Peters WWII Test

What was Hitler's book called and what does it translate to?

Mein Kampf ("my struggle")

Where did Hitler write Mein Kampf?

in jail for standing up to the government

Why was the US more prosperous after WWI than other countries (initially)?

no war on us soil, loaning to other countries for reparations, Allied country so had advantage

Why did the stock market crash in 1929?

the stock market had been high for so long that they were paranoid and began to sell, people didn't realize credit cards weren't free money and debt built up

What was the stock market crash of 1929 called and when did it happen?

Black Tuesday (Oct. 29, 1929)

What was Germany's government post WWI?

Weimar Republic (democratic)

What was the Dust Bowl and when did it happen?

1934: drought hit the us and blew the topsoil away into clouds of dust

What methods did the Nazis use to separate Jewish people and other targeted groups from the rest of the population?

ghettos, antisemitic laws, propaganda, public humiliation, stars of david on clothing, boycotting of businesses

How many Jews were killed during the Holocaust?

6 million

What groups other than Jews were targeted during the Holocaust?

political opponents, Jehovah's witnesses, homosexual men, asocials (beggars, prostitutes, alcoholics, etc), black people, disabled people, Roma, Poles, Soviet officials and POWs, Slavs

What ended the Holocaust?

The Allied Powers defeating Germany in 1945 and liberating concentration camps and death marches

What were the Nuremberg laws and what was their purpose?

Laws segregating and excluding Jews from society, their purpose was to create "a racially pure" Germany (prohibited marriage between Jews and non Jews, took away citizenship)

What, according to the Nazis, is the "driving force" in history?

racial struggle

What was the "night of broken glass" otherwise known as?

Kristallnacht

What were the effects of the Nuremberg Trials?

future prevention of war crimes (geneva convention, etc), individuals can be held accountable, following orders not an excuse

What was flak?

anti-aircraft fire that exploded at a certain altitude

What was Mussolini's nickname?

Il Duce (the leader)

How did Mussolini control the press?

he made himself editor in chief of the paper, restricted foreign press, much propaganda and censorship

What country did Mussolini and Italy conquer and make a colony in 1935?

Ethiopia (used poison gas to conquer)

What happened to Mussolini after the war?

he was arrested and then publicly beaten and hanged in the streets of Rome

What does the term Nazi mean?

National Socialists

What was discussed in Mein Kampf?

uniting all ethnic Germans, democracy doesn't work, Jews the reason for everything wrong, fascism to make Germany strong

What was the name of Hitler's new highway systems used as propaganda of Germany's strength?

autobahn

Who was the leader of Fascist Spain?

General Francisco Franco

Who created a famous painting about the Spanish Revolution?

Pablo Picasso

Which Spanish city stood up to Franco and was destroyed in the world's first saturation arial bombardment?

Guernica

What was the name of Hitler's mountain cabin in the Alps?

Eagle's nest (showed him as "good", healthy, respectable, used as propaganda)

What was the capital of Nazi Germany?

Nuremburg

What were the 3 Reichs (hitler's regime was called the "third reich")?

1. Holy Empire

2. Empire by Bismark

3. new German Empire (hitler)

Which country had the largest air force in WWII?

USA (more planes than Germany, Japan, UK combined)

What was Germany's air force called?

the Luftwaffe

What were the different types of planes?

fighters, bombers, cargo

What were the main features of aircraft carriers?

catapults to slingshot planes, cannons, cloaking technology

How did the depression lead to a rise in fascism?

people began to lose hope in democracy and it's ability to solve their problems> allowing for extremists and radical ideas to become popular> there was more interest in communism and the rise of fascism

Why was Italy struggling post WWI?

war vets couldn't find jobs, Russian Rev inspired revolts, tariffs rose and trade declined, Italy got less reparations

Where does the term "fascist" come from?

the Roman Empire -symbolizes unity and authority

How did Mussolini come into power?

he had support and the King of Italy appointed him as pime minister in fear of a coup

What was the name of Mussolini's secret police?

