WW2 Flashcards
(3 cards)
Course of ww2
1st September 1939: World War II began when Germany invaded Poland.
3rd September 1939: Britain and France declared war.
1940: Hitler conquered much of Western Europe including France.
Summer 1940: The Battle of Britain took place, but Britain resisted.
1941: Hitler invaded the USSR (Operation Barbarossa).
7th December 1941: Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the USA joined the war.
1942–1943: The tide turned with Soviet victory at Stalingrad.
1942–1943: Allied victory in North Africa.
6th June 1944 (D-Day): Allies invaded Normandy.
8th May 1945: Germany surrendered (V-E Day).
August 1945: Japan surrendered after atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Impact of WW2
Over 60 million people died in World War II, most of them civilians.
Roughly 40 million more were displaced, either within their own countries or as refugees elsewhere.
Cities were destroyed due to bombing.
Industries, farmland, railways, roads, and communication systems all had to be rebuilt.
The USA provided Marshall Aid to help European countries recover.
The USA and USSR emerged as superpowers, and their rivalry led to the Cold War.
The EEC (now the EU) was formed in 1957 to promote cooperation between European countries.
Technological advances included the Panzer tank, fighter jet, and underwater torpedoes.
The Paris Treaty was signed to promote peace and rebuilding
Causes of WW2
🔹 The Treaty of Versailles (1919) punished Germany harshly:
Lost land, reduced army, and had to pay reparations.
Caused anger and a desire for revenge in Germany.
🔹 Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and aggressive foreign policy:
Aimed to destroy the Treaty, rebuild the army, and gain Lebensraum (living space).
Took over Austria (Anschluss) and the Sudetenland with little opposition.
🔹 The League of Nations failed to stop aggression:
Couldn’t prevent invasions by Japan (Manchuria), Italy (Abyssinia), or Germany.
🔹 Appeasement by Britain and France:
Allowed Hitler to grow more powerful, hoping to avoid another war.
The Munich Agreement (1938) gave Hitler the Sudetenland.
🔹 The Nazi-Soviet Pact (August 1939):
Germany and the USSR agreed not to attack each other and secretly divided Poland.
Gave Hitler confidence to invade Poland without Soviet interference.
🔹 Invasion of Poland (September 1939):
Final trigger for war — Britain and France declared war on Germany
