Interwal Year

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that blamed Germany for World War I, imposing reparations and territorial losses.

War Guilt Clause

A clause in the Treaty of Versailles that placed the blame for World War I solely on Germany.

Rise of Dictators

The emergence of authoritarian leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, and Japanese military leaders before World War II.

Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany who promised to restore Germany's power.

Mussolini

Italian fascist leader who aimed to rebuild the Roman Empire.

Expansionism

The policy of territorial or economic expansion by countries before and during World War II.

Anschluss

The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.

Appeasement

The policy of Britain and France yielding to Hitler’s demands to avoid conflict.

League of Nations

An international organization formed after World War I to promote peace but failed to prevent World War II.

1939 Invasion of Poland

The event that marked the beginning of World War II on September 1, 1939.

Battle of Britain

A series of air battles in 1940 where Britain resisted German air attacks.

Operation Barbarossa

The code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

D-Day

The Allied invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, which was a turning point in Western Europe.

Fall of Berlin

The final battle resulting in the end of World War II in Europe in 1945.

Pearl Harbor

The Japanese attack on the US naval base on December 7, 1941, leading to US entry into World War II.

Island Hopping

The US military strategy during World War II to capture strategic islands in the Pacific.

Atomic Bombs

Nuclear weapons dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, leading to Japan's surrender.

Key Leaders of WWII

Prominent figures such as Hitler, Mussolini, Roosevelt, Truman, Churchill, and Stalin.

Fascism

An ideology characterized by dictatorship, nationalism, and suppression of opposition.

Militarism

The belief in building up and glorifying military power and capabilities.

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the state holds total authority over society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

Nazism

A form of fascism that includes a belief in racial superiority and anti-Semitism.

The Holocaust

The genocide of six million Jews during World War II by the Nazi regime.

Concentration Camps

Facilities where Jews and other victims were imprisoned and killed during the Holocaust.

Nuremberg Laws

Racist laws in Nazi Germany, which stripped Jews of their rights.

Final Solution

The Nazi plan for the systematic extermination of the Jewish people.

Blitzkrieg

A military strategy known as 'lightning war,' emphasizing rapid attacks using coordinated assaults with tanks and aircraft.

Total War

A conflict where entire societies are involved, targeting both military and civilian resources.

V-E Day

Victory in Europe Day, marking Germany's surrender in May 1945.

V-J Day

Victory over Japan Day, marking Japan's surrender in August 1945 following the atomic bombings.

United Nations

An intergovernmental organization formed in 1945 to promote peace and cooperation among countries.