Untitled Flashcards Set

Nazi-Soviet Pact

A shocking diplomatic non-aggression treaty signed by Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union, which freed Hitler to attack Poland.

non-aggression treaty

A diplomatic agreement that pledges to maintain peace.

mechanized divisions

Military units that utilize motorized vehicles, such as tanks, trucks, and jeeps.

Blitzkrieg

German term meaning 'lightning war,' referring to the tactic of rapidly advancing and overwhelming an enemy.

Maginot Line

An elaborate series of fortifications built by the French along the border with Germany.

Phony War

Nickname for the period between September 1939 and May 1940, when the Allies declared war on Germany but before major offensives.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill

Important British Prime Minister during WWII, known for his powerful speeches and leadership.

Vichy France

Collaborationist regime established in France after surrendering to Germany in June 1940.

Marshall Henri Petain

Leader of the Vichy government in 1940, believed collaboration with occupiers would improve life for the French.

Battle of Britain

German campaign to force Britain’s surrender, almost exclusively fought in the air.

Luftwaffe

The formal name of the German air force.

Royal Air Force

The formal name of the British air force.

Afrika Korps

German military unit sent to North Africa in 1942 to assist Italian forces.

Eastern Front

Fighting in Eastern Europe, mainly in the Soviet Union, following the German invasion in June 1941.

Allies

Alliance of nations fighting against Nazi Germany, including Britain, the Soviet Union, and the US.

Axis

Nations battling the Allies during WWII, including Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

Aryan

Racial term used by the Nazis to describe the so-called master race, defined as Germanic peoples.

Casablanca Conference

January 1943 meeting between Churchill and Roosevelt in Morocco, pledging unconditional surrender of Germany and Italy.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)

Longest-serving US President, led the nation through WWII.

Stalingrad

Site of the largest battle on the Eastern Front and a turning point in the war against the Nazis.

Teheran Conference

November 1943 meeting of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin to discuss war strategy.

Big Three

Nickname for Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin.

D-Day

Codename for the June 6, 1944 Allied landings on the French coast.

amphibious

Military action involving water landings.

Yalta Conference

February 1943 meeting of the Big Three that shaped the post-war world.

United Nations

International organization chartered in 1945 to replace the League of Nations.

Victory-in-Europe (V-E) Day

Nickname for May 7, 1945, the date of the German surrender.

Holocaust

Systematic effort by the Nazis to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe.

Wannsee Conference

January 1942 meeting of Nazi officials where the Holocaust was planned.

Zyclon-B

Toxic poison gas used by the Nazis to murder millions during the Holocaust.

concentration camps

Detention camps built by the Nazis to house victims, including labor and death camps.

Roma

Distinctive minority group targeted for persecution by the Nazis.

Nuremberg Trials

Legal proceedings held to prosecute Nazi leadership after World War II.

crimes against humanity

Common charge against Nazi leaders during the Nuremberg Trials.

Iron Curtain

Border separating communist and non-communist parts of Europe.

Manhattan Project

Codename for the American effort to produce an atomic bomb.