Overview of World War II and the Holocaust

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the causes, events, and consequences of World War II and the Holocaust, based on the provided lecture notes.

World War II

A global conflict that began on September 1, 1939, caused by unresolved tensions from World War I, economic crises, and aggressive expansion by Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Battle of Britain

A major conflict in 1940 that stopped German air dominance and was a turning point in World War II.

Operation Barbarossa

Germany's failed invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Pearl Harbor

The event in 1941 that brought the United States fully into World War II.

Stalingrad

A major Soviet victory and turning point in World War II that occurred between 1942 and 1943.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy that took place in 1944.

Holocaust

The systematic extermination of about 6 million Jews and millions of others deemed undesirable by the Nazis, occurring from 1933 to 1945.

Nazi Ideology

The belief in Aryan racial superiority and antisemitism that fueled the Holocaust.

Final Solution

The Nazi plan to annihilate Europe’s Jewish population.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that imposed harsh penalties on Germany, creating resentment and instability that contributed to the rise of World War II.

Economic Depression

The global economic crisis of the 1930s that fueled extremism and support for fascist leaders.

Appeasement

The policy of allowing Hitler to annex territories in hopes of avoiding war.

Lebensraum

The German concept of ‘living space’ that justified expansion into neighboring territories.