Copy of 2023 WWII Review Sheet - Danica Fernley

Treaty of Versailles

A treaty that forced Germany to accept blame for WWI, lose land and military power, and pay reparations, causing anger and economic hardship.

Emergence of New Countries After WWI

New countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia were created from old empires, leading to ethnic tensions and instability.

Rise of Fascism

The political movement where fascist dictators promised leadership and nationalism, notably Benito Mussolini in Italy and Adolf Hitler in Germany.

Failure of the League of Nations

An international organization that failed to stop aggressive countries from invading others and lacked military power.

Non-Intervention

The policy practiced by Britain and France to avoid involvement in conflicts, such as the Spanish Civil War.

Appeasement

The policy of giving in to Hitler’s demands, exemplified by allowing Germany to annex the Sudetenland.

Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact

An agreement between Germany and the USSR not to attack each other, which secretly planned to divide Poland.

Trigger of WWII

Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which led Britain and France to declare war.

Effects on Canada's Homefront

Increased wartime production led to economic growth, food and material rationing, and the production of military supplies.

Women’s Roles in WWII

Women took up factory jobs, supported military efforts, and some served in the armed forces as nurses and clerks.

Minorities in Canada During WWII

Indigenous, Black, and Asian Canadians served in the military despite facing discrimination.

Japanese Canadian Internment

The forced relocation of Japanese Canadians from their homes into camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Conscription Crisis of 1944

A significant public debate in Canada over whether to enforce conscription for overseas military service, met with strong opposition in Quebec.

Blitzkrieg

A military strategy used by Germany during WWII, characterized by rapid attacks using fast tanks, planes, and troops.

Battle of the Atlantic

A prolonged military campaign where German U-boats targeted Allied supply ships, with Canada playing a key role in protecting convoys.

Dunkirk Evacuation

The successful rescue of Allied soldiers from France by civilian boats.

Battle of Britain

An air battle in which Germany attempted to defeat Britain but ultimately met with resistance and success from Britain's air force.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

A surprise military strike by Japan on the U.S. naval base that resulted in America's entry into WWII.

Dieppe Raid

A failed Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe, resulting in heavy casualties for Canadian forces but providing crucial lessons.

Battle of Ortona

Difficult urban combat in Italy where Canadian forces faced challenging conditions.

Normandy Landings (D-Day)

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, which marked a turning point in the war in Western Europe.

Liberation of the Netherlands

The efforts by Canadian troops to free the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

U.S. attacks in August 1945 that led to Japan's surrender and the end of WWII.

Evolution of Hitler’s Final Solution

The Nazi plan to systematically eliminate Jewish people and other targeted groups during the Holocaust.

Stages of Isolation

The progression of anti-Jewish measures including laws, ghettos, concentration camps, and extermination camps.

MS St. Louis Incident

A ship carrying Jewish refugees that was denied entry to Canada, leading to many passengers dying in the Holocaust.

Start date of WWII

Officially began on September 1, 1939.

V-E Day

Victory in Europe Day, celebrated on May 8, 1945.

V-J Day

Victory over Japan Day, marked on August 15, 1945.

Allied Powers

The coalition including Britain, France, Canada, the USA, and the Soviet Union during WWII.

Axis Powers

The alliance consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan during WWII.

Canadian Leader in WWII

William Lyon Mackenzie King served as Canada's Prime Minister.

USA Leaders During WWII

Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman were the U.S. Presidents during the war.

British Leader in WWII

Winston Churchill served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Soviet Union Leader in WWII

Joseph Stalin was the leader of the USSR during WWII.

German Leader in WWII

Adolf Hitler was the Chancellor of Germany.

Italian Leader in WWII

Benito Mussolini served as the Prime Minister of Italy.

Japanese Leader in WWII

Hideki Tojo was the Prime Minister of Japan during the conflict.