Download World War II * Historical Context

World War II – Historical Context
The Cay
A Cay is a small island made of coral
and sand- mostly found the Caribbean
What do you already know?
1. What was WWII?
• A global war that in terms of lives lost
and material destruction was the
______ devastating war in human
history.
2. Which countries were involved?
Main Allied Powers
 Great Britain
(Churchill)
 United States
 Soviet Union
 China
 ____________
Main Axis Powers
o ______________
(Hitler)
o Italy
o Japan
3. What caused WWII?
• Since Germany lost in World War I, they
had to make _________________ to
other countries and lost territory.
• The Great Depression of the 1930s caused
many people to suffer and look for
leadership
• A military dictator took over Germany
• The League of Nations failed to keep the
____________________
4. When did WWII begin?
•In 1939, Germany invaded
Poland. The
_________________
declared war on Germany.
5. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour?
• In 1941, the US banned exports of
_________ and _________ to Japan
because they invaded Indochina. They
wanted the resources on these islands
(petroleum) and to set up a defensive
perimeter.
• Japan felt threatened by the
_____________________, based at Pearl
Harbour in Hawaii. They surprise attacked it
on December 7, 1941 and sank 4 battleships.
6. How did the US respond to Japan’s attack?
• Throughout the war, the U.S. and British
governments maintained a massive project to
develop __________________________.
• President Harry S. Truman decided to allow the
bombs to be dropped because he believed they
might save thousands of American lives.
• They were used in quick succession, one over
Hiroshima and the other over Nagasaki.
• U.S. estimates put the number killed in
Hiroshima at 100,000 but Japanese estimates
gave a total of 240,000.
7. What was the Holocaust?
• It was the almost complete
destruction of Jews in Europe by the
German Nazis
• They were deported into
________________________
• German ______________ and Italian submarines
tried to disrupt the Allied supply of oil through the
Caribbean.
• Oil was carried on large ships called tankers
SS Ulysses
What was the Battle of the Caribbean?
• The Italians had blocked oil from the
Middle East so the Allies would send oil
from Venezuela
• Aruba had the largest oil refinery in the
world
• ___________ had another large
refinery
The Cay is set in Curacao
9. When did WWII end?
• September 2, ___________ is considered the
official end. Germany and Japan had
surrendered.