Unit 4 Study Guide

Franklin D Roosevelt

• He worked closely with other national leaders in leading the allies against the axis powers. 

• Supervised the mobilization of America's economy to support the war effort and implemented the “Germany First” policy

• Attack on pearl harbor

• Crucial role in forming and maintaining the alliances that in the end defeated the axis powers

Adolf Hitler Fuhrer

• 1943 Hitler became the leader of Nazi Germany

• Policies were the primary cause of WWI

• Idea of Nazism led to the genocide of 6 million Jews

Benito Mussolini

• Fascist dictator of Italy and an ally of Hitler

• Played a significant role in Axis powers efforts to conquer Europe

Joseph Stalin

• Leader of Soviet Union

• Led his country against Nazi Germany on Eastern front

• Controversial methods

• Leadership was instrumental in Soviet Union's victory over Axis powers

General George Patton

• skilled and aggressive American general known for leadership in Europe

• Played key role in many important battles including battle of the bulge

General Dwight Eisenhower

1. Supreme commander of Allied Forces in Europe 

• Oversaw D-Day invasion of Normandy

• Oversaw allied campaign to liberate west europe from Nazi’s

Harry Truman

1. became president after Roosevelt’s death

• Made decision to drop atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ultimately bringing an end to WWI

Albert Einstein

1.  not directly involved in war effort

• Scientific contributions to development of atomic weapons had profound impact on war

Winston Churchill

1. prime minister of UK

• Leadership was crucial in rallying British people during war

• Formed lose partnership with roosevelt and Stalin

• Leading the allied efforts against Axis powers

General Douglas MacArthur

1.  commanded allied forces in pacific theater

• Key role in liberation of philippines and other pacific islands from japanese control

Emperor Hirohito

1. emperor of Japan

• Did not have direct control over military decisions

• Authority was used to rally support for japans war efforts

General Tojo Hideki

1.  prime minister of Japan

• Significant influence over japanese military policy

• One of the architects of japans aggressive expansionist policies in the pacific

Pearl harbor

Dec 7th, 1941: attack on Pearl Harbor

- casualties: 3,500

- war was declared on Japan

- Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto: prophetic book and historic attack-

- Japan wanted to take out American aircraft carriers but they were out at seas 

 All but three ships sunk/damaged were recovered except USS Arizona (too damaged), USS Oklahoma (raised but too old) and USS Utah (too obsolete) 

Germany and Italy declared war on USA

D-Day

United States, Britain, and Canada, launched a big surprise attack on the beaches of France. This invasion helped kick out the German soldiers and started the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. It was a huge deal because it opened up a new front, making it harder for the Germans to fight on multiple fronts, and it marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. D-Day was like the Allies' big move that set the stage for winning the war.

Battle of Stalingrad

--Germans pushed USSR back to Moscow

-Major turning point in WW2 - never able to overcome their loses and win the war

-Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle in WW2

-Axis casualties - 850,000

-Allied (USSR): 1,100,000

-Not including citizens

-Street fighting: going house to house, easy to get killed or attack

Battle of midway

 Admiral Yamamoto: Japanese commander of fleet

- transmitted plans through the radio, already broken by Americans (code talkers)

-Japanese aircraft were shot down, American planes bombed ships

- turning point in Pacific

-3/4 Japanese carriers lost, Japanese advancement

Okinawa

- April 1, 1945

- more than 12,000 troops died

 Conditions of surrender?

- Emperor Hirohito wanted to surrender but Americans wanted unconditional surrender

- the Japanese wanted the emperor to remain in power

Iwo Jima

- American planes wanted to bomb Tokyo but they needed a place to refuel

- chose Iwo Jima (terrible geography for air field base - cliffs, ravines, caves, volcanic, Japanese bunkers)

Feb 19, 1945: marines arrived

- Japan waited to attack until all troops were on the beach (Americans thought their air force (planes) had wiped out the Japanese troops and they were retreating)

- huge attack, 6,000 of 60,000 died

Raising the flag at Iwo Jima

Firebombing

- bombs filled with napalm (gasoline that would cause fires)

- kill citizens and military personal alike

Battle of the bulge

- called battle of the bulge because of the German line bulged outward

- Hitler's last offensive strike against the allies inside Europe

- goal: cut off supplies to push allies back

- December 16, 1944 - January 25, 1945

- Germans hoped the winter would slow down the allies

- Blitzkrieg worked, until a certain point (when it stopped working)

Bataan death march

- forced to march from Bataan peninsula northward to San Fernando

- 65 mile walk

- many murdered, killed, or beaten to death

- approximately 10,000 died

Great migration

Many African Americans moved from the Southern United States to the North and West looking for better jobs and a fairer life. This happened because the war created job opportunities in industries like factories. African Americans wanted to escape racial discrimination in the South and find better lives in the cities where they could work and live with more freedom. This migration had a big impact, not just on where people lived, but also on politics, culture, and the fight for equal rights.

Blitzkrieg

"lightning war" - massed tanks, aircraft, paratroopers, to break through enemy line quickly

Lead lease act

lend or lease arms to any country deemed 'vital' to US's defense

Kamikaze

a suicide mission by Japanese pilots during World War II. They intentionally crashed their planes, filled with explosives, into enemy ships. The word "kamikaze" in Japanese means "divine wind," and these pilots believed their actions were like a divine sacrifice to cause as much damage to the enemy as possible.

