Download World War II Notes

Name: __________________________________________________ Date: __________________________
SS5H6 – World War II
Germany after World War II

Germany suffered a deep depression (much like the United States) did after World War I
ended.

Since Germany was struggling to get back on track economically, they elected a strong
military leader named ______________________ ______________________ in 1932.

______________________ ______________________ became ______________________ (a
ruler who has absolute power) of Germany and blamed the problems of Germany on
everyone other than the ‘Aryan’ people.

The ‘Aryan’ race is who Hitler thought were the true German people.

The ______________________ party was Hitler’s political group.

Many believed that Hitler would help Germany become a world super power again.
Causes of World War II

Germany thought a way to become a world super power was to invade other countries.

Germany invaded Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1939.

Germany convinced ______________________ ______________________– the leader of the
______________________ ______________________– to enter a treaty (agreement) with
Hitler.

The Japanese had already taken over China in 1937.

These acts made several countries nervous, such as France, Great Britain, Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. These countries officially declared war in September
1939.

This group was called the ______________________ ______________________.
Allied Powers vs. Axis Powers

The ______________________ ______________________started as France, Great Britain,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. Others joined later, and some countries
(such as the United States and India) helped but did not officially join the war.

The ______________________ ______________________joined forces to conquer (take over)
other countries. They included Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Soviet Union had a treaty
(agreement) with Germany, but did not officially join the war.
The Leaders

Leaders from the Allied Powers included –
o ______________________ ______________________– Great Britain
o ______________________ ______________________– United States
o ______________________ ______________________– United States

Leaders from the Axis Powers included –
o ______________________ ______________________– Germany
o ______________________ ______________________– Italy
o ______________________– Japan
o ______________________ ______________________– Soviet Union
Invasion of Land

The Axis Powers were trying to take over land.

Germany took over Denmark, Norway, France, Belgium, and did so in a
______________________ way. This means they went in super-fast and aggressive.

Japan took over China in 1937.

Italy took over land around the Mediterranean Sea.
United States during the War

The United States tried to stay ______________________ during the start of the war, but they
did send supplies to Great Britain.

When the Japanese bombed a naval base in ______________________
______________________, Hawaii, on ______________________, 1941, the United States
declared war on Japan and joined the ______________________ in the war.

The Japanese also attacked Hong Kong, Shanghai, the Philippines, Thailand, Guam, and
Malaya, which were historically controlled U.S. territories.

During the war, much of consumer goods were limited to only what was necessary for
survival.

Most food was “______________________” meaning, families could only buy a certain
amount of items such as butter, sugar, meat, flour, etc.

Many people started gardens in order to have fruit and vegetables to eat.

Women had to go to work in the factories. The term “______________________ the
______________________” described women who went to work during the war.

Many lower class women worked before the war, but women in the middle class went to
work during the war as well.

When the men came back from war, women left the jobs in factories and as laborers, but
continued to work as teachers, nurses, etc.

In the United States, many men joined the military to help fight in the war.

The ______________________ ______________________were a group of African American
pilots who fought for the Army during World War II.

This was the first group of African American pilots in the U.S. Military.
The Holocaust

In Germany, and the countries it took over, Hitler took away the rights of Jews.

They had to wear yellow stars to be identified.

Hitler blamed the Jewish people for much of the problems in Germany.

The Nazis burned down Jewish temples and forced Jewish people into concentration camps.

In concentration camps, people were gassed, shot, starved to death, and died of diseases.

Those people who tried to help the Jews were also sent to concentration camps.

Six million Jews and five million civilians were killed by the Nazis as a result of the
Holocaust.
D-Day and Allied Forces Victory

On ______________________, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of
______________________, ______________________. This was called D-Day.

This was a surprise attack, and the attack moved through France.

On ______________________, 1944, the Allied forces reached Paris to take back France from
the Nazis.

The Allied Powers stormed through Europe and liberated, or freed, prisoners from
concentration camps.

