Fascism & WWII Terms: Essential Study Set - History Test Five

What countries initially benefited from the end of WW1?

The winners: Britain, France the US, and Italy

Why did the winners of WW1 rebuild more quickly?

German money from reparations helped rebuild their economies and destroyed areas

Why were unemployment rates so high after WW1?

Vast numbers of returning veterans (including the disabled) that there weren't jobs for, and women who were getting displaced. Also, the wartime industries such as farm products and the necessary resources crashed after the end of the war because of extreme decline in demand. Finally, the industrial revolution made production involve fewer workers than ever before.

Why did the US boom during the 1920s?

Received reparations but there was nothing to rebuild, loans to smaller countries during the war were repaid, employment rates and stock market were very high

What factors caused people in the US to get nervous about the market and economy?

A plateau of stock sales, people being more cautious about big-ticket purchases, volatility in the market, and skepticism that the market could continue to be strong

What date was Black Tuesday?

October 29, 1929

What happened due to Black Tuesday?

Businesses closed, banks failed, huge loss of jobs and increase in unemployment

Why did the US crash also impact other countries?*

Because the US had alliances with many countries and had loaned money to many others, so the impacts were pretty global.

Why did Black Tuesday happen?*

People began to panic sell stocks due to fear/paranoia

What are tariffs, and why did countries raise them during the GD + effects?

Taxes on countries you sell to, raised to bring in more money however ultimately decreases global trade

What was the 'Dust Bowl,' and when was it + effects?

Devastating 1934 drought in the US midwest causes struggling farms to flock to cities, increase in starvation, homelessness, and poverty

How does the great depression lead to a rise in extreme ideas?

Facism and communism come to prominence because the people feel hopeless and lose faith that democracy will solve their issues/create a utopia.

Why did Italy suffer economically after WW1?

War veterans couldn't find jobs, decline in trade due to tariffs, minimal reparations and minimal new land from Treaty of Versailles

How did Benito Mussolini come to prominence and power?*

Rose due to economic struggles, organized various veterans and unemployed workers into the fascist party. Gained so much power that, to avoid a coup, the King of Italy appoints him Prime Minister.

What title did Mussolini take in power?

"Il Duce;" the leader

What was the title of the German leader of the Nazi party?*

Fuhrer

What does Mussolini do to keep power?

Controls and censors the media, rigs elections, silences rivals, puts critics in jail/murdered them, creates secret police to oversee people, spread nationalistic/facism as propaganda, gets the pope's blessing as leader by making Vatican City its own country, and preaches propaganda to children.

What is fascism?*

A form of totalitarianism with a centralized authoritarian government. Its policies glorify the state over individual or basic human rights.

What were the two things fascists hated and why?*

Communism because they don't want workers to rise up, and they want to maximize the profits of the 1%. Democracy because it makes people see different ways to run government/different ideas, and because it naturally provides checks and balances.

In what ways is facism similar and different to communism?*

Centralized, powerful government that controls all industries. Different because it is extreme capitalism made to benefit the wealthy, keeps workers very poor.

What music genre was created/popularized in the 1920s?

Jazz

What happened to women after the war?

Most left their wartime jobs, and women also got the right to vote in many Western countries. One type of memorable '20s woman was the flapper.

What famous female scientist worked with radiation after WW1?

Marie Curie

Name some medical/scientific developments during the post-war period

Penicillin was discovered, Freud worked on psychoanalysis.

Name some famous books from the post-war period

All Quiet on the Western Front, the Great Gatsby, The Waste Land, The Sun Also Rises

Name a well known figure from the Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes

What is the post-war generation called?

The Lost Generation

What is the "red scare"?

People were afraid of radicals and the Bolshevik Revolution. Police rounded up and expelled radicals, and calls to reduce immigration were made

What is the Maginot line?

A wall along the border between France and Germany to help shore up France's defenses. Easily overcome by the Germans in WWII.

