WW2 Flashcards
(40 cards)
Yalta Conference
Feb 1945, US/UK/USSR met to discuss postwar world. E Europe- free elections for liberated countries (Baltics->USSR). Germany- 6 Ds (democratized/deindustrialized/divided/de-Nazified/disarmed/demilitarized). Poland borders shifted West.
Potsdam Conference
July 1945 (Big 3 again)- major changes- Germany surrendered, FDR dead, Churchill gone, Red Army in E Europe, US atomic bomb tested. disagreement over how to do Germany’s 5 Ds. Poland’s borders confirmed (Soviet Lublin Poles recognized). Unconditional surrender demanded from Japan.
United Nations
based on Atlantic Charter. created at San Francisco Conference 1945. General Assembly + Security Council (5 perm members 6 rotating).
Treaty of San Francisco
Japan’s surrender ceremonies held Sept 1945, US/others signed treaty 1951. returned sovereignty to Japan, US signed US-Japan Security Treaty same day to establish military alliance
Changes in role/status of women
depended on country. After war, strong pressure everywhere for women to return to pre-war roles.
Marshall Plan
Est 1947, launched 1948. $13 billion US aid for European economic recovery to Western Europe. USSR launched COMECON 1949 for E Europe
Occupation of Japan
Lasted 1945-1952. Constitution drafted/announced by emperor 1946. He stayed with limited powers, govt turned into multi-party parliamentary system. large estates/zaibatsu broken up. US at first wanted weak/democratic Japan
“Reverse course” in Japan
Starting 1947, more by 1950. Many 1945-6 reformed undone- Zaibatsu (Keiretsu) returned, leftists purged, self-defence force est), investment. Caused by tension w USSR and CCP Civil War victory
Pacific War beginning
Manchurian invasion 1931, left wing Japanese interpretation- began bc of militarist capitalist clique responding to economic pressures. Chinese invasion 1937, orthodox US interpretation- Japanese aggression. Pearl Harbor/E Asia attacks, Nationalist Japanese interpretation- J liberating SE Asia, responding to US threat
PW Phase 1- Blitzkrieg
Dec 1941-June 1942. Japanese rapid attacks on colonial possessions in E Asia. PH gained J time before US entered. By May 1942 J had almost all SE Asia, huge part of Pacific- most invasions justified using idea of GEACPS. puppets est in many nations like Philippines/Burma. Non-J treated bad
Japanese strategy of PW
Defensive Perimeter- knockout US navy in 1 surprise to buy time, est defensive perimeter in Pacific.
Coral Sea
tide turns. mid 1942 J controlled lots but lacked power to sustain it. Battle of the Coral Sea, May 4-8, US prevented conquest of New Guinea. Allied lost more but Japan couldn’t replace lost ships/aircraft.
Battle of Midway
tide turns. June 4-7, US defeated J and prevented conquest of Midway atoll. Americans broke codes and discovered it was an ambush. J lost a ton, couldn’t replace, no longer make any major attacks on US forces.
PW Phase 2- Stalemate
J lost no territory at Midway, hard for US to advance. Burma campaign 1942-1945, Britain protecting India/Chinese supply linrs.
Battle of Guadalcanal
Aug 1942-Feb 1943, length air/land/sea battle which US won. marked shift of Alliers from defensive to offensive. J historians view this as turning point, whereas US ones view Midway as turning point.
Allied conferences during Stalemate
Cairo Nov 22-6, 1943- FDR/Churchill/Jieshi met to discuss PW, goal was J surrender.
Tehran Nov 28-Dec 1, 1943- Stalin/FDR/Churchill met, Stalin wanted help against Germany
Island Hopping Strategy
neutralize heavily defended J bases by air/sub, but take less fortified ones to get closer to J and bomb it.
army- led by MacArthur through NG/Philippines.
navy- led by Nimitz across C Pacific
Battle of Leyte Gulf
Nov 1943-Aug 1945. US invaded Leyte, Philippines to cut J supply lines, J failed w heavy losses. first sig use of kamikaze
US submarine warfare
small % of fleet but subs crippled J’s merchant ships, dried their oil reserves
Iwo Jima
Feb 1945. small island meant for atom bomb, US thought it was empty but J forces fought very hard and both sides had many casualties.
Okinawa
Apr-June 1945. populated with largely Okinawans. Largest amphibious landing of the war, most ferocious fighting. many war crimes both sides. J navy basically crippled. influenced decision to use atomic bombs
bombing Japan
June 15, 1944 onward- bombing Japan. enabled bc of B29 Superfortress. General LeMay oversaw Tokyo firebombing March 1945, 100k civilians dead. Operation Ichi-Go to stop US from flying bombers out of china- largest land invasion from PW, unsuccessful.
end of PW
Aug 6 and 9- atomic bombs dropped. Aug 9- USSR forces invaded Manchuria. Aug 15- emperor Hirohito surrendered
Neutrality Act Aug 1935
European tension + GD = isolationism. Preventing taking a side, staying out of future war. if president declared a state of war existed, Congress forbade sale/transportation of munitions to belligerents. expired 6 months
