Military History: World War II Exam Study Guide

Who was Adolf Hitler?

He was the leader of Nazi Germany during WWII who started the war and led the Holocaust.

Who was Benito Mussolini?

He was the dictator of Italy who led the Fascist Party and was allied with Hitler.

Who was Joseph Stalin?

The Leader of the Soviet Union who fought against Germany.

Who was Hideki Tojo?

The Japanese general and prime minister who ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Who was Winston Churchill?

The British prime minister during most of WWII. He was against Hitler.

Who was Charles de Gaulle?

He was a leader of Free France who resisted German occupation.

Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt?

He was a U.S. president from 1933 to 1945. He led during most of WWII. Yes, he is still dead...

Who was Isoroku Yamamoto?

The Japanese admiral who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor.

What is the basic definition of Fascism?

A government led by a dictator with total control.

What is the basic definition of Communism?

A system where the government owns everything and everyone is supposed to be equal.

Germany's territorial acquisitions

Germany took the Saar Region (1935), the Rhineland (1936), Austria (Mar. 1938), Sudetenland (Oct. 1938), and the rest of Czechoslovakia (1939).

What occurred at the Munich Conference with Churchill, Daladier, and Hitler (Sept. 1938)?

Britain and France let Hitler take the Sudetenland to avoid war.

What were the Pact of Steel (1939) and the Tripartite Pact (September 1940)?

Pact of Steel: alliance between Germany and Italy.

Tripartite Pact: alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan.

When did Germany invade Poland? What was the significance of that event?

September 1, 1939. It started WWII in Europe.

What was the German blitzkrieg?

Germany's strategy involved a series of quick and decisive battles to deliver a knockout blow to the enemy.

What was the 'Phony War'?

A quiet time after Poland was taken, when no major fighting happened in the West.

What five nations did Germany take in the spring of 1940?

Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France.

What happened at Dunkirk (end of May/early June 1940)?

British and French troops were rescued by boats after being trapped.

When did France fall to Germany?

June 1940.

What was Operation Barbarossa?

Germany's surprise invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.

When did Japan take Manchuria? Why?

In 1931. For land and natural resources.

When did Japan attack China proper? Did they conquer all of that nation?

In 1937. They didn't conquer all of China.

What was the Nanjing Massacre (1937)?

A mass murder of innocent Chinese citizens committed by Japanese soldiers. They also raped tens of thousands of women and destroyed much of the city.

What were the Neutrality Acts passed by the U.S. Congress in the 1930s?

Laws that made it illegal for Americans to sell or transport arms and other war materials to belligerent nations.

What was the Lend-Lease Act of 1941?

An act that allowed the U.S. to lend or lease war supplies to any nation that was deemed vital to the defense of the U.S.

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i. On that date, what other nations/areas in the Pacific were attacked by Japan?

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i, along with the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, and Malaya.

What was the island-hopping campaign?

The U.S. strategy was to capture key islands and move closer to Japan.

What were each of these U.S. Army Air Corps planes:

B-17 (Flying Fortress)

Heavy bomber used in Europe.

What were each of these U.S. Army Air Corps planes:

B-24 (Liberator)

Long-range bomber.

What were each of these U.S. Army Air Corps planes:

B-29 (Superfortress)

Dropped atomic bombs on Japan.

What were each of these U.S. Army Air Corps planes:

P-51 (Mustang)

A fast fighter plane that protected bombers.

What was the Battle of the Atlantic?

It was a fight between German submarines and Allied ships to control the Atlantic Ocean.

What was Operation Torch?

The Allied invasion of North Africa.

What was Operation Sea Lion?

Germany's plan to invade Britain. It never happened.

What was the Battle of Britain / The Blitz (fall 1940 - spring 1941)?

Germany tried to weaken Britain by bombing its cities. The Royal Air Force fought back and stopped a German invasion. It was the first major defeat for Hitler.

When was the Allied invasion of Sicily and Italy? What was its purpose?

It was in 1943. Its purpose was to defeat Italy and open another front against Germany.

Where were the two Battles of El Alamein and what were their significance?

In Egypt. Allies stopped Germany from taking North Africa and the Middle East.

What was Operation Overlord?

Codename for the Battle of Normandy. It was the D-Day invasion of Western Europe on June 6, 1944.

What happened at the Battle of Stalingrad (July 1942 - February 1943)?

The Soviet Union stopped Germany and began pushing them back.

What happened at the Battle of Leningrad (September 1941 - January 1944)?

Germany surrounded the city in a long siege lasting over two years. Many civilians died from starvation, but the Soviets never surrendered.

What was the significance of the Battle of Midway (June 1942)?

The U.S. Navy sank four Japanese aircraft carriers. It ended Japan's momentum and was a major turning point in the Pacific War.

What was the significance of the Battle of Guadalcanal (August 1942 - February 1943)?

The first major U.S. land victory in the Pacific. It stopped Japanese expansion and began the U.S. island-hopping strategy.

What were the significances of the Battles of Iwo Jima (Feb. - Mar. '45) and Okinawa (Apr. - Jun. '45)?

Extremely bloody battles with high casualties on both sides. It showed how fiercely Japan would fight and influenced the U.S. decision to use atomic bombs.

What was the firebombing of Japan (March 9-10, 1945)? What was the result?

The U.S. bombed Tokyo with fire bombs. About 100,000 people died.

What was the Manhattan Project?

Secret U.S. program to build the atomic bomb.

To what do the terms "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" apply?

The names of the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

What were each of these pieces of armor:

Tiger I (German)

A strong German tank.

What were each of these pieces of armor:

M-4 Sherman

Main U.S. tank.

What were each of these pieces of armor:

T-34

A powerful Soviet tank.

What were V-E Day (May 8, 1945) and V-J Day (August 14, 1945)?

V-E Day: victory in Europe. Germany surrendered.

V-J Day: victory over Japan. Japan surrendered.