US History II Review Terms

Key Concepts

• Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere: Japan's concept for uniting Asia and securing resources.

• Axis Powers: Coalition of Germany, Italy, and Japan in WWII.

• Allied Powers: Nations including the U.S. and Soviet Union fighting against the Axis.

• Blitzkrieg: Rapid military tactic by Germany emphasizing speed and surprise.

• Lend-Lease: U.S. policy providing military aid to Allies without direct involvement in WWII.

• Neutrality Acts: U.S. laws to prevent involvement in foreign conflicts before WWII.

• Atlantic Charter: Declaration by FDR and Churchill outlining post-war principles.

• Two Front War: Strategy of fighting on multiple fronts in WWII.

• Eastern Front: Conflict area between Axis Powers and the Soviet Union.

• Non-Aggression Pact: Agreement between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

• Munich Pact: Agreement allowing Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia to appease Hitler.

• OPA (Office of Price Administration): U.S. agency controlling prices and rents during WWII.

• Selective Service: U.S. draft system requiring male registration for military service.

• Camp Shanks: Key Army staging area in New York for troops before deployment.

Notable People

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): U.S. President during most of WWII.

• Winston Churchill: UK Prime Minister known for wartime leadership.

• Joseph Stalin: Soviet Union leader essential in fighting Nazi Germany.

• Adolf Hitler: Chancellor of Germany who initiated WWII.

• Hideki Tojo: Japanese Prime Minister during WWII, known for Pearl Harbor.

• Emperor Hirohito: Japanese Emperor, symbolic role during the war.

• Benito Mussolini: Italian leader and key Axis figure.

Key Military Leaders

• General Dwight D. Eisenhower: Planned D-Day as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe.

• General George Patton: U.S. Army general in North Africa and Europe.

• General Bernard Montgomery: British general at El Alamein.

• Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: German general,

Major Battles and Events

• Battle of Britain (1940): Significant air campaign waged by the German Luftwaffe against the UK.

• Attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941): Surprise military strike by Japan on the U.S. naval base, leading to U.S. entry into WWII.

• D-Day (June 6, 1944): Allied invasion of Normandy, a turning point in the war against Germany.

• Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943): Critical confrontation between Germany and the Soviet Union, marked by fierce combat and significant losses.

• Battle of the Bulge (December 1944 - January 1945): Last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front.

Key Figures by Country

• United States:

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR): U.S. President during most of WWII.

  • General Dwight D. Eisenhower: Planned D-Day as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe.

  • General George Patton: U.S. Army general in North Africa and Europe.

• United Kingdom:

  • Winston Churchill: UK Prime Minister known for wartime leadership.

  • General Bernard Montgomery: British general at El Alamein.

• Soviet Union:

  • Joseph Stalin: Soviet Union leader essential in fighting Nazi Germany.

• Germany:

  • Adolf Hitler: Chancellor of Germany who initiated WWII.

  • Field Marshal Erwin Rommel: German general, known for his leadership in North Africa.

• Japan:

  • Hideki Tojo: Japanese Prime Minister during WWII, known for Pearl Harbor.

  • Emperor Hirohito: Japanese Emperor, symbolic role during the war.

• Italy:

  • Benito Mussolini: Italian leader and key Axis figure.

Key Points to Remember

• Important Terms:

  • Munich Pact: Agreement allowing Nazi Germany to annex parts of Czechoslovakia (September 30, 1938).

  • Blitzkrieg: Rapid military tactic by Germany emphasizing speed and surprise, first implemented in Poland (September 1, 1939).

  • Shinskreig: (Please specify for accuracy if this relates to a specific context).

  • Lend-Lease: U.S. policy established on March 11, 1941, providing military aid to Allies without direct involvement in WWII.

  • Manhattan Project: U.S. research program initiated in 1942 to develop the atomic bomb during WWII.

  • Island Hopping: U.S. military strategy beginning in 1943, targeting strategic islands in the Pacific Theater.

  • Non-Aggression Pact: Agreement in 1923 (commonly known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact) between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, officially signed on August 23, 1939.

  • Appeasement: Policy practiced in the late 1930s, notably culminating with the Munich Pact.

• Significant Dates:

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941.

  • D-Day: June 6, 1944.

• Major Battles:

  • Battle of the Bulge: December 16, 1944 – January 25, 1945.

  • Battle of Jiwoo: (Please provide additional context for specificity and historical accuracy).