What were the Locarno Treaties?

Seven European nations, including Germany, met up in Switzerland in 1925 where they cleared up border disputes between Germany and other nations.

What was the Kellogg-Briand pact?*

Almost every independent nation signed this agreement banning war.

Why did the League of Nations eventually fail to keep peace?*

There was no way to actually stop aggression from other countries, it could just condemn different actions.

How did overproduction lead to the Great Depression?

New machines caused overproduction, so as demand fell, the consumers briefly benefitted while the creators of the raw materials suffered. Businesses cut back on output and laid off workers, and those workers had no money to buy products, so a vicious cycle was created

What was the name of Roosevelt's massive social programs bill?

The New Deal

What Latin word does fascism come from?

Fasces, or a bundle of sticks wrapped around an ax, which symbolizes unity and authority.

What was the name of the Fascist party militants in Italy?

Black Shirts

What was the name of the Italian King who appointed Mussolini?

King Victor Emmanuel III

What pope blessed Mussolini?

Pope Pius XI

Why does the League of Nations decide to admit Germany and Russia?

To make them bound by agreements in the League of Nations, to ease postwar tension and show support, to make Russia included after the Treaty of Versailles, to abate tension caused by supporting the white army in Russia, to extend an olive branch to a Germany very mad at the West.

What is the name of the 1928 world disarmament treaty?

Kellogg-Briand Pact (1st world disarmament treaty)

What did the Kellogg-Briand Pact do?*

Limited the production of small arms and the size of the navy; stated that starting a war is 'illegal'

What is the major flaw in the League of Nations + one smaller flaw?

It did not have a way to actually enforce agreements because it did not have a 'united' military force (like the UN). The only recourse for the League of Nations was political/economic sanctions. A smaller flaw was that the U.S. never joined/ratified the League of Nations...because of the Senate and the policy of isolationism.

In what year did Japan leave the League of Nations and why?

In 1931, the League of Nations told Japan to end the occupation of Manchuria at risk of membership in the League. However, Japan just left the League of Nations instead of not occupying Manchuria.

In what year did Mussolini invade this African country?*

1935; Ethiopia

What does the League of Nations do after Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia?

Imposes economic sanctions (but just a slap on the wrist)...this angers Mussolini

What part of Germany does Hitler put troops in (against Treaty of Versailles)?

He stations troops in Rhineland, an area close to France that was meant to be demilitarized

Why do the Japanese strike pearl harbor?*

To keep the US out of its business in Asia

What does the League of Nations do when Germany stations troops in Rhineland?

They impose sanctions, slap on the wrist

What policy could be argued to have caused WWII, and what does it mean?

The policy of appeasement; European leaders, esp. Britain and France, want to keep peace in Europe so they are afraid to take action against any of the other countries...they just try to keep them happy.

What problem does appeasement cause?

The little problems aren't stopped, so they turn into very big problems.

When are the axis powers formed (which countries are in it), what agreement do they make?

Germany, Japan, and Italy formed axis powers in 1935. They agree to stop the spread of communism and not interfere with each other's expansion plans.

When is Austria annexed, what does this mean?*

Austria was annexed in 1938. It was non-violent, and Germany just added Austria to the country.

Is the annexation of Austria against the Kellogg-Briand pact?

No, not really, because no war was started. The League of Nations appeases this annexation.

What is the Czech Crisis?*

When Hitler annexed Sudetenland. He was focused on the "reunification" of "German" people.

What was the Nazi-Soviet pact?

A deal between Hitler and Stalin to not fight against each other, and an agreement of how to divide up Poland and other parts of Eastern Europe between the 2 nations

What day did WWII start?

September 1, 1939

Why did WWII start?

Germany attacks Poland to unite all German peoples.

What attack method did Germany use to attack Poland?*

They use a Blitzkrieg tactic (translates to "lightning war"). The tactic involves bombarding a nation so heavily that they want to surrender very quickly

How quickly does Poland surrender?

