Download Chapter 29 Review – World War II 1939-1945

Chapter 26 Review – World War II 1939-1945
Causes of World War II:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
The rise of dictators in Germany, Italy, and Japan
Imperialism – Germany, Italy and Japan wanted more land
Instability and depression in Europe after World War I
Failure of appeasement – negotiations with dictators did not stop the aggression
Short-term immediate cause of the war: German invasion of Poland
Effects (Results) of World War II:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Defeat of the Axis powers – Germany, Italy and Japan
Founding of the United Nations – a permanent peacekeeping force
U.S. maintained its status as a superpower
Much of Europe was destroyed: Britain, France, Belgium Germany, Austria
Soviets controlled most of Eastern Europe
The Cold War – The contest between the Soviet Union and the U.S. to defend their areas of the world
People
Adolf Hitler – Fascist ruler of Germany, The Fuhrer of the Third Reich, Leader of the Nazi party
Joseph Stalin – Communist leader of the Soviet Union
Benito Mussolini – Fascist dictator and leader of Italy
Hideki Tojo – Military leader of Japan who led the attack on the U.S. at Pearl Harbor
Emperor Hirohito – Leader of Japan who surrendered at the end of World War II
Winston Churchill – Prime Minister of Great Britain
Franklin D. Roosevelt – President of the United States until early 1945
Harry S. Truman – Roosevelt’s vice president who became President after FDR died in 1945
Dwight D. Eisenhower – U.S. General and leader of the Allied forces attack on North Africa and D-Day
invasion of Normandy France
Douglas MacArthur – U.S. General who fought in the Pacific against Japan
Tuskegee Airmen – African American pilots who fought in Europe in the 332nd Fighter group
W.A.S.P. – Women’s Airforce Service Pilots: group of women pilots who trained to ferry aircraft to the war
and supported the army; the WAVES and WACS were similar groups who supported the navy and army, even
though they could not fight in the war
Navajo Codetalkers – Navajo Indians who developed a secret military code for the Allies
Terms
Fascism – A government that rules by terror, racism, nationalism and a dictatorship.
Totalitarianism – The government controls every aspect of life in a nation: media, army, prices.
Axis Powers – Italy, Germany, and Japan formed this alliance (Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis)
Allied Powers (The Allies) – U.S., British, French and eventually Soviet forces who fought the Axis countries.
Appeasement – Giving in to someone’s demands to avoid conflict
Blitzkrieg – Lightning war (a fast attack)
Rationing – Getting a fixed amount of goods. The U.S. government rationed supplies during the war, and
consumers used ration books of stamps to buy goods.
Island-hopping – Strategy used by the Allies to invade a few key islands in the Pacific to drive the Japanese
back toward Japan.
Kamikaze – a suicide pilot used by Japan to bomb navy ships
Genocide – The murder of an entire race or large group of people.
Propaganda – Information designed to influence people’s thinking and emotions.
Imperialism – When a nation wants to take over new territory to expand its influence.
Isolationism – The belief that a nation should stand alone and not get involved in the affairs or conflicts of
other nations.
Manhattan Project – top secret project to develop the atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert
Places/Events
Lend-Lease Act – American aid to Britain in the form of arms and war materials at the start of the war;
materials were loaned or leased
Atlantic Charter – Document signed between Churchill and Roosevelt, recognizing the right of all people to
choose their own governments; also proposed disarmament after the war.
Pearl Harbor 1941– Bombing of American Navy ships in the harbor of Hawaii on December 7, 1941 – a day
that will “live in infamy”. The attack severely crippled the U.S. Navy and pushed the U.S. to enter the war.
Bataan Death March – When Allied prisoners captured in the Philippines were forced to march 60 miles to a
prison camp; many starved and died. Americans were horrified by this torture of their troops.
Battle of Midway 1942 – Turning point for the Allies in the Pacific battles against Japan. The Japanese Navy
was severely damaged, and the Allies gained a strategic island in the Pacific.
Internment camps – U.S. prison camps where Japanese-Americans were forced to go after the bombing of
Pearl Harbor. Many Americans were suspicious of them (the Nisei) after the attack.
Battle of Stalingrad 1942-43 – Germans were defeated in this Soviet town due to the harsh winters.
D-Day Invasion 1944– Allied invasion of the Normandy section of France on June 6, 1944. The largest landsea-air invasion in history. Was a turning point in the European war due to the massive U.S., British, Canadian
and French forces that attacked the Nazi forces stationed there.
Battle of the Bulge 1944-45 – A battle in Belgium that had heavy losses of both Allied and Nazi forces. The
Allies eventually pushed the Nazis back toward Germany.
Yalta Conference 1945 – Summit meeting of the Big Three: Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin to discuss the
plans for the end of the war in Europe.
Atomic Bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945 – Two atomic bombs made by the U.S. were
dropped to spare further Allied casualties in the war, and bring about a quick surrender from the Japanese.
Holocaust – The systematic terror, imprisonment, torture and murder of millions of Jews, Poles, Russians and
Gypsies during World War II.
Nuremberg Trials – Court trials of Nazi war criminals in Nuremberg, Germany that held people responsible
for their actions during the war.
May 8 1945 – V-E Day: Victory in Europe
August 15, 1945 – V-J Day: Victory over Japan