World War II and American Isolationism

America First Committee

A hardcore isolationist group that opposed US involvement in European affairs during World War II.

Charles Lindbergh

Famous aviator who supported the America First movement and advocated for non-involvement in Germany during World War II.

Atlantic Charter

A declaration made by FDR and Churchill in 1941, stating their opposition to empire expansion and Hitler's fascism during World War II. meet in the Atlantic ocean

Appeasement

A policy of giving in to Hitler's demands in order to avoid conflict during World War II.

Battle of Britain

An air war between Germany and Britain during World War II, where Germany targeted British air bases and Churchill retaliated by bombing Berlin.

Blackshirts

Soldiers in Hitler's army during World War II.

Blitzkrieg

Also known as 'Lightning war,' a military strategy used by Germany in World War II.

Chamberlain

Prime Minister of England during World War II, known for negotiating with Hitler for the Sudetenland.

Concentration camps

Places where Jews were held and tortured by the Nazis during World War II.

Dunkirk

Location where the French army was cornered and civilian ships were seized to rescue the soldiers during World War II.

Fascism

A political ideology that emphasizes glory and heroism over economics, associated with Hitler's regime during World War II.

Good Neighbor policy

A US policy towards Latin America during World War II, promising non-interference and friendly relations.

Greer

A US ship attacked by Germans during World War II, which did not lead to US involvement in the war.

Guernica

Pablo Picasso's painting depicting the bombing of a Spanish city by German and Italian warplanes during the Spanish Civil War.

Gulags

Russian work camps during World War II.

Hitler

The leader of Nazi Germany known for his expansionist policies during World War II.

Kellogg-Briand Pact

An international agreement renouncing war as a national policy, signed in 1928.

Lebensraum

Hitler's concept of acquiring living space to increase the Aryan population during World War II.

Lend-Lease Act

A US policy of lending weapons to Britain during World War II.

Manchuria

Russian territory taken by Japan after defeating Russia in 1905, prior to World War II.

Mein Kampf

Hitler's book written during his imprisonment, meaning 'My Struggle,' which outlined his political ideology and goals.

Munich Conference

A meeting between Daladier, Chamberlain, and Hitler in 1938, where southern land was given to Germany to avoid war.

Mussolini

Italian dictator known as il Duce, who aligned with Hitler during World War II.

Neutrality Acts

US legislation passed in 1935, 1937, and 1939 to maintain neutrality in international conflicts, including World War II.

Non-Aggression Pact

An agreement between Germany and Russia to attack Poland and split it between them, signed in 1939.

Quarantine Speech

FDR's speech calling for isolation from countries that posed a threat to world peace, delivered in 1937. said 90% of world was good and 10% was bad

Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act

Legislation allowing the US president to make trade agreements with other nations to reduce tariffs, passed in 1934.

Reparations

Payments made by the losing side after a war, often used to refer to the payments demanded from Germany after World War I.

Selective Service Act

US military draft implemented during World War II.

Spanish Civil War

A conflict in Spain resulting in the overthrow of the Republican government and the rise of Franco as dictator, preceding World War II.

Stab in the Back

Refers to the belief that Germany was betrayed and stopped advancing during World War I, leading to its defeat.

Stalin

Dictator of Russia during World War II, known for his leadership during the war.

Stormtroopers

Specialized soldiers in Hitler's army during World War II.

Sudetenland

Northern Czechoslovakia with a dense German population, given to Hitler in the Munich Conference during World War II.

Totalitarianism

A form of government with centralized control and no tolerance for differing opinions, exemplified by Hitler's regime during World War II.

Tojo

Prime Minister of Japan during World War II, later sentenced to death for war crimes.

Vichy, France

Coastal regions of France occupied by Germany during World War II.