The American Journey Chapter 26

Neutrality Acts

Neutrality Acts

1935-1937; most Americans wanted to avoid involvement in Europe, so Congress passed these acts to ban the sale of weapons to nations at war.

Sudetenland

An area of Czechoslovakia where many German-speaking people lived. Falsely claiming that these people were being persecuted, Hitler announced Germany's right to annex this region.

Appeasement

The practice of giving in to a nation's demands in order to keep peace. Britain and France thought that they could avoid war by accepting Germany's demands for the Sudetenland. (Chamberlain)

Munich Conference

At this conference, the leaders and Britain and France agreed to turn the Sudetenland over to Germany. In return, Hitler promised not to expand Germany's territory. Neville Chamberlain returned to Britain - "peace for our time." However, Hitler did not follow through with the treaty and seized the rest of Czech.

Blitzkrieg

"Lightning war" - machine guns, bombs, thousands of soldiers, planes, quick and fierce.

Allied Powers

Great Britain, France, China, the United States, and Russia

Axis Power

Germany, Italy, and Japan

Battle of Britain

August-October 1940; the British Royal Air Force (RAF) mounted a heroic defense and inflicted heavy losses on the German air force. Hitler ended the air attacks and retreats.

"Cash and carry" basis

1939; this new Neutrality Act allowed the U.S. to sell weapons to other countries with cash only.

Atlantic Charter

August 1941; Roosevelt and Churchill met up and drew out this plan. They set goals for a world after "the final destruction of the Nazi tyranny." They pledged that the people of every nation would be free to choose their own form of government and live free of "fear and want." They also urged disarmament and the creation of a "permanent system of general security."

WACs/WAVES

Women's Army Corps/Women Appointed for Volunteer Emergency Service in the Navy - about 250,000 women served in these units, including the marines, Coast Guard, and army air corps. They performed clerical tasks or worked as nurses.

Mobilization

Military and civilian preparations for war.

Winston Churchill

The British Prime Minister who inspired the British people to endure German attacks (bombing shipyards, industries, cities, neighborhoods, and civilians). "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be."

War Production Board

This board supervised the conversion of industries to war production. (Cars to trucks/tanks, etc.)

Office of War Information

This information board promoted patriotism and helped keep Americans united behind the war effort. It broadcast messages all over the world as well.

Rosie the Riveter

A fictional character who encouraged women to take factory jobs as millions of men left to fight in the war.

Bracero program

U.S. labor agents recruited thousands of farm and railroad workers from Mexico. This stimulated emigration from Mexico during the war years.

D-Day Invasion

June 6, 1944; Allied ships landed on the French coast of Normandy. The troops waded to shore while being shot at, but when they got to ground they stormed across, landing over a million troops in a few weeks. The troops pushed through France, liberating Paris on August 25 to the joy of the French.

Battle of Midway

June 1942; the first major Japanese defeat, where four Japanese aircraft carriers and hundreds of airplanes were destroyed.

Battle of Leyte Gulf

October 1944; the biggest naval battle in history; 282 ships took part, and MacArthur fulfilled his promise to return to the Philippines in this battle.

Kamikaze

A group of Japanese suicide pilots sent as a desperate attempt to stop Americans from taking Iwo Jima and Okinawa (in vain).

Potsdam Declaration (Ultimatum)

The Allies issued this warning to the Japanese government that if it didn't surrender, Japan would face "prompt and utter destruction." Truman ordered the use of the bomb when Japan didn't surrender.

Maginot Line

A string of steel-and-concrete bunkers along the German border from Belgium to Switzerland.

Holocaust

Nazis committed genocide against Jewish people of Europe. As many as 6 million Jews died as well as 5-7 million other "undesirable" (Roma/Gypsies, Russian POWS, mentally handicapped)

Lend-Lease Act

US builds arsenal of democracy and supplies Britain on credit.

Nuremberg Laws

Anti-Semitic German laws to prevent Jews from interacting with Germans

Pogrom

organized violence against jews by Nazis. burning synagogues, businesses, schools. Destroying homes and cemeteries of Jews

Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

November 9, 1938: Mass violence against Jews in Germany. Symbolic beginning of Holocaust.

Final Solution

Nazi plan to kill all Jews in Europe

Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact

Agreement between Stalin and Hitler that they would not attack each other; each took half of Poland

September 1, 1939

Germany invades Poland

Selective Service Act

Only peacetime draft in United States history

America First Committee

Isolationist organization in the USA

December 7, 1941

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor

Rationing

Limiting of public consumption of vital food and materials. (oil, rubber, meat, sugar. etc. )

Civil Defense

People in USA trained to help in case of an attack on homeland

Tuskegee Airmen

African American bomber escort pilots. Never lose a bomber in 200 missions

Liberty Bonds

Sold by government to fund the war

Code Talkers

Navajo Native Americans who develop communication code from their language to be used in the Pacific theater.

Internment Camps

Japanese Americans were relocated here because they were wrongly suspected of being spies. 112,000 individuals

Erwin Rommel

German commander; Desert Fox

General Patton

Excellent US commander; "Old Blood and Guts"

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Supreme Allied Commander in European Theater

Douglas MacArthur

Supreme Allied Commander in Pacific Theater

Stalingrad

Turning point in Soviet Union; large German force surrounded and eventually surrenders

D-Day - Operation Overlord

Invasion of France at Normandy by USA, Canada and Britain. June 6, 1944

Battle of the Bulge

Last German counter-offensive; Allies pushed back but then regain the "bulge"

Bataan Death March

Japanese have POW's in Philippines walk to camps, nearly 20,000 die on march

Doolittle Raids

US launch Bombers from aircraft carrier (never done before) to drop bombs on mainland Japan in 1942.

Iwo Jima

1945 -Most Marine casualties in any one battle. US takes island and uses to launch aircraft to bomb Japan

Okinawa

Last island taken by US. ; Over 100,000 civilians killed

Manhattan Project

Secret mission to develop atomic bomb

Enola Gay

Name of B 29 Bomber that dropped atomic bomb on Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Atomic bomb dropped August 6, 1945

Nagasaki

Second atomic bomb dropped August 9, 1945

V-J Day

Victory over Japan August 15, 1945

Fascism

Government led by charismatic dictator; fueled by extreme nationalism and racism

Communism

Government in which the government owns all property and production; controls citizens lives through intimidation, violence (purges) and propaganda

Harry S. Truman

Takes over presidency when FDR dies in 1945; Orders atomic bombs to be dropped on Japan

Hideki Tojo

Military leader in Japan

Benito Mussolini

Fascist dictator of Italy

Adolf Hitler

Fascist leader of Germany

Mein Kampf

Hitler's book he wrote in prison; Outlines his plan for the "Master Race" (Germans)

Joseph Stalin

Communist dictator of Soviet Union

Franklin D. Roosevelt

USA president during majority of war; elected 4 times

Neville Chamberlain

Appeased Hitler by agreeing to let Hitler take the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia

Revenue Act of 1942

Raised taxes on wealthy; withheld income tax from paychecks for first time

National War Labor Board

Oversaw the working conditions to avoid work stoppages.