WWI, the 1920s, the 1930s, WWII, and Cold War History Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering terms, events, and key figures from World War I, the interwar years, World War II, and the early Cold War era as presented in the lecture notes.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's strategy to quickly defeat France by invading through Belgium before turning to Russia.

Propaganda

Information used to influence people's opinions and actions, often to encourage enlistment or support for a war.

War Measures Act

Canadian law giving the government emergency powers during wartime, allowing censorship, arrests, and internment.

War of Attrition

A strategy of wearing down the enemy through continuous losses.

Triple Alliance

Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy before WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty ending WWI in 1919 that punished Germany and contributed to resentment leading to WWII.

Battle of Ypres

Major WWI battle where poison gas was first used on a large scale; Canadians earned a strong military reputation here.

Trench Warfare

Fighting from trenches separated by no man's land, leading to a stalemate and huge casualties.

Triple Entente

Alliance between Britain, France, and Russia that opposed the Triple Alliance in WWI.

Convoys

Groups of ships protected by warships to reduce losses from German submarines.

Battle of the Somme

Major WWI battle in France and one of the bloodiest battles in history.

Federal Women's Franchise Act

Law granting many Canadian women the right to vote federally, marking a major step toward gender equality.

Conscription

Mandatory military service, which caused political division in Canada during WWI and WWII.

Battle of Vimy Ridge

Canadian victory in France in 1917, seen as a defining moment in Canadian nationhood.

Rum-Running

Smuggling alcohol during Prohibition, creating profits for organized crime.

General Strike

Large-scale work stoppage by workers demonstrating dissatisfaction and demand for better conditions.

Prohibition

Ban on alcohol production and sale, which increased illegal trade and crime.

Model T

Affordable automobile produced by Ford that made car ownership common.

Stock Market

Marketplace where company shares are bought and sold, central to economic growth and the 1929 crash.

Assembly Line

Production method where workers perform specialized tasks to increase efficiency and lower costs.

Buying on Margin

Buying stocks with borrowed money, which contributed to the Stock Market Crash of 1929.

Winnipeg General Strike

Massive strike by Winnipeg workers in 1919 that highlighted tensions between workers and employers.

Dust Bowl

Severe drought and dust storms on the Prairies that destroyed farms and worsened the Great Depression.

Shanty Towns

Makeshift communities built by unemployed people as symbols of poverty during the Depression.

On-to-Ottawa Trek

Protest by unemployed workers traveling to Ottawa to pressure the government to address unemployment.

Palliser Triangle

Prairie region especially vulnerable to drought that suffered heavily during the Dust Bowl.

Nuremberg Laws

Nazi laws discriminating against Jewish people, stripping them of rights and paving the way for the Holocaust.

Allies

The countries, including Canada, Britain, and others, fighting against the Axis Powers to defeat Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Battle of Dieppe

Failed Allied raid on German-occupied France in 1942; lessons learned helped make D-Day successful.

Anti-Semitism

Prejudice against Jewish people, central to Nazi ideology and the Holocaust.

Fascism

Dictatorial political system emphasizing nationalism and obedience, leading to aggressive expansion.

Battle of the Bulge

Germany's final major offensive in Western Europe, which weakened Germany before the Allied victory.

Munich Pact

Agreement allowing Germany to take part of Czechoslovakia, serving as an example of appeasement.

Axis Powers

The main opponents of the Allies, consisting of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Battle of Dunkirk

Evacuation of Allied soldiers from France that saved hundreds of thousands of troops.

Appeasement

Giving in to aggressive demands to avoid war, which encouraged Hitler to become more aggressive.

Selective Service Act

Canadian law introducing conscription in WWII, increasing troop numbers but causing political controversy.

Yalta Conference

Meeting of Allied leaders near the end of WWII that shaped postwar Europe and contributed to the Cold War.

Lebensraum

Hitler's belief that Germany needed more living space, used to justify territorial expansion.

D-Day

Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, which opened a second front.

Blitzkrieg

Fast-moving military strategy using tanks and aircraft to conquer much of Europe quickly.

Hiroshima/Nagasaki

Japanese cities destroyed by atomic bombs in 1945, leading to Japan's surrender.

Island Hopping

U.S. strategy of capturing key Pacific islands to bring Allied forces closer to Japan.

League of Nations

International organization formed after WWI that failed to prevent WWII.

Article X

League of Nations rule requiring members to defend each other; it proved ineffective in maintaining peace.

Wolf Pack

Groups of German U-boats attacking Allied convoys, threatening supplies crossing the Atlantic.

Manhattan Project

Allied project to develop the first atomic weapons.

Wartime Prices and Trade Board

Government agency controlling prices and rationing to prevent shortages and inflation.

United Nations (UN)

International organization established in 1945 to promote peace, cooperation, and security.

NATO

Military alliance between Western nations that protected members during the Cold War.

Security Council

UN body responsible for peace and security that can authorize international action.

NORAD

Canada-U.S. aerospace defense partnership protecting North American airspace.

MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)

Nuclear strategy where both sides could destroy each other, helping prevent direct war between superpowers.

WHO

World Health Organization; coordinates international public health efforts.

Warsaw Pact

Military alliance of communist countries led by the USSR to counter NATO during the Cold War.

Cold War

Political and military rivalry between the USA and USSR from 1945–1991.

Wilfrid Laurier

Canadian Prime Minister (1896–1911) who led Canada during a period of growth and immigration.

Robert Borden

Canadian Prime Minister during WWI who introduced conscription and strengthened Canada's role in the war.

Billy Bishop

Canadian WWI fighter pilot and one of Canada's greatest war heroes.

Sam Hughes

Minister of Militia during WWI who organized Canada's early war effort.

Josef Stalin

Leader of the Soviet Union who helped defeat Nazi Germany and led the USSR during the Cold War.

Mackenzie King

Long-serving Canadian Prime Minister who led Canada through most of the Depression and WWII.

John McCrae

Canadian doctor and soldier who wrote In Flanders Fields.

Harry Truman

U.S. President at the end of WWII who authorized the use of atomic bombs on Japan.

R.B. Bennett

Canadian Prime Minister during the Great Depression who tried to address unemployment and economic hardship.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany who started WWII and orchestrated the Holocaust.

Benito Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy who helped spread fascism in Europe.