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442nd Regimental Combat Team

A U.S. Army unit composed mainly of Japanese American soldiers that became the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in U.S. history.

Allied Second Front

The long-awaited invasion of Western Europe by the Allies, which began with the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.

August 6, 1945

The date the U.S. dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

August 9, 1945

The date the U.S. dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Bastogne

A Belgian town where American forces, particularly the 101st Airborne Division, held out against a German siege during the Battle of the Bulge.

Bataan Death March

A forced march of American and Filipino prisoners by Japanese forces in the Philippines in 1942, resulting in thousands of deaths.

Battle of Midway

A pivotal naval battle in June 1942, where the U.S. defeated Japan, turning the tide in the Pacific War.

Battle of the Bulge

A major German offensive in December 1944 in the Ardennes Forest, ultimately repelled by Allied forces.

Battle of the Coral Sea

A May 1942 battle where the U.S. Navy prevented a Japanese invasion of Australia, marking the first aircraft carrier battle in history.

Bracero Program

A program that allowed Mexican laborers to work in U.S. agriculture during World War II.

Convoy System

A naval strategy where merchant ships traveled in groups escorted by warships to protect against submarine attacks.

Cost-Plus

A government contract system where companies were guaranteed a profit for war production.

D-Day Beaches

The five beaches (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword) where Allied forces landed in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.

December 7, 1941

The date of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, leading the U.S. to enter World War II.

Disenfranchise

To deprive someone of the right to vote or other rights, often applied to African Americans and minority groups.

Double V

A campaign advocating for victory against both fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home.

Erwin Rommel

A German general known as the 'Desert Fox,' famous for his leadership of Axis forces in North Africa during World War II.

Firebombing

A military tactic using incendiary bombs to destroy cities, notably used in Tokyo and Dresden.

Great Depression/World War II

The economic crisis of the 1930s, which was ultimately ended by the industrial boom of World War II.

Harry S. Truman

The U.S. president who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt and authorized the use of atomic bombs on Japan.

Hiroshima

The Japanese city where the first atomic bomb was dropped, causing massive destruction and loss of life.

Internment Camps

Places where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and confined during World War II due to fears of espionage.

Iwo Jima

A key island battle in 1945 where U.S. Marines captured Iwo Jima from Japan, symbolized by the famous flag-raising photo.

June 6, 1944

D-Day, when Allied forces launched the Normandy invasion.

Korematsu v. US

A 1944 Supreme Court case that upheld the U.S. government’s decision to intern Japanese Americans as a wartime necessity.

Land Route - Island Hopping

A military strategy used by the U.S. in the Pacific to capture key islands and bypass heavily fortified ones.

Manhattan Project

The secret U.S. project to develop the atomic bomb.

Navajo Code-Talkers

Native American soldiers who used the Navajo language to create an unbreakable code for U.S. military communications.

Normandy

The region in France where Allied forces landed on D-Day.

Nuremberg Trials

A series of military tribunals held after World War II to prosecute Nazi leaders for war crimes.

Office of Price Administration (OPA)

A government agency that controlled prices and rationing during World War II to prevent inflation.

Okinawa

The largest battle in the Pacific War, fought from April to June 1945, with heavy casualties on both sides.

Operation Fortitude

A deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the real location of the D-Day invasion.

Rationing

The controlled distribution of scarce resources, such as food and fuel, during the war.

Rosie the Riveter

A cultural icon representing women who worked in war industries during World War II.

Sea Route - Island Hopping

The use of naval power to advance across the Pacific by securing strategic islands for air bases.

September 2, 1945

The official end of World War II, when Japan formally surrendered.

Sun Belt

The southern U.S. region that saw economic and population growth due to war-related industries.

Tarawa

A brutal battle in the Pacific where U.S. forces captured the Japanese-held island of Tarawa in November 1943.

Tuskegee Airmen

The first African American military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Forces, known for their distinguished service in World War II.

War Bonds

Government-issued bonds sold to finance the war, with citizens lending money to the government.

Zoot Suit Riots

A series of violent clashes in 1943 between U.S. servicemen and Mexican American youths in Los Angeles, partly fueled by racial tensions.