ww2 test and holocaust

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Anschluss

The forced union of Germany and Austria; Germany used threats and pressure to force Austria to vote for annexation.

Appeasement

The policy of giving in to an aggressor's demands to avoid war.

Bases for Destroyers

A deal where the U.S. gave Britain 50 naval destroyers in exchange for military base rights in the Atlantic.

Cash and Carry

Allowed nations to buy U.S. arms only if they paid cash upfront and transported the goods themselves.

Danzig

A city Hitler demanded be returned to Germany; historically German but controlled by Poland after WWI.

Death Marches

Forced marches of concentration camp prisoners as the Nazis retreated; many died from starvation, cold, or brutality.

Dr. Mengele

Nazi camp doctor known as the 'Angel of Death' who performed cruel medical experiments, especially on twins.

Dr. Munch

Doctor at Auschwitz later tried in court; claimed he tried to help save Jews and was ultimately acquitted.

Eugenics

The belief that certain people should reproduce and others shouldn't based on traits seen as 'superior' or 'inferior.'

History of Anti-Semitism in Europe

Anti-Semitism existed in Europe for centuries; Jews faced discrimination long before the 19th century reforms.

Invasion of Poland

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland without a declaration of war, starting World War II.

Jewish Refugee Crisis

Jews tried to flee German areas, but few countries accepted them; over 30,000 were on waiting lists to emigrate.

Kristallnacht

'Night of Broken Glass,' a violent attack on Jews in 1938 where homes, businesses, and synagogues were destroyed.

German Sterilization Laws

400,000+ Germans were forcibly sterilized between 1934-1945 to prevent 'hereditary diseases.'

Law Against Overcrowding in Schools and Universities

Nazis claimed Jewish students overcrowded schools as an excuse to remove them.

Lend-Lease

Allowed the U.S. to supply Allied nations with weapons and materials even if they couldn't pay immediately.

Munich Conference

Meeting where Britain and France gave Hitler the Sudetenland in hopes of avoiding war.

Mischling

Nazi term meaning 'mixed-breed' for people with one or two Jewish grandparents.

Madison Grant

American lawyer and zoologist who strongly supported eugenics and influenced racist ideology.

Neville Chamberlain

British Prime Minister known for appeasing Hitler; resigned when this policy failed.

Nuremberg Laws

Laws restricting Jewish rights; stripped citizenship and banned marriage between Jews and Aryans.

Poisonous Mushroom

Nazi children's book promoting anti-Semitism and eugenics through propaganda stories.

Restoration of the Professional Civil Service

Removed Jews and political opponents from government, school, and civil service jobs.

Rhineland

A demilitarized zone Germany illegally remilitarized as a test of international response.

Saar

A region that voted to return to German control; Hitler used the vote for propaganda.

Sudetenland

Part of Czechoslovakia with many ethnic Germans; given to Hitler at the Munich Conference.

Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact

Agreement between Germany and the USSR not to attack each other and to divide Poland.

Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister after Chamberlain; symbol of resistance and refused to surrender to Germany.

U.S. Neutrality in 1939

The U.S. avoided entering WWII due to isolationism, war debt, and the Great Depression.

Warsaw Ghetto and Uprising

The largest Jewish ghetto; Jews revolted in 1943 to resist deportation to death camps.

Wannsee Conference

1942 meeting where Nazis planned the 'Final Solution,' the mass murder of European Jews.

Purpose of Auschwitz Experiments

Experiments tested genetics (like eye color changes) and studied twins and human endurance.

Who Knew About the Camps

Germans knew about camps before war's end; soldiers discovered them as Allies advanced; millions were displaced.