Blackshirts

How did Hitler come into power and when?

he was elected "Fuhrer" legally (1933)

Why did the League of Nations admit Germany and Russia (1926)?

to decrease tensions and create peace

What did the Kellogg-Briand Pact do?

limited small arms weapon production and size of navies, STARTING a war is illegal, (1st world disarmament treaty signed by maj. of L of Nations)

What was the major flaw of the League of Nations?

it had no united military force to stop aggressors and relied on trust of member states

What major country never joined the League of Nations?

The United States (isolationism)

Why did Japan drop out of the League of Nations?

they wanted Manchuria and invaded, L of N threatened to take away their membership, so Japan leaves L of N (1931)

What was the "Rhineland"

a demilitarized zone between France and Germany (hitler positions troops there and breaks treaty

Why did nations want to appease?

to avoid war and more damage/costs/reparations/deaths, to ease economic struggles

Who were the Axis Powers?

Germany, Italy, Japan (main goal to stop the threat of communism and individually expand)

Who was Japan's leader in WWII?

Emperor Hirohito

What was the first country annexed by Germany?

Austria (1938) > Hitler was from Austria and they spoke German there

What was the Czech Crisis?

Hitler wanted German speaking Sudetenland back from Czechoslovakia to unite "Germans" > Munich Agreement

What was the Munich Agreement?

During the conflict revolving Sudetenland, the leaders of UK, France, Italy, Germany, agreed to led Germany annex Sudetenland as long as it was Hitler's last territorial addition (appeasement) (Germany attacks Poland 1 year later)

What was the Pact of Steel?

Hitler and Mussolini agree that if war happens, they would never surrender separately

What was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

deal between Hitler and Stalin not to attack each other and to divide up Poland & other parts of Europe

Why was Russia initially on the Axis side?

they were aided by Germany for rev, not Big 4 so disliked Allies, US supported "whites" in Bolshevik rev.

What is a "Blitzkrieg"?

"lightning war" > a tactic to quickly attack and overwhelm the enemy (Germans used to attack Poland in 1939)

Who was the movie director hired by the Nazis for propaganda (we watched film in class)?

Leni Riefenstahl

When did WWII begin?

Sep. 1, 1939 (soviets and Germany attack Poland)

What was Operation Barbarossa?

the codename for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union> Hitler loses in Battle of Stalingrad because of Russian winter

How did the US become involved in WWII?

US banned sale of "war materials" to Japan, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor

What were the atomic bombs made of out?

one was Uranium (Hiroshima), one was Plutonium (Nagasaki)

What was the research project that created the atom bombs called?

The Manhattan Project

Where were the atom bombs dropped?

Hiroshima (bomb "Little Boy") and Nagasaki (bomb "Fat Man")

What were the names of the planes that dropped the atom bombs?

"Enola Gay" (hiroshima), Bockscar (nagasaki) > both were B-29 Superfortresses

What was the Battle of Okinawa?

the allies invaded Okinawa to become a base to invade Japan, many kamikaze attacks, Japanese were hiding when the US attacked and US thought they'd won but it was a trick

outcome: many lives lost led to US decision to drop bombs, US won

What was the Battle of Iwo Jima?

US invaded Iwo Jima island to secure airfields for the allies, US captured and raised flag, 20,000 japanese deaths led to decision to drop atom bomb

What was D-Day?

Allies invaded Normandy, to liberate Europe from Nazis, landed on beaches

outcome: allies win, turning point in the war (liberated europe), created a 2nd front against Germany

What was the Battle of Stalingrad?

German attempt to seize Stalingrad from Soviet Union & disrupt supply lines and oil fields, Soviets held defense lines and Germany surrendered because of Russian winter

outcome: Germany's first major eastern front loss, lowered morale, many casualties on both sides

What was the Battle of Britain?

