WW2 Terms

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

An agreement between the USSR and Germany to avoid conflict and split up Poland

Blitzkrieg

A German style of fighting that quickly eliminated opponents to avoid long-term fighting

Soviet-Japanese Non-Aggression Pact

Non-aggression pact between Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan

Scorched Earth Policy

A military strategy that aims to destroy anything that might be useful to the enemy

Battle of El-Alamein

Erwin Rommel and Afrika Korps with the Italians, drove the British out of Libya. By June 1942, the Germans were in Egypt approaching El Alamein but were driven out by the British

Battle of the Bulge

Following the 60-mile bulge in the American lines, Germany was pushed back to their original position. Hitler had risked everything on the attack and later committed suicide

Battle of Guadalcanal

It was a series of back-and-forth clashes in the Solomon Islands, specifically Guadalcanal where the Japanese were mainly centered and where the US soldiers held on until it could be fully secured.

Battle of Coral Sea

It was a naval and air battle in which the US pushed back a Japanese invasion on the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea 

Battle of Midway Island

General Macarthur’s Air force and US navy beat off a powerful Japanese attack. Americans broke the Japanese radio code allowing them to know the location of attacks, major turning point in the Pacific theater for the US

General Macarthur

General of allied forces in the pacific theater

Battle of Iwo Jima

A bloody battle between the US Marines and the Imperial Army of Japan with the goal of the US taking the airfields for later attacks on Japan. The US won. 

Battle of Okinawa

It was a bloody Allied victory between the US and Japan as a final push of the US to get into Japan. Both sides suffered a great deal of casualties. 

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister of the UK from 1940- 45 and 1951-55

Neville Chamberlain

Prime Minister of the UK from 1937-40

Erwin Rommel

Was the German General command of the Afrika Korps

General Montgomery

General of the allies in North Africa, El-Alamein, and Normandy

Admiral Yamamoto

Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II

Admiral Nimitz

Admiral of the US navy, helped lead the Battle of the Coral Sea and battle of Midway

Eisenhower

Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, lead Operation Torch in North Africa and the Battle on Normandy

Patton

US General of the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Lead allied forces in North Africa

Siege Warfare

Saturation bombings and infantry support, cut off supply lines

Amphibious invasion

Land and water invasion

Naval warfare

Use of aircraft carriers and submarines

Aviation warfare

Use of bombers and fighter planes, precision and saturation bombing

Phony War

The period of 8 months after the invasion of Poland that the US titled for having no fighting because Germany was too weak to attack the west

Operation Overlord

An amphibious invasion of Normandy Beach in France from the allied powers against the axis powers, Germany and Italy.

Battle of Stalingrad

The Germans had reached Stalingrad, but the Russians refused to surrender. The Russians trapped the Germans and forced them to surrender.