African-Americans

Treatment: Faced segregation and discrimination in various aspects of life, including the military, where they served in segregated units.

Contribution:Despite these challenges, many African Americans contributed significantly to the war effort. The "Double V" campaign emerged, symbolizing victory abroad against fascism and victory at home against racism. The Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black fighter pilot squadron, showcased exceptional skill and bravery.

Japanese-Americans

Treatment: Experienced the unjust internment of over 120,000 individuals, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, due to fears of espionage and sabotage.

Contribution: Despite internment, Japanese Americans demonstrated loyalty by volunteering for military service. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed mainly of second-generation Japanese Americans, became one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history.

Mexican Americans

• Treatment: Faced discrimination, but the wartime demand for labor created job opportunities in agriculture and manufacturing.

• Contribution: Many Mexican Americans contributed to the war effort by working in essential industries. The Bracero Program brought Mexican laborers to the U.S. to fill agricultural jobs.

Native Americans

• Treatment: Encountered challenges but found economic opportunities as many left reservations to work in defense industries.

• Contribution: Native Americans, like other minority groups, served in the military. The Navajo Code Talkers played a crucial role by using their native language as an unbreakable code in the Pacific theater.

Women

Treatment: Entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers, challenging traditional gender roles.

Contribution:Women served in various capacities, including the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and the Navy Women's Reserve (WAVES). The iconic image of Rosie the Riveter symbolized the contribution of women to the war effort.

Economic changes in America

Economic Changes:The war stimulated economic growth as industries boomed to meet wartime demands, lifting the country out of the Great Depression.

Social changes in America

The war prompted shifts in societal attitudes, challenging racial and gender norms. Post-war, these experiences contributed to the momentum of the Civil Rights Movement and the feminist movement in subsequent decades.

Technological advances in America

World War II accelerated technological advancements, including the development of nuclear weapons and the early use of computers, shaping the post-war era's scientific landscape.

Bracero program

-America asked Mexicans to temporarily work in the USA - crops/railroads

Nuremberg laws

a set of anti-Jewish laws enacted by the Nazi regime in Germany. They stripped Jews of their German citizenship, prohibited them from marrying or having sexual relations with non-Jews, and imposed various restrictions on their daily lives. These laws aimed to isolate and dehumanize the Jewish population.

Kristallnacht

the Night of Broken Glass, was a violent pogrom against Jews on November 9-10, 1938. Nazi paramilitary forces and civilians destroyed Jewish-owned businesses, homes, and synagogues throughout Germany and Austria. Many Jews were arrested, injured, and killed during these attacks.

Final solution

the Nazi plan to systematically exterminate the entire Jewish population of Europe. It evolved into a systematic and industrialized genocide. Methods included mass shootings, forced labor, and the establishment of extermination camps, where gas chambers and crematoria were used to efficiently murder large numbers of people.

Concentration camps

established to imprison and oppress various groups, including political dissidents, homosexuals, and Jews. Conditions were harsh, with forced labor, inadequate food, and rampant disease. Notable concentration camps include Auschwitz, Dachau, and Buchenwald.

Extermination camps

specifically designed for mass murder. The primary method was gassing, where large numbers of people, primarily Jews, were killed in gas chambers. Auschwitz-Birkenau is the most infamous extermination camp.

Why did Jews stay in Germany during World War II

Immigration obstacles, financial constraints, underestimation of danger, worsening conditions

Key factors of World War II

• Treaty of Versailles, economic instability, aggressive expansionist policies of totalitarian regimes, and the failure of appeasement. 

• The rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, along with the expansionist ambitions of Japan and Italy, played significant roles in triggering the war.

Axis powers

Germany, Italy, and Japan. Other nations, such as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and later, Finland, also joined the Axis.

Allied powers

United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, and France. As the war progressed, many other countries joined the Allies.

Fascism

State comes before people

Nazism

Totalitarian fascism unifying Germans

Totalitarianism

Totalitarian governments seek to control all aspects of public and private life

Appeasement of Hitler

attempting to avoid another large-scale war by making concessions to Hitler's demands.

 allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland, a German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia. The hope was that by satisfying Hitler's territorial ambitions, further aggression could be prevented.

Success of appeasement

appeasement failed to prevent World War II

The failure of appeasement highlighted the limitations of trying to prevent conflict through concession and demonstrated the need for a more robust response to aggressive expansionist regimes.

End of world war two

World War II ended in 1945 after the Allies won key battles, like D-Day and the Pacific island fights. Germany surrendered in May, and Japan gave up after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August.

The Manhattan project

• The Manhattan Project was a secret project in World War II to build atomic bombs. It succeeded, but it's criticized for causing harm to people and the environment due to nuclear weapons.

• People didn't like the Manhattan Project because it caused massive destruction, raised ethical questions, and had long-term environmental issues.

Transformation of European powers

Europe was wrecked after World War II. Countries were divided between East and West, and many lost their colonies. The war changed Europe a lot.

Transformation of America into a super power

• It boosted the economy, ended the Great Depression, and made the U.S. a superpower. 

• The country led in creating global organizations, but using atomic bombs raised questions about morals. The Cold War started with the U.S. and the Soviet Union as major players.