Key Terms from World War II Lecture

Axis Powers and Allies

• Axis Powers: Group of countries led by Germany, Italy, and Japan that fought against the Allies during World War II.

• Allied Powers: Coalition of countries including Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union that opposed the Axis Powers.

Neutrality Acts and U.S. Involvement

• Neutrality Acts: A series of laws aimed at preventing the United States from engaging in foreign conflicts, restricting trade and travel to nations at war.

• Cash and Carry Policy: This policy permitted the U.S. to sell war materials to warring countries, under the condition that they pay in cash and manage their own transport to avoid American involvement.

• Lend-Lease Act (1941): Legislation allowing President Roosevelt to provide military supplies to any country deemed vital for American security.

Political Context

• Twenty-Second Amendment: Constitutional amendment that limits the president to two terms in office.

• Fascism: A political ideology characterized by extreme nationalism and authoritarianism, notably represented by leaders such as Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany.

• Appeasement: Policy exemplified during the Munich Conference, involving the granting of concessions to maintain peace with aggressive nations.

Significant Events

• Attack on Pearl Harbor: A surprise military attack by Japan on December 7, 1941, leading to U.S. entry into World War II.

• Manhattan Project: The U.S. government project that developed the atomic bomb, a pivotal weapon in World War II.

• Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on these Japanese cities in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender.

War Efforts and Domestic Impact

• Mobilization: The process of organizing national resources—such as weapons, food, and aid—to support the war effort.

• Rosie the Riveter: Iconic representation of women in the workforce during the war, symbolizing women's capability in contributing to the war effort.

• Executive Order 9066: A directive that led to the internment of Japanese Americans in camps during the war.

• Wartime Relocation Authority: Government body established to oversee the internment of Japanese Americans.

• G.I. (Government Issue): Refers to items issued by the government for military purposes, including ration cards to support the troops.

Communication and Code

• Code Talkers: Native Americans, especially those speaking Navajo, who transmitted coded messages for the military, succeeding in keeping communications secure from enemy interception.

Atrocities and Human Rights

• Final Solution (Holocaust): The Nazi plan resulting in the systematic genocide of Jews and other targeted groups during World War II.

• Nuremberg Trials: A series of military tribunals held after the war to prosecute Nazi leaders for war crimes.

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Document issued by the United Nations intending to promote and protect fundamental human rights.

Notable Figures and Groups

• Tuskegee Airmen: An African American military squadron that served as bomber escorts during the European air campaign.

• Internment Camps: Facilities where individuals from targeted groups (notably Japanese Americans) were detained during the war.

• Korematsu v. United States: Supreme Court case arguing the constitutionality of internment camps, which was upheld despite concerns about civil liberties.

• Battle of Midway: A critical battle in the Pacific theater, viewed as a turning point in the war, halting Japanese expansion.

• Operation Overlord (D-Day): The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, that marked the beginning of the end for Nazi occupation in Western Europe, despite significant casualties.

• Island Hopping: Military strategy in the Pacific that involved capturing specific islands while bypassing others, crucial for staging further assaults against Japan.

• Kamikaze: Japanese pilots who executed suicide attacks by crashing their planes into enemy ships, demonstrating their tactical approach during the war.

• Winston Churchill: The British Prime Minister who led the UK through the tumultuous years of World War II, known for his resolute leadership and speeches.