World War II Flashcards

Flashcards covering the causes, key players, and attempts to prevent World War II.

Appeasement

A policy where nations give in to aggressive demands in order to maintain peace.

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, and Japan, who sought to build new empires in the 1930s.

Allied Powers

Initially France and Great Britain, later joined by the Soviet Union, China, and the United States.

Japanese Aggression (1931)

Japan conquered Manchuria in 1931, initiating its expansionist policies in Asia.

Italian Aggression (1935)

Italy, under Mussolini, invaded and conquered Ethiopia in 1935, showcasing aggressive empire-building.

German Aggression (1936-1939)

Hitler rebuilt the German army, conquered the Rhineland, annexed Austria and Sudetenland, violating the Treaty of Versailles.

Treaty of Versailles

The treaty that failed to prevent WWII due to its ineffectiveness in addressing German resentment and aggression.

League of Nations

An international organization that proved weak and ineffective in preventing aggression by Axis powers.

Munich Conference (1938)

Western democracies agreed that Germany would seize control of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.

Nazi-Soviet Pact (1939)

A non-aggression treaty between Hitler and Stalin, which preceded Germany's invasion of Poland.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which triggered declarations of war by France and Great Britain, marking the start of WWII.

Blitzkrieg

A swift, sudden military offensive, particularly referring to Germany's tactics during WWII.

Battle of Britain (1940)

The air campaign waged by the German Luftwaffe against Britain in 1940, aimed at weakening British defenses before a potential invasion.

Operation Barbarossa (1941)

Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, a major turning point in WWII.

Pearl Harbor (1941)

The surprise attack by the Japanese on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which led to the United States entering WWII.

Island Hopping

Allied strategy to recapture Japanese-held islands in the Pacific by selectively attacking specific enemy targets and bypassing others.

Battle of Midway (1942)

A decisive naval battle in June 1942 in which the U.S. Navy defeated a Japanese fleet intent on seizing Midway Island, marking a critical turning point in the Pacific Theater.

Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943)

A major battle fought in the Soviet Union during the winter of 1942-1943 in which the Soviets defeated the German army, marking a turning point on the Eastern Front.

D-Day (1944)

The Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, through the Normandy landings, opening a western front against Germany.

The final major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II, which