World War II

Holocaust

Holocaust

Led by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. A systematic (planned) murder of millions of Jews and other people the Nazi party felt was “undesirable”.

Causes of World War II

The Treaty of Versailles lead to:

- Germany forced to pay WW1 war debt.

- Economic turmoil/depression all over Europe, which lead to:

-Rise of Dictators and Totalitarian rule.

Adolf Hitler

Dictator of Germany who rose to power when Germany was under economic hardship and turmoil. He is held responsible for the tragedies of the Holocaust and millions of European lives.

Joseph Stalin

Dictator of the Soviet Union. He rose to power when the country was under economic hardship and turmoil.

Rosie the Riveter

A propaganda poster used during WW2. The goal was to motivate women to take the place of men in the workforce, while the men were fighting in WW2.

German Blitzkrieg in the Soviet Union

A German military tactic. Also known as a “lightning war”. It is how Germany took over so much land in Europe and the Soviet Union.

Japanese Bombing of Pearl Harbor

A surprise attack on America by the Japanese military. It killed many Americans and was the event that caused the U.S to declare and officially join WW2.

Kristallnacht and the date it happened

“ Night of Broken Glass” on November 9-10th, 1938. Ordered by Hitler and the Nazi party. Several Jewish homes and businesses were destroyed and the police were not allowed to help those in need.

D-Day

Also known as the Battle of Normandy. It was the largest invasion from the SEA (allied troops came from the water by boat) of its time.

D-Day's Importance

The result led to France being free from Nazi control. The allied countries of America and Britain know have soldiers on European soil to push the Nazi army back to Germany from both the East and West fronts of Europe.

Harry Truman

Became president when FDR died; gave the order to drop the atomic bomb

Manhattan Project

This was code name for the development of the atomic bomb in the state of New Mexico.

Manhattan Project Importance

Without this project, the U.S would not have been able to drop the atomic bombs on the Japanese cities which eventually led to the end of the war in the pacific

Reasons to Drop the Atomic Bomb

It was estimated that if the allies invaded Japan an additional 1 million lives would be lost, Japanese soldiers would not surrender on the battlefield, the U.S wanted to show its strength to other countries like the Soviet Union.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Two Japanese cities on which the U.S. dropped the atomic bombs to end World War II.

Japanese Internment Camps

Japanese Americans were detained in camps in the United States because people were fearful that they were working with the country of Japan. Although many were American citizens, their constitutional rights were violated (Not followed).

Benito Mussolini

Dictator of Italy who was a part of the Axis Powers.

Neutrality Acts - a policy the United States held before WW2 began. The U.S did not want to get involved.

Non-Aggression Pact

1939-Secret agreement/compromise between German leader Hitler and Soviet Leader Stalin not to attack one another and to divide Poland

Policy of Appeasement

Leaders of Britain and France gave into Hitler’s demands to try and keep the peace in Europe prior to WW2 beginning.

Lend-Lease Act

The laws passed by the U.S. allowing us to give military supplies and aid to our Allies in early WWII

Tuskegee Airmen

first African American military pilots of WW2.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

President of the United States who led the country into WW2. He died before the war was over and Vice President Truman took over.

New Deal

A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration between 1933 and 1942 with the goal of ending the Great Depression. ( All the "Alphabet Soup" Agencies")

Kristallnacht

(Night of the Broken Glass) November 9, 1938, when mobs throughout Germany destroyed Jewish property and terrorized Jews.

Dictator

a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained power by force.

Totalitarian

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty that ended WW I. It blamed Germany for WW I and handed down harsh punishment. causing Germany to go into a severe economic depression.

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of Great Britain during WWII

Neutrality Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937

series of laws that provided Americans could not ship weapons, loan money, travel on belligerent ships, extend credit, or deliver goods to any belligerent countries; they were high tide of isolationism, and all were repealed between 1939 to 1941.

VE Day

May 8, 1945; victory in Europe Day when the Germans surrendered. Fighting in Europe is over.

VJ Day

"Victory over Japan day" is the celebration of the Surrender of Japan, which was initially announced on August 15, 1945