WW2: Rise of Fascism, Major Battles, and Home Front

What is fascism?

An authoritarian system of government characterized by dictatorial rule, elimination of political parties, silencing of free speech, violence against civilian opposition, scapegoating ethnic groups, extreme nationalism, and belief in imperialism and warfare as means to greatness.

What event disrupted economic life and led to the rise of fascism?

The Great Depression.

In which countries did fascism develop in the 1930s?

Germany, Spain, and Japan.

Who was the leader of Italy during the rise of fascism?

Benito Mussolini.

Who was the leader of Germany during the rise of fascism?

Adolf Hitler.

Who was the leader of Spain during the rise of fascism?

Francisco Franco.

What significant pact was signed in 1940?

The Tripartite Pact.

What did the Neutrality Acts establish?

An embargo on arms sales to belligerent nations, declared Americans sailed on belligerent ships at their own risk, banned loans to belligerent nations, and established Cash and Carry.

What was the purpose of the Lend-Lease Act?

To allow the U.S. to provide military aid to foreign nations whose defense was vital to U.S. security.

What was the Double V Campaign?

A campaign calling for victory over Nazism abroad and racism at home.

What was the significance of the Zoot Suit Riots?

They highlighted racial tensions and bias against Mexican Americans during WWII.

What was the role of Code Talkers in WWII?

Native American soldiers used their languages to send messages that could not be deciphered by the enemy.

What event marked the beginning of WWII?

Germany invades Poland.

What was the Battle of Britain?

The British Royal Air Force defeated the German Air Force, preventing a German invasion of Britain.

What was Operation Barbarossa?

Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

What was the turning point on the Russian Front?

The Battle of Stalingrad.

What was D-Day?

The Allied invasion of Normandy, France.

What was the Holocaust?

The genocide of 6 million Jews and millions of others deemed 'undesirable' by the Nazis.

What was the Manhattan Project?

The U.S. project to develop the atomic bomb.

Who directed the scientists of the Manhattan Project?

J. Robert Oppenheimer.

What was the outcome of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

They forced Japan to surrender, ending WWII.