European Theater (1939-1945)

lebensraum

living space/land Nazis believe is needed for its population; caused military conquest & racial policy

Luftwaffe

German Air Force

Red Army

Soviet Union army made by communist government (Bolsheviks) in April 1918 when gov. made forced military training for workers/peasants who didn't employ workers

Nazi Soviet Non-Aggression Pact/Ribbentrop-Molotrov Pact

10 year non aggression pact; economic cooperation & territorial expansion (August 23 1939)

Invasion of Poland

Germany invaded, breaking their agreement of the Non-Aggression Pact, so Britain and France declared war, starting World War II (September 1 1939)

Blitzkrieg

"Lighting war", type of fast-moving warfare used by German forces in invasion of Poland

Fall of France

France had one of the largest armies but surrendered after six weeks fighting the Germans, Americans were shocked and their expectations were diminished. It became clear to FDR that Great Britain was the last defense against a westward pushing Nazi regime. (June 1940)

Battle of Dunkirk

fought around French port (Dunkirk) defense and evacuation of British & other Allied forces to Britain as Allies were losing Battle of France on Western Front (June 1940)

Battle of Britain/The "Blitz"

Britain's Royal Air Force defended UK against German Luftwaffes

objective: German wanted a peace settlement (July-aug 1940)

Operation Sea Lion

Germany's plan to invade Great Britain: taking air superiority and then launching an amphibious (land & water) invasion. However, it failed because German air superiority could never be established (September 1940)

The Atlantic Charter

FDR met Churchill to discuss joint military strategy. Their public statement expressed their ideas of a postwar world, and frowned upon aggression, affirmed national self-determination, and endorsed the principles of collective security and disarmament. (August 1941)

The Battle of the North Atlantic/Operation Drumbeat

u-boat attacks against Allies ships on east coast of US (Germany mostly in Gulf of Mexico)

objective - disrupt flow of supplies between US & European allies (Jan-July 1942)

Operation Barbarossa

invasion of Soviet Union by nazi Germany (& its axis allies); bloodiest & largest theater of operations during WWII (June 22 1941)

Th Great Patriotic War

term used in Russia to refer to Eastern Front (operation barbossa 1941) of WWII between Nazi Germany (& allies) & Soviet Union; highlights big sacrifices made by soviets when Germany invaded

Defense of Moscow

after battle of Moscow (Soviet defeat German offensive during harsh winter)

Soviet Union successfully defended Moscow capital against Germany army (December 1941)

Stalingrad

Red Army successfully held off a major German assault at Stalingrad in southern Russia. Hitler experienced such huge losses that he could not continue his eastern offensive. (August 1942-February 1943)

Battle of Kursk/Operation Citadel

tank battle between German & soviet forces on eastern front (soviet T-34 tank);

objective: Germany wanted to eliminate soviets in front lines around Kursk region which could help war, but soviets already knew what would happen bc intercepted communications

(July-August 1943)

Operation Torch

drive the Axis powers out of North African and gain control of the Suez Canal (November 1942)

Operation Husky

allied intervention of Sicily (Italy), taking it from axis powers (air, land, water) (July 1943)

Operations in Italy

Allied beach landings & land battles from Sicily to Italian mainland toward Nazi Germany (1943-1945)

442nd Regimental Combat Team

Japanese American combat team, arrived in Italy in June 1944 against Germans; participated in invasion of Southern France where they freed French cities from Nazi occupation

Brazilian Expeditionary Force ("Smoking Cobras")

part of Allied Forces, fought to free Italy from sep 1944-may 1945

Battle of Ortona

(September 1943) Canadian vs German Forces (heavily fortified positions) in Italy; Canadians successfully captured Ortona; heavy casualties both sides; turning point in Italian campaign

Operation Pointblank (Strategic bombing campaign against Germany)

US army Air Force & British royal Air Force joint strategic bombing campaign against nazi Germany to weaken Germany's industrial & military capabilities by targeting aircraft production, airfields & related infrastructure; air raids

Firebombing of Dresden

air raids by British royal Air Force * US army Air Force on this German city to disrupt Germany populations w high-explosive bombs & incendiary devices (February 1945)

Second Front vs. Eastern Front

second front (Western Europe) - new major theater of military operations against axis powers; helped relieve pressure on eastern front

eastern front - conflict between nazi Germany & Soviet Union; large scale battles

Casablanca conference

Roosevelt and Churchill met at Casablanca and resolved to attack Italy before invading France. vowed to pursue the war until the unconditional surrender of the Axis powers, and tried to reduce Soviet mistrust of the West. (January 1943)

Tehran Conference

A meeting between FDR, Churchill and Stalin in Iran to discuss plans for a second front in Europe and coordination of military efforts against Germany. They repeated the pledge made in the earlier Moscow Conference to create the United Nations after the war's conclusion to help ensure international peace. (December 1943)

Dieppe Raid

land/water assault on this French port by Canaidna/British forces to get information about German defenses along coast of Western Europe (June 1942)

Operation Overlord/D-Day - Invasion of Normandy

June 6, 1944

First American British (land/water) invasion of Western Europe to free it from Germany, airborne operations then used; turning point in war as allies got control of the beaches

Liberation of Paris

turning point in Western European theater; freed from German occupation; started with D-Day as allies got normandy and pushed through France; Germany surrendered (August 19 1944)

Battle of Scheldt

objective: open up port of Antwerp in Belgium for Allied use; Canadian first army played big role; Allies victory (Fall 1944)

Battle of the Bulge

German counteroffensive campaign on western front; surprise attack by Wehrmacht & Waffen SS

objective: split Alled forces, capture Belgian port city of Antwerp (after Battle of Scheldt fall 1944) & potentially force Western Allies for separate peace

Allies repelled German offenses (December 1944)

Yalta Conference

meeting of Roosevelt, Stalin, and Winston Churchill to discuss postwar plans and Soviet entry into the war against Japan near the end of World War II, future of Poland (disagreements), UN, reparations, declaration of assistance to liberated Europe (February 1945)

Battle of Berlin

final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II; ending of Soviet Union's advance into Eastern Europe & Germany; led to Germany's unconditional surrender & V.E. Day (May 8 1945) (April/May 1945)

Victory in Europe Day

German unconditional surrender at Battle of Berlin; ended WWII in Europe & marked Allies victory (May 8 1945)

Adolf Hitler

German Nazi dictator during World War II (1934-1945)

Benito Mussolini

Fascist dictator of Italy (1922-1943). allied Italy with Germany in World War II. He was overthrown in 1943 when the Allies invaded Italy.

Josef Stalin

The leader of Russia during WWII - wanted to spread communism throughout the world; part of allies from 1941 after operation baraborssa (1924-1953)

FDR

built powerful wartime coalition w Britain & Soviet Union, leading Allies victory against Nazi Germany

Winston Churchill

Allies; successfully resisted German air attacks; shaped Allies strategy; rallied British people (1940-1945)

Dwight D. Eisenhower

leader of the Allied forces in Europe; planned operation torch (1942-1943) & invasion of normandy (1944)