WWII Flashcards
(17 cards)
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
-peace treaty signed in 1919 that blamed Germany for WWI
-imposed harsh terms, where Germany had to pay £6.6 billion to Allies, lose land, have military limits etc.
How did the Treaty of Versailles lead to WWII?
-treaty caused anger and instability in Germany as they believed it was ‘dictated peace’
>perfect conditions for extremist parties (Nazis) to gain support
-Hitler promised to undo the treaty and restore pride
-the treaty’s humiliation of Germany and failure to create peace helped set the scene for WWII
What was the Great Depression?
-global economic crisis (1929–1930s)
-caused by the 1929 Wall Street Crash, bank failures, overproduction and trade collapse
-Ied to mass unemployment and poverty worldwide
How did the Great Depression lead to WWII?
-caused economic collapse, especially in Germany, leading to Hitler’s rise as he promised jobs and strength
What was appeasement?
-policy where Britain and France gave in to Hitler’s demands in the 1930s to avoid war, led by Neville Chamberlain
How did appeasement lead to WWII?
-it gave Hitler means to grow stronger, so was able to rearm/remilitarise the Rhineland
What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?
-non-aggression agreement signed on 23 August 1939 between Hitler and Stalin
-publicly, they agreed not to attack each other
-secretly, they agreed to split Poland between them
How did the Nazi-Soviet pact lead to WWII?
-gave Hitler confidence to invade Poland without fear of Soviet resistance
-he invaded Poland (1 September 1939), breaking a promise with Britain and France to protect Poland’s independence
-2 days later Britain and France declared war
What was Blitzkrieg and the Fall of France (1940) ?
-Blitzkrieg was fast, surprise attacks using tanks and planes to overwhelm enemies
-in may-june 1940, Germany used Blitzkrieg to invade France, bypassing the Maginot Line through the Ardennes Forest
-France fell in just 6 weeks, Paris was captured
How did Germany use Blitzkrieg to invade France?
-they launched fast attacks, while France expected a slow war
-France relied on outdated defences (e.g. Maginot Line)
-Germany’s tactics exploited France’s unpreparedness and weak points
What was the consequence of Blitzkrieg?
-Hitler in control of Western Europe
-Britain stood alone against Germany, leading to the Battle of Britain
Why was the Battle of Britain (1940) significant?
-Hitler wanted to invade Britain
-RAF victory stopped invasion, first major Nazi defeat
What was Operation Barbarossa (1941), and what happened?
-Hitler broke Nazi-Soviet Pact to invade USSR
-USSR joined Allies, huge losses on both sides, turning point in East.
Why did the USA enter WWII in 1941?
-Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1
941
-USA declared war on Japan (and then Germany)
-globalised the war
What was the consequence of the Battle of Stalingrad (1942–43
-Germany tried to capture Soviet oil fields.
-USSR victory, major turning point — Germany began retreating
Why was D-Day (1944) important?
-allies wanted to open a Western Front.
-Germany forced to fight on two fronts, led to liberation of France
What were the consequences of WWII for Europe?
-Germany divided into East and West
-USSR and USA became superpowers but had opposite ideologies, start of Cold War.
-United Nations formed to prevent future wars