In less than 2 weeks

Which countries attacked Poland at the start of WWII?

The Soviets (from the East) and Germany (from the west).

What countries does the Soviet Union overtake early on?

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

What countries did Germany attack in 1940?

Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, and Belgium

When does Germany attack and overtake France?

From May-June 1940, Italy joins from the South

What was the only major allied power left in late 1940?

Britain

When did the Battle of Britain begin? What operation was it a part of?*

July 10, 1940; Operation Sea lion

What was the name of the German airforce in WWII?

Luftwaffe

What famous speech did Churchill give during the Battle of Britain?

"This was their finest hour"

What and when was Operation Barbarossa?*

June, 1941; Hitler decides to attack the USSR (despite Nazi-Soviet pact).

Why did Hitler do Operation Barbarossa?

To fight communism, to give the appearance of a Strong Man, to do a surprise attack with a good chance of winning.

Why was Operation Barbarossa a mistake?

The USSR asked the allies for help, and Hitler lost the Battle of Stalingrad

What territories did Japan conquer?

Manchuria, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, and many other Pacific Ocean Nations.

What did the US do that angered Japan?*

They banned the sale of war materials to Japan although we weren't in the war. This goes against the US isolationist policy.

What date was the bombing of Pearl Harbor?

December 7, 1941

What date did the Axis powers declare war on the US?

December 8, 1941

What was the Dowding System?

Named after Marshal Hugh Dowding of the British Military. Had a clearly defined chain of command to enable the flow of intelligence on oncoming raids and the communication of orders.

What was the nickname for the Royal Air Force?

"The Few"

When did the Luftwaffe hit London by mistake?

August 24, 1940

What day is "Battle of Britain" day?

September 15, 1940. Day of deciding victory/turning point for allies

What was the impact on WWII of the Battle of Britain?*

Kept allies fighting in the war, set the stage for further battles, D-Day, etc...

What were the 3 main types of planes used in WWII?

Bomber, Aircraft carrier, Fighter jet

What were the names of the 3 main bomber jets and how were they stopped?

B-17 (US), Arado AR 234 (Germany), Mitsubishi G4 (Japan). Stopped by the Dowding System and Anti-aircraft artillery

How did Aircraft Carriers affect WWII?

Made the war more mobile and global

Name the 4 main types of fighter jets in WWII

Japanese Mitsubishi Zeros, Messerschmitt, P-51 Mustang, Yakovlev Yak-3

When was the Battle of Midway?

June 4-June 6 1942

What was the importance of the Battle of Midway?

It was the most decisive battle in the Pacific theater (Pacific area of the war)

Who fought the battle of Midway, who won?

Japanese and American naval forces, the US won and changed the course of the war. Turning point battle that puts Japan on the defensive

How many people went to Japanese internment camps?

100,000 people

What was Ex Parte Endo?

Loyal American citizens couldn't be detained, led to closing of the camps

How much were the reparations paid?

$20,000

What day was the Normandy invasion, why was it chosen?

June 6 1944, because they needed to land on low tides

Which US general led the operation?

Dwight Eisenhower

How many allied troops were there?

155,000 allied troops

What was Operation Bodyguard?

To make the Germans think they were going further North, planted fake tanks

Name the 5 beaches involved in the Normandy invasion*

Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword

What was the codename for the Battle of Normandy?

Operation Overlord

Why did the US choose to bomb Japan?*

1) To justify the cost of the Manhattan project

2) To end the war quickly with minimal US casualties

3) To test the effects of the bomb

Why was it called D-Day?

Because of the death and destruction

What was the impact of the Battle of Normandy?

France was liberated, major turning point, largest invasion force in history, the beginning of the end of WWII

When was the Battle of Iwo Jima?

February 19-March 26 1944

What is Iwo Jima?

A small island in the pacific