Germans invaded Britain because it was the non conquered major ally power, germany attacked with navy and air force bombing, british resist germany, first german loss, hope for europeans

What was the Battle of Midway?

US island hopping campaign to take Japanese islands and limit resources, US was losing but then took out 3 japanese carriers

outcome: US WIN, japan lost #s advantage, lost 4 carriers, US influence over pacific

What was the Battle of Leyte Gulf?

allies wanted to liberate the Philippines from Japanese occupation, US army landed on Leyte island, naval battles broke out across Leyte gulf, ALLIES WIN, Philippines liberated, Japanese offense weakened for rest of war

What was the Battle of El Alamein?

two battles:

1st: axis wanted to break through British lines at El Alamein and advance into Egypt to control Suez canal, British resisted and STALEMATE

2nd: British wanted to be more offensive to break stalemate, British win and drive Axis out of North Africa

What was the Battle of the Bulge?

Germany surprise attacks the Ardennes forest to split Ally lines and recapture Antwerp, German advance creates a "bulge" on Allied lines, the Allies push back and win, last German offensive on Western front

What was the Battle of Guadalcanal?

US amphibious attack on Guadalcanal in the Solomon islands to seize a Japanese airfield, the Allies won and this began their island hopping campaign

When was VE Day? (victory in Europe)

May 8th 1945

When was VJ Day? (Victory over Japan)

Aug. 15, 1945 (official end of war)

What were the "Big 4" at the end of WWII?

France, UK, USA, USSR

What was the post-war treaty called?

Potsdam Conference

What is the Truman Doctrine?

the new US policy establishing the US will support "free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities" and containment of Communist nations would ensure peace

What were the US post war financial aid plans called?

Marshall Plan

What was the Battle of Dunkirk?

German blitzkrieg on the beaches of Dunkirk that trapped Allied forces, Allied forces were evacuated successfully, "miracle of dunkirk" allowed Britain to keep fighting and contributing to war effort

What amendment was prohibition?

18th

What was the "red scare"?

the fear of communism post war in 1919-20 in the US, immigration bans were put in place

What was the Maginot Line?

a defensive line French built along it's German border after WWI to prevent invasion

What was the March on Rome?

Fascists stormed Rome, eventually leading to Mussolini becoming appointed Prime Minister

Who was the King of Italy who appointed Mussolini?

King Victor Emmanuel 3rd

What was the Terror Famine?

1932: to protest peasants grew only enough for themselves so Stalin took the grain from them and gave it to the city, leading to famine

What were "kulaks"?

wealthy Russian farmers (Stalin wanted to eliminate them)

What was The Great Purge?

Stalin arrested anyone who could connive against him and charged them with crimes (included old Bolshevik revolutionaries)

What is "socialist realism"?

censorship where Soviet has to be portrayed only as positive with no criticisms

What was the New Deal?

economic/social programs, stock market regulating laws, and social security introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt to help the Great Depression

What is Russification?

the forcing of Russian culture and language on diverse soviet groups

What religion became the Soviet state policy?

Atheism (per Marxism, communism overtakes religion)

What is appeasement?

giving into aggressors so peace can be held

What were the main Pacific battles?

Midway, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Leyte Gulf, Guadalcanal, Coral Sea

What were the main European battles?

Dunkirk, Britain, Bulge, Stalingrad, D-Day

What was the largest concentration/death camp in Poland?

Auschwitz

What is the name for a Japanese suicide bomber?

kamikaze

Who was the prime minister of Britain during WWII?

Winston Churchill

What was the Battle of the Coral Sea?

the Japanese wanted to create an airbase in New Guinea, threatening Ally supply lines to Australia, first carrier vs. carrier battle (only fought from planes from carriers), ALLIES WIN, Japanese cannot isolate Australia, established carrier dominance

What area of Czechoslovakia was first annexed by Hitler?

the Sudetenland