AH WW2 Vocab

Fascism

A political movement that promotes an extreme form of nationalism, a denial of individual rights, and a dictatorial one-party rule.

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the government has total control over the lives of individual citizens.

Dictator

A ruler who has complete power over a country

Appeasement

Accepting demands in order to avoid conflict (giving into an aggressor)

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, Japan

Allied Powers

Alliance of Great Britain, Soviet Union, United States, and France during World War II.

Blitzkrieg

Lighting war", typed of fast-moving warfare used by German forces against Poland in 1939

Invasion of Poland

Germany invaded, breaking their agreement, so Britain and France declared war, starting World War II

Hitler

German Nazi dictator during World War II , Nazi leader and founder; had over 6 million Jews killed during the Holocaust

Mussolini

Italian fascist dictator

Joseph Stalin

He led the Soviet Union, using five-year plans to increase industrial production and terror to crush opposition

Lend Lease Act

A law passed in 1941 that allowed the United States to ship arms and other supplies, without immediate payment, to nations fighting the Axis powers

Pearl Harbor

A surprise attack by the Japanese on Hawaii. In response, the U.S. declared war on Japan and Germany, entering World War II.

The Holocaust

Six million Jewish people were systematically and brutally murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.

Kristallnacht

(Night of the Broken Glass) when mobs throughout Germany destroyed Jewish property and terrorized Jewish people.

Anti Semetism

Hatred against or prejudice towards Jewish people.

Non-aggression Pact

Agreement between the Soviet Union and Germany to divide Poland secretly and not fight each other at the beginning of the war.

Ritchie Boys

Group of German Jewish men who volunteered for the Army in order to gather intelligence for the U.S. during the war.

Neutrality Acts

Laws that pushed the U.S. further from joining World War II in the 1930s.  They showed the isolationist ideas of the time

Executive Order 9066

Also known as Japanese Internment.  Placed Japanese Americans in camps because they were falsely accused of spying

War Production Board

Allocated raw materials to businesses in order to help produce for the war

Office of Price Administration

Helped with freezing prices and rationing during the war. Gave ration books and coupons for scarce items.

Fred Korematsu

Objected to internment and took his case to the Supreme Court on the 5th and 14th Amendment

Tuskegee Airmen

African American pilots who fought against racism at home and fascism abroad in the Double Victory Campaign

Rosie The Riveter

Symbol to encourage women to work in defense plants and help the war effort

A. Philip Randolph

Planned a March on Washington to protest workplace discrimination and won

OSRD (Office of Science Research and Development)

Office of Scientific Research and Development.  This group developed the atomic bomb, sonar, radar, and penicillin to help in the war

Bracero Program

The United States brought workers from Mexico to help with picking fruit

Island Hopping

Strategy to help the United States in the Pacific by selecting specific islands to take while getting closer to Japan’s mainland

Iwo Jima

One of the last major battles in the Pacific before the atomic bomb is used

D-Day

Turned the tide of the war in Europe by helping France be freed from Germany

Battle of Midway

Began Island Hopping

Battle of Coral Sea

Lexington sank and Yorktown was severely damaged, U.S. prevented the Japanese from landing of New Guinea and group supply lines to Australia open

Battle of the Bulge

Was the last major battles in Europe against Germany

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

In the Philippines, largest naval battle, U.S. did not recapture the area until Japan surrendered in 1945