World War II: Key Battles, Conferences, and Policies

Where did Roosevelt and Churchill want to land first during WWII?

Africa

Why did they choose to land in Africa first?

To gain experience and secure the Suez Canal.

What was Germany attacking during the Battle of the Atlantic?

US ships in the Atlantic Ocean.

What measures did eastern cities take to combat German attacks?

They observed blackout conditions, dimming city lights.

What technologies were used to find U-boats?

RADAR, SONAR, and depth charges.

What was the outcome of the Battle of the Atlantic?

Allies began to win the battle.

What city did the Germans attack to hurt the Soviet Union?

Stalingrad.

What was the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad?

It was the turning point of the war in Europe.

What conference did FDR and Churchill hold to intensify bombing of Germany?

The Casablanca Conference.

What did FDR and Churchill agree to do at the Casablanca Conference?

Intensify bombing of Germany.

What was the plan to invade France called?

Operation Overlord.

Who was in command of Operation Overlord?

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

What was the bloodiest fighting location during D-Day?

Omaha Beach.

What was the last major offensive action by the German Army?

The Battle of the Bulge.

What town did the German Army trap Allied soldiers in?

Bastogne.

What significant event occurred as the Russians entered Berlin?

Adolf Hitler killed himself.

What day is known as Victory in Europe Day?

The day Germany surrendered unconditionally.

What happened to President Roosevelt shortly before Germany's surrender?

He had a stroke and died.

Who took over as President of the United States after Roosevelt?

Harry Truman.

What groups were persecuted by the Nazis besides Jewish people?

Homosexuals, Gypsies (The Romani), and Slavic people.

What were the Nuremberg Laws?

Laws that took citizenship away from German-Jewish people and banned marriage between Jews and other Germans.

Why did many Jewish Germans choose not to leave Germany before Kristallnacht?

They were reluctant to give up their lives and believed conditions would improve.

What was Kristallnacht?

An anti-Jewish violence event referred to as the 'night of broken glass'.

What difficulties did Jews face in immigrating to the United States?

Nazi orders limited money they could take out, and US immigration laws targeted them.

What were conditions like in Nazi concentration camps?

Conditions were inhumane, with severe overcrowding, starvation, and violence.

What were the conditions for prisoners during the Holocaust?

Conditions were brutal: overcrowding, forced labor, starvation, physical abuse, inhumane treatment, and mass killings.

What were some explanations historians believe for why the Holocaust happened?

Germany felt injured after WW1, experienced economic struggles, lacked a strong tradition of representative government, and had a history of anti-Jewish prejudice.

Why did the US consider Japan a threat?

Due to its military expansion in Asia, naval buildup, and ambitions to dominate the Pacific.

What did the US do in response to Japan's threat?

Imposed economic sanctions, built up military forces in the Pacific, and declared war after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

On what day was Pearl Harbor bombed by Japan?

December 7th, 1941.

Why was the attack on Pearl Harbor a surprise?

Japan executed a secret plan without warning, preventing the US from preparing.

What did President Roosevelt refer to December 7th, 1941, as?

A date which will live in infamy.

What is fascism?

A super nationalistic government with a single strong leader and a powerful military.

Who were the Axis Powers?

Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Communist Russia.

What was one of Hitler's goals?

To unify all German-speaking people.

Which countries did Hitler take over first?

Austria and Czechoslovakia.

What is appeasement?

The policy of giving concessions in exchange for peace.

What was the result of appeasement with Hitler?

It became clear that appeasement would not work when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia.

What pact did Hitler cut with Stalin?

The Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact.

What was Blitzkrieg?

A military strategy using tanks, planes, and paratroopers to break through enemy lines quickly.

What did Hitler do to protect iron supplies?

He took Denmark and Norway.

How did Hitler surprise the Allies in France?

By attacking through Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

What did France request after being attacked by Germany?

An armistice.

Where did trapped Allied soldiers need to be rescued from?

Dunkirk, France.

Who was the new British Prime Minister during WWII?

Winston Churchill.

What was the German air force called?

The German Luftwaffe.

What was the Neutrality Act of 1935?

It made it illegal to sell weapons to any nation at war.

What was the Cash and Carry policy?

Non-military supplies could be bought with cash and shipped by the buying nation.

What did President Roosevelt believe about trade?

Open trade between nations would lead to stability and peace.

What was the Lend-Lease Act?

It allowed the US to lend or lease weapons to any nation vital to US defense.

What was the Hemispheric Defense Zone?

The idea that the western hemisphere was neutral territory, allowing US actions there.