The War in Europe ended in ______________________, 1945 – this was known as
______________________ Day, or Victory in Europe Day.

Hitler killed himself so he would not be captured, but other Nazi leaders were put on trial
for war crimes.

Ten German leaders were hanged, seven sentenced to prison, and others were later tried
and sentenced.
V-J Day and the Japanese

By the end of 1942, Japan controlled much of East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

The Japanese thought they were the best, smartest, and strongest group.

The country thought their Emperor (Hirohito) was a god.

The Japanese crashed warplanes into ships – this was called ______________________ attacks.

The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and this caused the United States to get into World War II.

The Allied forces led an attack in the Pacific.

______________________ ______________________ and ______________________ were taken
from Japan.

In 1945, President Roosevelt died in office, but Harry Truman, who was vice president, took
over.

President Truman decided to drop atomic bombs – very powerful weapons – on Japan as
retaliation to Pearl Harbor.

Truman dropped the first bomb in ______________________, and it killed 140,000 people.

Truman dropped the second bomb in ______________________, which killed about 75,000
people.

As a result, Japan surrendered in August 15, 1945.

This was known as ______________________ Day, which was Victory in Japan Day. This
happened September 2, 1945.
The United Nations

The ______________________ ______________________, which was 26 Allied nations, was
created during 1942.

This was created to ensure that a war like World War II would never happen again.

It began on ______________________, 1945, and is still around today.
Vocabulary Matching
Directions: Match the words to their definitions.
Part A: The People
___ 1. Dictator
a. The British Prime Minister during World War II.
___ 2. Adolf Hitler
b. The United States president from 1932 – 1945; he was president
during the first part of World War II.
___ 3. Emperor Hirohito
c. Leaders who have complete control of their country.
___ 4. Winston Churchill
d. The political party of Germany during World War II.
___ 5. Allied Powers
e. A symbol for American women who went to work in factories
during World War II.
___ 6. Axis Powers
f. The alliance between major powers, such as Germany, Italy, and
Japan during World War II.
___ 7. Franklin D. Roosevelt
g. A group of African American pilots who fought during World
War II.
___ 8. Harry Truman
h. Leader of Japan during World War II.
___ 9. Benito Mussolini
i. Communist leader of the Soviet Union during World War II.
___ 10. Joseph Stalin
j. The alliance between major powers, such as Great Britain, France,
United States, and eventually the Soviet Union during World War II.
___ 11. Rosie the Riveter
k. The United States president after Franklin D. Roosevelt died in
office during World War II.
___ 12. Tuskegee Airmen
l. The dictator of Italy during World War II.
___ 13. Nazi Party
m. German dictator from the Nazi party during World War II.
Part B: The Places & other important terms
___ 1. Blitzkrieg
a. The day Allied Powers invaded Normandy, France, on June 6,
1944.
___ 2. Pearl Harbor
b. Where the first atomic bomb was dropped.
___ 3. Ration
c. Another island that was taken from the Japanese by the United
States during World War II.
___ 4. Holocaust
d. “Victory in Europe Day;” occurred May 8, 1945.
___ 5. D-Day
e. Japanese suicide pilots whose missions were to crash into their
targets, giving up their lives.
___ 6. V-E Day
f. International peace-keeping organization that was created to
prevent another world war from happening.
___ 7. V-J Day
g. A sudden quick and violent attack that Germany used to take
over land during World War II.
___ 8. Kamikaze
h. Where the second atomic bomb was dropped.
___ 9. Iwo Jima
i.”Victory in Japan Day;” occurred September 2, 1945.
___ 10. Okinawa
j. Attack by Japan on December 7, 1941 on a naval base in Hawaii;
this led the United States to join World War II.
___ 11. Hiroshima
k. To give out scare items on a limited basis.
___ 12. Nagasaki
l. A major battle where the United States disarmed and fought the
Japanese for the island.
___ 13. United Nations
m. The mass slaughter of millions of Jews and other groups by the
Nazis during World War II.