America and the Second World War

These flashcards cover key personalities, major battles, significant conferences, and the events leading to the use of the atomic bomb during World War II.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

US President from 1933 to 1945, known for overcoming physical disabilities and considered one of the greatest Presidents of the 20th century.

Harry S. Truman

US President from 1945 to 1953, a World War I veteran and US Senator from Missouri from 1933 to 1944.

Winston Churchill

British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, known for his staunch anti-Communism and awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet dictator from 1924 to 1953, known for his ruthless methods and denounced by his own Communist party posthumously.

Battle of the Coral Sea

A May 1942 battle that prevented a Japanese invasion of Australia.

Battle of Midway

A June 1942 battle that significantly weakened the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet.

Island hopping campaign

A military strategy adopted by the US to conquer various Pacific islands, beginning with the invasion of Guadalcanal in August 1942.

Tehran Conference

A 1943 meeting attended by Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin where decisions were made regarding the future of the war and postwar Europe.

D-Day invasion

The Allied invasion of France on June 6, 1944, marking a significant turning point in the war.

Bretton Woods meeting

A July 1944 conference that established the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Monetary Fund.

Dumbarton Oaks Conference

An August-October 1944 conference that formed the structure for the United Nations.

Yalta Conference

A February 1945 meeting where leaders discussed the postwar reorganization of Germany and Europe.

Potsdam Conference

A July-August 1945 conference that finalized agreements regarding the occupation and reparations of Germany.

Manhattan Project

The collaborative effort of the US, UK, and Canada that developed the atomic bomb during World War II.

Atomic bombs dropped on Japan

Bombs dropped on Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 8, 1945) leading to Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945.