World War II: Causes, Major Events, and Consequences

START OF WAR IN EUROPE

1939

START OF WAR IN ASIA

1937

PEARL HARBOR

December 7, 1941 (US entry into WWII)

BREAKING OF MUNICH AGREEMENT

Sept. 1, 1939 (Start of war in Europe)

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty ending WWI; punished Germany

Importance of Treaty of Versailles

Germany was forced to pay reparations, limit military, and give up land

Reparations

Payments Germany owed allies after WWI according to the Treaty of Versailles- $33 billion

Consequences of Reparations

Led to hyperinflation, people lost savings, caused resentment and support for extremists

League of Nations

Organization designed to guarantee mutual peace and security for all member countries

Weakness of League of Nations

No military power; Germany left under Hitler

World War II Overview

Global War (1937-1945) involving 30+ countries and 50-80 million deaths

Dictators

Leaders with total control, no democracy or checks and balances

Joseph Stalin

Communist Dictator of the Soviet Union who signed the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact

Communism

Government controls all means of production and resources; no private property

Benito Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy who executed by an angry mob

Fascism

Political party that glorifies militarism and ultranationalism

Adolf Hitler

Fascist dictator of Nazi Germany who rebuilt the military illegally

Nazism

Political party of National Socialism promoting Aryan supremacy and anti-semitism

Appeasement

Political policy of conceding to an aggressive power to avoid conflict

Neville Chamberlain

Prime Minister of the UK who implemented the policy of appeasement with Hitler

Munich Agreement

Allies followed the policy of appeasement, conceding to Hitler's demands

Nazi-Soviet Pact

Secret pact signed by Hitler agreeing to 10 years of non-aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union

Emperor Hirohito

Emperor of Japan during WWII, seen as a larger than life figure, almost G-dlike in people's eyes.

Japanese Imperialism (1918-1937)

Japan became an imperial country because of a need for resources off the island and global competition for industrialization.

September 1, 1939

Hitler breaks Munich agreement and invades Poland, marking the start of WWII in Europe.

Axis Powers

Countries including Italy, Germany, and Japan that lost WWII.

Allies

Countries including Great Britain, US, China, France, and USSR that won WWII.

Manchuria

City containing shared Japanese-Chinese railroad; Japan took full control after blaming China for a railroad explosion.

Rape of Nanking

Aerial bombing of urban center resulting in 400,000 Chinese used for bayonet practice, 7,000 women raped, and ⅓ homes destroyed.

Blitzkrieg

German war strategy known as 'Lightning war' involving air forces softening targets and armored divisions rushing in.

'Keep Calm and Carry On'

British saying on WWII propaganda poster after the Battle of Britain, now a common expression.

Lebenstrum

German for 'living space'; Hitler's justification for rapid expansion.

Battle of Stalingrad

Decisive Russian victory with enormous losses on both sides; Germany suffered more.

December 7, 1941

Pearl Harbor attack by Japanese planes, leading to US entry into WWII.

Kamikaze

Japanese suicide planes whose pilots knew it was a one-way trip, used to inflict maximum damage.

D-Day

US and allies invade Nazi-occupied France, marking the beginning of the end of the war.

Japanese 'internment'

US internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor due to fears of espionage.

Fred Korematsu

Notable figure related to Japanese internment during WWII.

Rosie the Riveter

Iconic symbol of women working in munition factories during WWII.

Douglas MacArthur

Leader of Nation-Building in Japan after WWII, aimed to disarm Japan and create a democratic government.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

US General and later President who played a significant role in WWII.

Role of Women

Women occupied jobs in munition factories, increasing workforce participation by nearly 10%.

Cash and carry

US lending program allowing allies to buy weapons with cash before US entry into WWII.

Lend lease program

US lending program supplying war goods to Allies in exchange for naval base access.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

US president at the beginning of the war who called for US involvement.

Tuskegee Airmen

First all African American battalion of fighter pilots with a distinguished record.

Navajo code talkers

Used the Navajo language as code during battles, unbreakable by Japanese code breakers.

Harry S. Truman

President after Roosevelt who authorized the dropping of atomic bombs.

Atomic Bombs

Developed during the Manhattan Project; controversial use in WWII.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Cities where the US dropped atomic bombs, resulting in over 135,000 casualties.

Nuremberg Trials

Post-WWII trials for Nazi war criminals.

Yalta and Potsdam Conference

Conferences where Allied leaders split Germany into 4 occupied territories.

Results of WWII

50-80 million deaths, major territorial changes, and significant destruction of cities.

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