World War II and Post-War America: 1936-1972

Set of vocabulary flashcards covering major themes and events from World War II and Post-War America.

Diplomatic tensions

The strained relations between nations leading to conflicts.

Battleship Ratios

A ratio set during the DC Naval Conference in the 1920s favoring the US.

Immigration Act of 1924

Legislation that completely excludes Asians from immigration to the US.

Militarist sentiment

A nationalistic attitude favoring military action and expansion.

Invasion of Manchuria

The 1931 military coup that began Japan's expansion into Northern China.

The Rape of Nanking

A horrific episode during the Japanese invasion of China in 1937.

Panay Incident

The 1937 attack by Japan on a US ship, escalating tensions further.

Mussolini

Leader who came to power in Italy in 1922 and sought an empire.

Invasion of Ethiopia (1935)

An aggressive act by Italy, met with a weak response from the League of Nations.

Hitler

Leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party who rose to power during the 1930s.

Hyperinflation in Weimar Germany

An economic crisis that led to the devaluation of the German currency.

Lebensraum

The German policy aiming for 'living space' for the German people.

Nuremberg Laws (1935)

Laws that stripped Jews of their civil rights in Nazi Germany.

Kristallnacht

A violent anti-Jewish pogrom that occurred in 1938.

Reoccupying the Rhineland (1936)

Germany's remilitarization of a region that had been demilitarized.

Appeasement at Munich

The strategy of conceding to Hitler's demands in the Sudetenland.

Good Neighbor Policy

An American foreign policy approach that advocated non-intervention.

Neutrality Acts (1935-1937)

Legislation designed to keep the US out of foreign conflicts.

Quarantine Speech

FDR's 1937 address advocating for actions against aggressor nations.

Nye Hearings

Investigations into the influence of arms manufacturers on US involvement in wars.

Merchants of Death

A term used to describe those believed to profit from war.

Pacifism

Opposition to war and violence; notably represented by Jeanette Rankin.

St. Louis Incident

A ship carrying Jewish refugees denied entry to the US, leading to many deaths.

America First Committee

A group that sought to keep the US neutral before WWII.

Germany Invades Poland

The event that marked the official beginning of World War II in September 1939.

Cash and Carry Policy

The US policy allowing arms sales to Britain and France for cash only.

German Blitzkrieg

A strategy of rapid military attack used by Germany in WWII.

Destroyers for Bases

An exchange between the US and Britain for military bases.

Selective Service Act (1940)

Legislation that instituted the draft for WWII.

Lend-Lease Act

A policy allowing the US to supply its allies with war material.

USS Reuben James

A US ship sunk in 1941, marking the start of undeclared naval warfare.

Atlantic Charter

A foundational document outlining post-war goals created by FDR and Churchill.

Pearl Harbor

The site of the Japanese attack that led the US to enter WWII.

Embargo of 1940

A US ban on oil and gas exports to Japan, escalating tensions.

Tripartite Pact

The agreement forming the Axis Powers during WWII.

OSS (Office of Strategic Services)

A precursor to the CIA, responsible for intelligence gathering.

Office of Censorship

An agency regulating public information during WWII.

Office of War Information

Responsible for propaganda during WWII.

War Production Board

An agency that helped convert the economy to wartime production.

Office of Price Administration

An agency that managed rationing and price control during the war.

Victory Bonds

Bonds sold to support the war effort.

Revenue Act of 1942

Legislation that expanded taxation significantly during the war.

Federal spending during WWII

Increased to account for 46% of the GNP by 1945.

Arsenal of Democracy

Term describing the US's role as a major supplier of wartime materials.

Military-Industrial Complex

The relationship between the military and defense contractors.

Labor Membership Growth

Labor union membership surged from 9m to nearly 15m during the war.

Office of Scientific Research and Development

Responsible for innovations during the war, including the Manhattan Project.

Doolittle’s Raid

A US attack on Japan aimed at boosting morale after Pearl Harbor.

Midway Island

A pivotal battle in the Pacific, marking a turning point against Japan.

Operation Torch

The Allied invasion of North Africa during WWII.

Operation Overlord

The code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day.

Battle of the Bulge

Germany's last major offensive in Western Europe during WWII.

Victory in Europe (V-E Day)

Celebration of the defeat of Nazi Germany on May 8, 1945.

Potsdam Conference

Meeting of Allied leaders to discuss post-war plans.

Madison Project

The US's clandestine wartime research initiative.

Atomic Bombs

Weapons dropped o Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to Japan's surrender.

V-J Day

Victory over Japan Day on August 15, 1945.

Women’s mobilization during WWII

Significant increase in women in the workforce.

WAVES

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service in the Navy.

Rosie the Riveter

Cultural icon representing women in the workforce during WWII.

Tuskegee Airmen

African American military pilots who served with distinction in WWII.

Executive order 9066

Command that authorized the internment of Japanese Americans.

Korematsu v. U.S.

Supreme Court case that upheld Japanese internment during WWII.

War Crimes Trials

Post-WWII trials that prosecuted leaders for crimes against humanity.

Creation of the UN

Establishment of the United Nations aimed at preventing future conflicts.

GI Bill (1944)

Legislation providing benefits to returning WWII veterans.

The Cold War

The geopolitical tension between the US and USSR post-WWII.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

Policy of providing aid to countries resisting communism.

Marshall Plan (1947)

Economic aid program to rebuild European economies post-WWII.

National Security Act of 1947

Legislation that restructured the US military and intelligence agencies.

Berlin Airlift (1948-1949)

Operation to supply West Berlin during the Soviet blockade.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949.

Warsaw Pact (1955)

A military alliance of communist nations in response to NATO.

Cuban Missile Crisis

A 13-day confrontation in 1962 over Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Tet Offensive (1968)

A surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces during the Lunar New Year.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation aimed at ending discrimination in the US.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Landmark Supreme Court case that declared segregated schools unconstitutional.

Women's Liberation Movement

A push during the 1960s for women's rights and equality.

Civil Rights Movement

The struggle for social justice and civil rights for African Americans.

Malcolm X

Civil rights leader who advocated for black empowerment.

The Feminine Mystique

A book by Betty Friedan challenging traditional gender roles.

The Warren Court

Supreme Court era known for its decisions expanding civil rights.

Brinkmanship

Policy of risking war to protect national interests.

Flexible Response

A defense strategy that promotes the use of both nuclear and conventional forces.

Great Society

LBJ's domestic program aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that aimed to eliminate barriers to voting for African Americans.