U.S. History II Study Aid – WWII Origins & Impact

Key Terms

• Kellogg-Briand Pact: International agreement to prevent war.
• U.S. & the League of Nations: American hesitance to join post-WWI peace efforts.
• Good Neighbor Policy: U.S. approach to diplomacy in Latin America.
• Japanese seizure of Manchuria: Prelude to WWII, highlighting Japanese expansionism.
• Stimson Doctrine: U.S. policy rejecting territories gained through aggression.
• Pacifism in 1920s & 1930s: Widespread anti-war sentiment in America.
• Nye Committee Investigations: Congressional investigations into U.S. involvement in WWI; questioned motivations for war.
• Neutrality Acts: Laws to prevent U.S. involvement in foreign wars during the 1930s.
• Italian invasion of Ethiopia: Illustrates aggression leading to WWII.
• German seizure of Rhineland: Early action showcasing Nazi expansion.
• Spanish Civil War & U.S.: U.S. non-involvement amidst rising fascism.
• Fall of France: Significant military defeat impacting Allied morale.
• Battle of Britain: Key air battle demonstrating resilience against Nazi Germany.
• Cash and Carry; Destroyers/Bases; Lend-Lease Act: U.S. policies aiding Allies while remaining neutral initially.
• Undeclared Naval/"U-Boat" War: Conflicts at sea before U.S. entry into WWII.
• Japan’s GEACPS: Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere; Japanese expansionist ideology.
• Pearl Harbor: Catalyst for U.S. entry into WWII.
• Beat Hitler First strategy: Allied military focus on defeating Germany before Japan.
• FDR & the Second Front: U.S. focus on opening a new front in Europe.
• “Four Freedoms”: FDR's vision outlining fundamental freedoms (speech, worship, want, fear).
• Atlantic Charter: Joint declaration by U.S. and U.K. outlining postwar goals.
• Unconditional Surrender: Policy for Axis powers to ensure total defeat.

WWII Homefront (USA)

• Economic & Industrial mobilization: Shift to war production, boosting the economy.
• Manhattan Project: Secret project to develop atomic bomb.
• Women & war effort: Increase in women in workforce, shifting gender roles.
• Race & Segregation in WWII: Racial discrimination persistently impacted lives.
• Double V campaign: Movement for victory against fascism abroad and racial inequality at home.
• Detroit Race Riot: Racial tensions erupting during the war.
• Zoot Suit Riots: Conflict between servicemen and Mexican American youth in LA.
• Japanese Americans & internment: Forced relocation and internment during the war.
• American Indians & WWII: Significant contributions and challenges faced during the war.
• U.S. reaction to the Holocaust: Initial indifference and later response to the crisis.

Short Answer Questions

1. America's response to the 1930s: Focus on isolationism; reluctance to engage in European conflicts.
2. Steps to American intervention: Economic support for Allies; aggression prompted by Pearl Harbor.
3. Mobilizing resources/opinion: Propaganda, war production, and public engagement through the Four Freedoms and Atlantic Charter.
4. Treatment comparison: Japanese Americans faced harsher treatment due to wartime fears; Italian Americans largely accepted after initial conflict.
5. WWII impact on home front: Changes in gender roles, increased economic activity, social movements for equality.

Possible Essay Questions

1. Assessing the significance of WWI, Great Depression, and WWII as turning points in American history regarding politics, economy, and culture.
2. Describing the shift from neutrality to intervention in WWII, examining the interwar period and related policies.
3. Examining experiences of minorities and women during the war, focusing on how attitudes shifted and what changes occurred in society.