Download Standard VUS.11

Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11a
SUMMARY
Demonstrate knowledge of World War II by analyzing the causes and
events that led to American involvement in the war, including military
assistance to Britain and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Essential Understandings
The United States gradually abandoned neutrality as events in Europe and Asia
pulled the nations toward war.
Essential Knowledge
The War in Europe
 World War II began with Hitler’s
invasion of Poland in 1939, followed
shortly after by the Soviet Union’s
invasion of Poland from the east and
the Baltic countries.
 During the first two years of the war,
the U.S. stayed officially neutral as
Germany overran France, most of
Europe, and pounded Britain from the
air (the Battle of Britain). In mid1941, Hitler turned on his former
partner and invaded the Soviet Union.
 Despite strong isolationist sentiment at
home, the United States increasingly
helped Britain. It gave Britain war
supplies and old naval warships in
return for military bases in Bermuda
and the Caribbean. Soon after, the
Lend-Lease Act gave the President
authority to sell or lend equipment to
countries to defend themselves against
the Axis powers. Franklin Roosevelt
compared it to “lending a garden hose
to a next-door neighbor whose house is
on fire.”
Standard VUS.11
The War in Asia
 During the 1930s a militaristic Japan
invaded and brutalized Manchuria and
China as it sought military and
economic domination over Asia. The
United States refused to recognize
Japanese conquests in Asia and
imposed an embargo on exports of oil
and steel to Japan. Tensions rose but
both countries negotiated to avoid
war.
 While negotiating with the U.S. and
without any warning, Japan carried out
an air attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii,
on December 7, 1941. The attack
destroyed much of the American
Pacific fleet and killed several
thousand Americans. Roosevelt called
it “a date that will live in infamy” as he
asked Congress to declare war on
Japan.
 After Pearl Harbor, Hitler honored a
pact with Japan and declared war on
the Untied States. The debates over
isolationism in the United States were
over. World War II was now a true
world war and the United States was
fully involved.
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11a
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Directions: Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the
content of standard VUS.11a.
1 How did the United States respond to increasing totalitarian aggression in Europe
and
.
Asia?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2 What caused America’s gradual abandonment of its policy of neutrality?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11b
SUMMARY
Demonstrate knowledge of World War II by describing the major battles
and their locations, turning points of the war in North Africa, Europe, and
the Pacific, including Midway, Stalingrad, the Normandy landing (D-Day),
and Truman’s decision to use the atomic bomb to force the surrender of
Japan.
Essential Understandings
Wartime strategies reflect the political and military goals of alliances, resources on
hand, and the geographical extent of the conflict.
Essential Knowledge
Allied strategy
Axis strategy
 America and its allies (Britain and the
Soviet Union after being invaded by
Germany) followed a “Defeat Hitler
First” strategy. Most American military
resources were targeted for Europe.
 Germany hoped to defeat the Soviet
Union quickly, gain control of Soviet oil
fields, and force Britain out of the war
through a bombing campaign and
submarine warfare before America’s
industrial and military strength could
turn the tide.
 In the Pacific, American military
strategy called for an “island hopping”
campaign, seizing islands closer and
closer to Japan and using them as
bases for air attacks on Japan, and
cutting off Japanese supplies through
submarine warfare against Japanese
shipping.
 Following Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded
the Philippines and Indonesia and
planned to invade both Australia and
Hawaii. Its leaders hoped that
America would then accept Japanese
predominance in Southeast Asia and
the Pacific, rather than conduct a
bloody and costly war to reverse
Japanese gains.
Major battles and military turning points
North Africa
 El Alamein—German forces threatening to seize Egypt and the Suez Canal were
defeated by the British. This defeat prevented Hitler from gaining access to
Middle Eastern oil supplies and potentially attacking the Soviet Union from the
south.
Europe
 Stalingrad—Hundreds of thousands of German soldiers were killed or captured in a
months-long siege of the Russian city of Stalingrad. This defeat prevented
Germany from seizing the Soviet oil fields and turned the tide against Germany in
the east.
 Normandy landings (D-Day)—United States and Allied troops under Eisenhower
landed in German-occupied France on June 6, 1944. Despite intense German
opposition and heavy American casualties, the landings succeeded and the
liberation of western Europe from Hitler had begun.
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History
Pacific
 Midway— In the “Miracle of Midway,” American naval forces defeated a much
larger Japanese force as it prepared to seize Midway Island. Coming only a few
months after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese victory at Midway would have enabled
Japan to invade Hawaii. The American victory ended the Japanese threat to
Hawaii and began a series of American victories in the “island hopping” campaign
that carried the war closer and closer to Japan.
 Iwo Jima and Okinawa—The American invasions of the islands of Iwo Jima and
Okinawa brought American forces closer than ever to Japan, but both invasions
cost thousands of American lives and even more Japanese lives, as Japanese
soldiers fought fiercely over every square inch of the islands and Japanese soldiers
and civilians committed suicide rather than surrender.
 Use of the atomic bomb—Facing the prospect of horrendous casualties among
both American and Japanese if American forces had to invade Japan itself,
President Harry Truman ordered the use of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force the Japanese to surrender. Tens of thousands
of people were killed in both cities. Shortly after the bombs were used, the
Japanese leaders surrendered, avoiding the need for American forces to invade
Japan.

