WW2

Name of Dictator

What nation did he lead?

What political Movement was he involved with

What aggressive actions did he take in the 1920s-1930s

Joseph Stalin

Soviet Union (Russia)

Wanted to create a model communist state; also established a totalitarian state. Eventual rule by the working class. He wanted to spread communism and state ownership of property. 

The great purge, he purged Russia and created the communist soviet union, which killed approximately 8-13 million. Industrialization- taking all farmers into one place to create mass production. 

Benito Mussolini

Italy

An anti-communist, he wanted military expansion, established the fascist party, and wanted a totalitarian regime. 

Advanced into Ethiopia and invaded it. The March of Rome, and the Rome-Berlin Axis. 

Adolf Hitler

Nazi Germany 

Also anti-communist, enforced racial purification (any race other than Germans was inferior), fascism, nationalism, and nazism. 

Sent troops to the Rhineland, where Germany had been demilitarized; pulled out of the League. 

Hideki Tojo

Japan

Miliarist, imperial rule

Launched a surprise attack and seized control over the Chinese Province, also the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

Event

Question

Answer

Congress passed Neutrality Acts

What did the Neutrality Acts allow?

Allowed the U.S. to sell ornaments to other countries as long as those countries paid cash and carried in their own ships (AKA, Cash and Carry Policy) 

Axis Powers form an alliances

Who were the Axis Powers and what did their alliance mean for the U.S.?

The Axis Powers included countries, Germany, Japan, and Italy. Their alliance meant if the U.S. were to declare war on any of the powers, it would faace their worst military nightmare. 2 ocean war. 

Congress passes the Lend-Lease Act

What did the Lend-Lease Act do?

The president would lend or lease war arms and other supplies to “any country whose defense was vital to the U.S.” 

Japan takes over French military bases in Indochina

What did the U.S. do to protest Japan’s action?

By cutting off trade with Japan, goods that they couldn’t live without like oil, which fuels their war machines. They enforced trade embargoes which is a ban on trades. 

Churchill and Roosevelt write the Atlantic Charter

What pledges were contained in the Atlantic Charter? 

They pledged collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic cooperation, and freedom of the seas. 

“Declaration by the United Nations” is signed by the Allies

Who were the Allies? 

A coalition of nations who had fought the Axis Powers and opposed them, 26 nations who signed the Atlantic Charter. 

Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor

What did the attack do to the U.S. Pacific Fleet? 

It had sunk/damaged 18 U.S. Ships destroyed

180 U.S. Planes destroyed 

2403 Service members killed

1178 Service members wounded.

WW2 EVENT

Details

Significance/Importance

Battle of Britain 

Sucessfully defended the UK from Germany. Germans bombed Great Britian for 3 months. 

A defensive turning point that prevented invasion and defeated the Nazis. 

Attack on Pearl Harbor 

Japan launched military strike on U.S. Naval Base in Hawaii. 

Got the U.S. to join the war. It ended with tons of deaths and casualites. 

Battle of the Atlantic

Allowed America to safely send supplies. Hitler ordered submarine raids to America’s east coast after Pearl Harbor. 

The U.S. launched a crash shipbuilding program that outnumbered the sinking ships 

Battle of Stalingrad 

Germany set the town ablaze, Stalin ordered the Soviets to defend. 1,100,00 million soldiers were killed. 

A turning point—Germany surrends to the soviets after the winter set in. They cut off their supplies. 

North African Campaign

Allies chased Afrika Korps, led by General Rommel. Opened a two front. 

The Afrika cor[s surrendered, but it made Stalin mad. He wanted the Allies to attack Germany so Hitler could send troops to defend, leading to less pressure on Soviets. 

Italian Campaign

Allied attack on Italy, Benito Mussilina was forced to resign and was arrested. 

Italy wanted out of the war after Benito was arrested. The Allies went up against the hardest battle against Germany

D-Day 

First day of invasion by the Allies to Attack Normandy. 

This battle was the beginning of the end, the Allies retook France from Germany. German Retalliationw as brutal at Omaha Beach. 

Battle of the Bulge

Tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory, creating a “bulge”. 

The battle lasted for a month, Germans had been pushed back. Germans lost 120,000 troops, 600 tanks and assault guns, and 1600 planes. 

Liberation of Death Camps

Soviets entered Majdanek and saw Nazi “Concentration Camps” that showed horrid crime

Americans liberated Nazi death camps, exposing Germany’s cruel camps

Battle of Midway 

Nimitizs Scout planes found Japanese Fleets. They sent torpedoes and dive bombers. 

A turning point in the pacific war; Americans had advenged Pearl Harbor. 

Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa

Heavily defended spot, Iwojima. 20,700 Japanese people were entrenched. America invaded Okinawa

Only 200 japanese survived Iwojima. Allies wons but notices how much lives were going to be lost. 

Manhattan Project

Development of an atomic bomb by J. Robert. Oppenheimer. 

Destructive bomb that would later end the war despite Japan not suffering (after U.S. threatened.) 

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

U.S. bombs an important military center, almost every building in the city collapsed. 

200,000 People died from injuries and radiation poisining. They drew papers to surrender. 

Nuremberg 

Discovery of death camps led to the Allies putting 24 Nazi leaders on trials

Held Nazi leaders accountable and established justice. 

Yalta 

WW2 meeting with allied powers planning to defeat Nazi Germany 

Finalized plans to defeat Germany.