Boost in Production
- Employment
- Technological Advancements
- Government Support
What caused conflict in the Pacific to ensue?
- Japan wanted to build a large empire in Asia and the Pacific, especially to gain access to natural resources.
- Japanese Militarism
- Tensions with the U.S. and Allies
- Embargoes
- Pearl Harbor Attack
What are the 4 stages of genocide?
- Discrimination (institutional): aimed at identifiable groups (jews)
- Segregation: forcefully put large groups of people from identifiable groups in Ghettos to isolate from rest of society
- Concentration: travel in cattle cars to camps where people were tortured and starved (slave labour)
- Extermination: using zyklon B gas and death factories, people were lured into “showers” to be killed after they weren’t needed
Explain how the government monitored and controlled the economy and Canadian Industries?
- Rationing
- War Production
- set limits on prices and wages to stop inflation
- Labor Force
- Raising Money
What are the various ‘Crimes against Humanity’?
- Genocide
- Mass Killing
- Forced Labor
- Torture
- Deportation
- Rape and Violence
- Bombing Civilians
For the allied war effort, what role did women play?
- Factory Work
- Military Roles
- Nurses
Which factors do you think contributed most significantly to the allied victory?
- Mass production of war supplies
- U.S. Involvement
- D-Day Invasion
- Breaking Enemy Codes
What is a Totalitarian State?
A totalitarian state is a country where the government is ruled by one ruler or party and has complete control over everything.
Ex. Germany
Break down each way Hitler “tested the waters” from 1935 to 1939?
- 1935: He reintroduced conscription (army draft) and built up Germany’s military
- 1936: He sent troops into the Rhineland, a neutral zone
- 1938: He took over Austria without a fight
- 1938: He demanded part of Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland) and got it through the Munich Agreement.
- 1939: He took over the rest of Czechoslovakia
