WW2 Test Study Guide

By: Kareem Ibrahim

Causes of WWII

Unfair Treaty of Versailles, economic problems, rise of dictators, failure of League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles

Harsh peace treaty after WWI that punished Germany and caused anger

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, Japan

Allied Powers

USA, Britain, Soviet Union, France

Adolf Hitler

Leader of Germany (Nazi dictator)

Benito Mussolini

Leader of Italy (Fascist dictator)

Joseph Stalin

Leader of Soviet Union

Appeasement

Giving in to avoid conflict (ex: Munich Agreement)

Blitzkrieg

“Lightning war” fast German attack strategy

Invasion of Poland

1939 event that started WWII

Pearl Harbor

1941 Japanese attack that brought USA into war

D-Day

June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy, France

VE Day

May 8, 1945 Victory in Europe (Germany surrendered)

VJ Day

August 1945 Victory over Japan

Holocaust

Systematic murder of 6 million Jews by Nazis

Concentration Camps

Prison camps where people were held and abused

Genocide

Intentional killing of a large group of people

Island Hopping

US strategy in Pacific of taking key islands

Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Atomic bombs dropped by US on Japan

Manhattan Project

Secret US project to build atomic bomb

Total War

All resources used for war effort

Propaganda

Information used to influence people

Home Front

Civilians supporting war effort at home

Rationing

Limiting goods so supplies last longer

War Bonds

Money citizens lend to government for war

United Nations

Organization formed after WWII to keep peace

Cold War

Tension between US and Soviet Union after WWII