World War II

honors us history

Axis Powers

The coalition of Germany, Italy, and Japan that opposed the Allies during World War II.

Allied Powers

The alliance of countries, including the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, that fought against the Axis Powers.

D

Day

Holocaust

The systematic genocide of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime during World War II.

Pearl Harbor

The surprise military attack by the Japanese on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii on December 7, 1941, which led to the U.S. entering the war.

Atomic Bomb

A powerful weapon developed during the Manhattan Project, used by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

Internment Camps

Detention centers where Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during the war due to fears of espionage.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I, which imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, contributing to the rise of World War II.

Rise of Italian Fascism

The establishment of a totalitarian regime in Italy under Benito Mussolini, characterized by nationalism and authoritarianism, which influenced other countries.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s that led to widespread unemployment and hardship, contributing to political instability in many countries.

Japanese Expansionism

The policy of territorial or economic expansion by Japan, particularly in Asia, leading to conflicts with other nations and contributing to the outbreak of World War II.

Anti

Communism

Appeasement

The policy of making concessions to an aggressive power to avoid conflict, notably practiced by European leaders towards Hitler in the lead

Militarism

The belief in building up strong armed forces to prepare for war, which was prevalent in several countries leading up to World War II.

Nationalism

A strong identification with and pride in one's nation, which fueled aggressive policies and conflicts during the lead

American Isolationism

The policy of avoiding involvement in international conflicts and alliances, particularly prominent in the United States before entering World War II.

Rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party

The ascent of Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist Party in Germany, marked by extreme nationalism, anti

Germany leader

Adolf Hitler

Italy

Mussolini

Japan

General Tojo and Emperor Hirohito

France

Charles de Gaulle

USSR

Joseph Stalin

United Kingdom

The Allied Power led by Neville Chamberlain initially, followed by Winston Churchill

US

The Allied Power led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and later Harry S. Truman

Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS)

A group of female pilots who flew military aircraft during World War II, contributing to the war effort by freeing male pilots for combat.

Women in the navies (WAVES/WRENS)

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) in the US and Women's Royal Naval Service (WRENS) in the UK, who served in various support roles during the war.

Women on the home front

Women who took on various roles in factories and other sectors to support the war effort while men were away fighting.

Tuskegee Airmen

A group of African American military pilots who fought in World War II, known for their bravery and contributions to the war effort.

Navajo Code Talkers

Native American Marines who used their language to create an unbreakable code for secure communications during World War II.

Nisei

Japanese Americans born in the United States, many of whom served in the military during World War II despite facing discrimination.

Operation Barbarossa

The code name for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, which marked a significant turning point in World War II.

Siege of Leningrad

A prolonged military blockade undertaken by the German Army against Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) from 1941 to 1944, resulting in severe famine and suffering.

Battle of Stalingrad

A major battle on the Eastern Front from 1942 to 1943, where Soviet forces defeated the German army, marking a turning point in the war.

Operation Torch

The Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942, which marked the first major offensive against Axis forces in the European theater.

Operation Overlord / D

Day

Battle of the Bulge

The last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II, launched in December 1944, which aimed to split Allied forces.

Battle of Berlin

The final major offensive of the European theater of World War II, leading to the capture of Berlin and the fall of Nazi Germany in May 1945.

Battle of Midway

A decisive naval battle in June 1942, where the United States defeated Japan, marking a turning point in the Pacific theater.

Battle of Iwo Jima

A major battle in the Pacific theater in 1945, known for its fierce fighting and the iconic photograph of Marines raising the American flag.

New weaponry

rockets

New weaponry

nuclear project & bombs

New technologies

medicine

Yalta Conference

A meeting between the leaders of the Allied Powers in February 1945 to discuss post

Potsdam Conference

The meeting of Allied leaders in July

Occupation zones of Germany and Berlin

The division of Germany and Berlin into zones controlled by the Allied Powers after World War II, which set the stage for the Cold War.

Berlin Airlift

The operation in 1948

Occupation of Japan

The post

Occupation zones of Korea

The division of Korea into North and South zones after World War II, which eventually led to the Korean War and ongoing tensions.

Japanese Internment

The forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, based on wartime fears and prejudice.

Contributions of minorities to the war effort

The significant roles played by various minority groups, including African Americans, women, and Native Americans, in supporting the military and home front during World War II.