US History II Review Terms

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, and events from US History II.

Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

Japanese imperialist concept that aimed to create a bloc of Asian nations led by Japan, free from Western powers.

Axis Powers

Alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II.

Allied Powers

Alliance during World War II that included the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and others.

Blitzkrieg

German military tactic combining surprise attacks with fast-moving and coordinated forces.

Lend-Lease

U.S. program to supply Allied nations with war material during WWII.

Neutrality Acts

Laws passed in the 1930s to prevent U.S. involvement in foreign wars.

Atlantic Charter

Joint declaration by FDR and Churchill outlining goals for the post-war world.

Two Front War

Military strategy involving fighting enemy forces on two separate fronts.

Eastern Front

The theater of conflict in Eastern Europe during WWII, primarily between Germany and Soviet Union.

Non-Aggression Pact

Treaty between Germany and Soviet Union to avoid conflict and divide Eastern Europe.

Munich Pact

Agreement permitting Nazi Germany's annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland.

OPA (Office of Price Administration)

U.S. government agency that controlled inflation during WWII.

Selective Service

System for conscripting soldiers for military service.

Camp Shanks

Reception center for troops before deployment during World War II.

Manhattan Project

Top-secret U.S. project to develop the atomic bomb during World War II.

Rosie the Riveter

Cultural icon representing women who worked in factories during WWII.

Code Talkers

Native American soldiers who used their languages to create secure communications.

Latchkey Kids

Children who return home from school to an empty house due to working parents.

Executive Order 9066

U.S. order that led to Japanese American internment during WWII.

Korematsu vs. US

Supreme Court case that upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Island Hopping

Military strategy used by the Allies in the Pacific War to capture strategic islands.

Final Solution

Nazi plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people.

FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

32nd President of the United States during the Great Depression and World War II.

Churchill

British Prime Minister who led the UK during WWII.

Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union during WWII.

Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany responsible for the Holocaust and WWII.

Tojo

Japanese Prime Minister and military leader during much of WWII.

Hirohito

Emperor of Japan during WWII.

Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy during WWII.

Gen. Eisenhower

Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during WWII.

Gen. Patton

U.S. Army General known for his leadership in the European theater during WWII.

Gen. Montgomery

British General who played a key role in the North African campaign.

Field Marshal Rommel

German Field Marshal known for his command in North Africa.

Gen. MacArthur

U.S. General who led forces in the Pacific during WWII.

Operation Barbarossa

Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Invasion of Poland

Germany's invasion in 1939 that started World War II.

Battle of the Atlantic

Continuous military conflict for control of the Atlantic sea routes.

Battle of Britain

Air campaign waged by Germany against the UK in 1940.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base on December 7, 1941, leading to U.S. entry into WWII.

El Alamein

Major battle in North Africa marking a turning point for Allied forces.

D-Day

June 6, 1944, the day Allied forces landed in Normandy, France.

Battle of the Bulge

Last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front in WWII.

Battle of Berlin

The final major offensive of the European theater in WWII leading to Nazi surrender.

Guadalcanal

First major offensive by Allied forces against Japan in the Pacific Theater.

Philippines/ Leyte Gulf

Major battles in the Pacific that were key to the liberation of the Philippines.

Iwo Jima

Critical battle in the Pacific Theater for the capture of the island.

Okinawa

Last major battle of the Pacific War, resulting in high casualties.

Munich Pact

Agreement allowing Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia (September 30, 1938).

Poland Invasion

The start of World War II when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939.

Non-Aggression Pact

Treaty signed on August 23, 1939, between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Lend-Lease Act

U.S. policy initiated on March 11, 1941, providing military aid to Allies without direct involvement in WWII.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

Surprise military strike by Japan on December 7, 1941, leading to U.S. entry into WWII.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, marking a turning point in WWII.

Battle of Stalingrad

Key battle fought from August 23, 1942, to February 2, 1943, marking a turning point on the Eastern Front.

Battle of the Bulge

Last major German offensive on the Western Front, occurring from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945.