WWII

Blitzkrieg

Blitzkrieg

“Lightning war”, German military strategy: attack without warning

Luftwaffe

Germany’s Air Force

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, and Japan

Allied Powers

US, Great Britain, Soviet Union

September 1, 1939

Date WWII began with German invasion of Poland

Battle of Britain- and the Royal Air Force

Hitler wanted to conquer Britain, so he sent German planes to conduct air raids through summer of 1940. To defend themselves Britain called pilots from Royal Air Force in the battle. It was British victory.

Bombing of Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941, Japan launched surprise attack and bombed US naval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii

Double V Campaign

A campaign, in which black leaders called for all citizens to fight against racism by seeking a victory for democracy at home and abroad(double victory)

Tuskegee Airmen

A group of Army Air Corps pilots and support crews, established in 1941 as the first black combat unit

Japanese Internment/Relocation Camps

A center that confined the Japanese that have been relocated for reasons of national security

Executive Order 9066

an executive order issued by FDR in 1942, allowing internment camps to be set up to exclude current residents believed to be a threat to security

Korematsu v. United States

The supreme court case in which Fred Korematsu was arrested for not following executive order 9066, and it declared government had the right to keep Japanese in internment camps

Zoot Suit Riots

racial clashes in Los Angeles in 1943 between mobs of sailors and marines in Mexican-American youths, who wore zoot suits

Adolf Hitler

Austrian-born German Nazi dictator during WWII, who caused the Holocaust and believed in anti-semitism/aryan supremacy

Josef Goebbles

German propaganda minister, who persecuted the Jews by putting out posters, movies, and sponsoring organizations

Anti-semitic Propaganda

propaganda showing hatred toward Jewish people and creating stereotypes against them

“Kristallnacht” (Night of Broken Glass)

November 9, 1938, Nazi Germans armed with hammers, axes, crowbars, and fire bombs went on anti-Jewish rampage, vandalizing, and destroying Jewish owned businesses, synagogues, and homes

“The Jewish Question”

“How to rid Germany of Jews?” Hitler wanted to create ways to perform mass-killings to get rid of Jews in Germany

“Final Solution”

effective system of death cams with gas chambers filled with Zyklon B to mass-kill Jews

Wannsee Conference

January 1942, a meeting which the “Final Solution” and use of concentration camps were decided. Held in Wannsee, Berlin.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

January-May 1943, most famous famous ghetto revolt, led by Jewish fighters organization against Nazis in Warsaw Ghetto

Holocaust

A methodical plan orchestrated by Hitler to ensure German supremacy. It called for the elimination of Jews, non-conformists, homosexuals, non-Aryans, and mentally and physically disabled.

Genocide

systematic killing of a racial or cultural group

Battle of Stalingrad

Known as Operation Barbarossa; unsuccessful German attack on the city of Stalingrad. Soviet citizens launches a counteroffensive against Nazis during winter of 1942. Jan 1943, German troops surrendered.

Battle of the Bulge

The last major German offensive; battle fought in Ardennes Forest region of Belgium. German success lasted only 2 days

Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister during WWII

“Island-Hopping” or “Leapfrogging”

an American strategy in the Pacific during WWII in which island heavily defended by the Japanese were bypassed in order to captured nearby islands that were not well defended

Operation Overlord/D-Day Invasion

June 6, 1944, the day that the Allies invasion of German-occupied France began on the beaches of Normandy.

Battle of Midway

June 1942, US naval victory in the Pacific that stopped Japanese expansion and forced Japan to focus of defense. Allies used leapfrogging tactics.

Battle of Leyte Gulf

General MacArthur had been forced to retreat from Philippines in March, 1942, this battle was his triumphant return. Key to Allied success was Navajo “Code Talkers”

Battle of Okinawa

Allies mounted huge amphibious invasion ok this island on April 1945. Bloody hand to hand combat lasted 2 months. US victory, perfect staging area for invasion of Japan.

Battle of Iwo Jima

US marines invaded this island on Feb 19, 1945 for a month-long bloody battle, after months of naval and air bombardment. US forces secured the island.

Manhattan Project

the top-secret U.S. government project that developed the atomic bomb. Most of the work was done in Los Alamos

Erwin Rommel(the Desert Fox) “Afrika Korps” and the “Atlantic Wall”

Field Marshal who had a tank based division, the Afrika Korps, with whom he invaded North Africa. He also created the “Atlantic Wall” which was 5 layers of defense on beaches of Normandy.

Douglas MacArthur

American general who was ordered to leave the Philippines in March. His absence allowed Japan to succeeded in conquering the Philippines 2 months later.

Doolittle Raiders

April 1942, 16 bombers led by pilot Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, dropped bombs targeting Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Did little damage, but boosted US morale

Potsdam Conference

July 1945, meeting of the Big 3 to decide how to end the war. Big Decision: Use the new atomic bomb on Japan or launch a land invasion of mainland Japan. Truman learns of successful testing of bombs, but doesn’t tell Stalin

J. Robert Oppenheimer

Scientist who coordinated The Manhattan Project with General Leslie Groves

General Leslie Groves

General who coordinated The Manhattan Project with J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Beaches of Normandy (Juno, Sword, Gold, Utah, Omaha)

50 mile stretch of beaches was divided into 5 regions for invasion with code names: Juno, Sword, Gold, Utah, Omaha. Allies faced 5 layers of defense on each beach from Germany, but they were able to capture the beaches. Although there was trouble on Omaha Beach, Allies eventually conquered it.

Bernard Law Montgomery

Allied Military Leader from Great Britain in the D-Day Invasion along with General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

US General and Allied military leader in D-Day invasion. When American GIs discovered concentration camps, he called in news teams to report of the matter.

North Africa(Theatre of War)

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and his forces pushed deep into and drove the British out of Egypt, and cut off Allied oil supply. They were successful until US joined the war and led by General Eisenhower Allied forces made sea landings in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. British forces defeated Rommel, and forced him out of Egypt.

Harry S. Truman and his decision to use the atomic bomb

The US already gave Japan a warning of the bomb that would cause “utter destruction” if they didn’t unconditionally surrender, but Japan said no. Truman knew that a land invasion would just cause more casualties, and he wanted to end the war, so the US chose to drop the bomb

Hiroshima

August 6, 1945, Enola Gay takes off from Tinian Airfield carrying a uranium bomb called “Little Boy”. Its target was Hiroshima, an industrial city producing war materials. Japan didn’t agree to an unconditional surrender.

Nagasaki

August 9, 1945: US dropped second atomic bomb made of plutonium named “Fat Man” on the city of Nagasaki. Led to Japan’s surrender ending WW2.

Pacific(Theatre of War)

Bataan Death March and Battle of Leyte Gulf in Philippines, Doolittle Raids in Tokyo, Battle of Coral above the Coral Sea, Battle of Midway in Midway Island, and Battle of Okinawa in Okinawa Island.

Atlantic/European(Theatre of War)

Battle of Stalingrad, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge. After Germany’s loss in the Battle of the Bulge May 8, 1945 became V-E Day: Victory in Europe Day