World War II Lecture Notes

Flashcards about World War II

What type of government characterized Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union before and during World War II?

Dictatorships

What are some characteristics of dictatorships?

Lack of personal freedoms and political rights such as, (speech, region, and assembly)

What was a major cause of World War II?

Expansion and aggressiveness of Germany and Japan

What was a major factor in Hitler's rise to power?

Resentment towards the Treaty of Versailles

What was the British and French policy of appeasement?

Allowing Hitler to seize the Sudetenland at the Munich Conference

What policy did America adopt during the 1930s?

Isolationism

What did the Neutrality Acts illustrate?

The belief that the US should not get involved in the affairs of Europe

When did World War II begin?

September 1, 1939

How did the U.S. support the Allied powers before entering the war?

Through the Lend-Lease Act becoming the 'Arsenal of Democracy'

What was Japan's goal in the Pacific?

Acquiring raw materials and labor

What event led to the U.S. entry into World War II?

Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941

Who were the Allied Powers?

Britain, the Soviet Union, the U.S., and what was left of the French forces

Who were the Axis Powers?

Germany, Italy, and Japan

What sacrifices were demanded from all classes and age groups of Americans on the Homefront?

Rationing, planting of victory gardens, and rubber and scrap drives

What was the goal of the government’s rationing program?

To make sure that everyone received an equal amount of scarce items

What was one of the main effects of World War II on the U.S. economy?

The Great Depression ended and unemployment decreased

What was the nickname given to women who worked in the defense industry during World War II?

Rosie the Riveter

What happened to Japanese-Americans during World War II?

They were forced into internment camps

What was the strategy of island hopping?

Attacking Japanese forces on selected islands in their approach to Japan

What was D-Day?

The Allied invasion of Europe at Normandy, France on June 6, 1944

Why was D-Day significant?

It surrounded the Germans between the Americans and British in the west, and the Soviet Union in the east

What was the Holocaust?

Germany’s attempt to kill all European Jews and other minorities

Where were Nazi officials put on trial for crimes related to the Holocaust?

Nuremberg

Why did President Truman decide to use the atomic bomb?

To reduce the loss of American lives in the Pacific

Which cities were targeted by America’s atomic bombs?

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

What was a major result of World War II?

The formation of the United Nations