World War II Vocab

Attack on Pearl Harbor

A surprise military strike by the Japanese Navy on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, leading to the United States' entry into World War II.

U.S. Declaration of War against Japan, Germany, and Italy

A series of declarations made by the U.S. starting on December 8, 1941, declaring war on Japan, followed by declarations against Germany and Italy on December 11.

Executive Order 9066

An order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that authorized the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans due to fears of espionage.

Doolittle Raids

A U.S. air raid on Japan led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle on April 18, 1942, which boosted American morale after the Pearl Harbor attack.

Battle of Midway

A pivotal naval battle in the Pacific Theater, where the U.S. Navy decisively defeated the Japanese fleet, destroying four aircraft carriers and shifting the momentum in favor of the Allies.

Cairo Conference

A meeting between Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Chiang Kai-shek, where the Allies agreed to continue fighting until Japan's unconditional surrender and outlined postwar plans for Asia, including returning Chinese territories taken by Japan.

Tehran Conference

The first wartime meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, where they coordinated the invasion of Nazi-occupied France (D-Day) and discussed the postwar division of Europe

Yalta Conference

A meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin to discuss postwar Europe, the occupation of Germany, the formation of the United Nations, and the USSR’s involvement in the Pacific War against Japan.

Potsdam Conference

A meeting from July 17-August 2, 1945, where Truman, Churchill, and Stalin finalized postwar arrangements and demanded Japan's unconditional surrender.

Rosie the Riveter

A cultural icon representing women who worked in factories during WWII, symbolizing female empowerment.

War Production Board (WPB)

A government agency established in 1942 that managed war materials and production during WWII.

Double V Campaign

A movement led by African Americans advocating for victory against fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home, highlighting the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom overseas while segregation persisted in the U.S.

War Bonds in WWII

Government-issued bonds sold to finance the war effort, encouraging citizens to invest in the war.

Office of Price Administration (OPA)

A federal agency that regulated prices, rationed goods, and controlled inflation during WWII by setting price ceilings and wage controls.

Women in the Military during WWII

Women served in non-combat roles through groups like the Women's Army Corps (WAC), Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), supporting military operations in various capacities.

Bracero Program

An agreement between the U.S. and Mexico allowing temporary Mexican laborers to work in American agriculture and railroads to address wartime labor shortages.

Zoot Suit Riot

A series of violent clashes in Los Angeles in 1943 fueled by racial tensions, primarily between U.S. servicemen and Mexican American youths.

A. Philip Randolph

A civil rights leader and labor activist who organized the March on Washington Movement, pressuring Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802, which banned racial discrimination in defense industries.

GI Bill of Rights (1944)

A law that provided veterans with benefits such as low-interest home loans, college tuition assistance, and unemployment compensation to ease their transition to civilian life.

Manhattan Project

A top-secret U.S. research project from 1942 to 1945 developed the atomic bomb, culminating in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

Casablanca Conference

A meeting between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill (without Stalin) where they planned the next phase of World War II. They agreed on the invasion of Italy, the continuation of the Pacific campaign, and the policy of unconditional surrender for Axis powers to ensure total defeat of the enemy.

Chiang Kai-shek

The leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, or KMT) during World War II. He led China in its resistance against Japan and later fought against Mao Zedong’s Communist forces in the Chinese Civil War, eventually retreating to Taiwan in 1949.

Operation Overload

The code name for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, where Allied forces launched the largest amphibious assault in history to liberate Nazi-occupied France. The operation marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany in Western Europe.

Atlantic Wall

A series of extensive coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany along the western coast of Europe (from Norway to France) to defend against an Allied invasion. It included bunkers, obstacles, landmines, and artillery defenses but was ultimately breached during D-Day.

Mao Tse-tung

The leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during and after World War II. He fought both the Japanese during the war and the Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War, ultimately founding the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.