Standard VUS.11b
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Directions: Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the
content of standard VUS.11b.
1 What was the overall strategy of the United States and its allies in World War II?
___________________________________________________________________________________
.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2 How did United States strategy during World War II reflect available resources
and the geographical scope of the conflict?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
3 Why were some battles of World War II considered turning points of the war?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11c
SUMMARY
Demonstrate knowledge of World War II by describing the role of allminority military units, including the Tuskegee Airmen and Nisei regiments.
Essential Understandings
World War II solidified the nation’s role as a global power and ushered in social
changes and established reform agendas that would preoccupy public discourse in
the United States for the remainder of the 20th century. Women entered into
previously male job roles as African Americans and others struggled to obtain
desegregation of the armed forces and an end discriminatory hiring practices.
Essential Knowledge
Minority participation
 African Americans
generally served in
segregated military units
and were assigned to
non-combat roles but
demanded the right to
serve in combat rather
than support roles.
All-Minority units
Additional contributions
of minorities
 Tuskegee Airmen
(African American)
served in Europe with
distinction.
 Communication codes of
the Navajo were used
(oral, not written
language; impossible for
the Japanese to break).
 Nisei regiments (Asian
American) earned a
high number of
decorations.
 Mexican Americans also
fought, but in units not
segregated.
 Minority units suffered
high casualties and won
numerous unit citations
and individual medals
for bravery in action.

Standard VUS.11c
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Directions: Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the
content of standard VUS.11c.
1 How did minority participation in World War II reflect social conditions in the
United
.
States?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2 How did minorities contribute to Allied victory?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11d
SUMMARY
Demonstrate knowledge of World War II by examining the Geneva
Convention and the treatment of prisoners of war during World War II.
Essential Understandings
The conduct of war often reflects social and moral codes of a nation.
The treatment of prisoners of war often reflected the savage nature of conflict and
the cultural norms of the nation.
Essential Knowledge
The Geneva Convention attempted to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners of
war by establishing rules to be followed by all nations.
The treatment of prisoners in the Pacific Theater often reflected the savagery of the
fighting there.
Differences between European and Pacific Theaters
 In the Bataan Death March, American POWs suffered brutal treatment by Japanese
after surrender of the Philippines.
 Japanese soldiers often committed suicide rather than surrender.
 The treatment of prisoners in Europe closely followed the ideas of the Geneva
Convention.

Standard VUS.11d
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Directions: Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the
content of standard VUS.11d.
1 What was the purpose of the Geneva Convention?
___________________________________________________________________________________
.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2 How did the treatment of prisoners differ?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standard VUS.11e
SUMMARY
Demonstrate knowledge of World War II by analyzing the Holocaust
(Hitler’s “final solution”), its impact on Jews and other groups, and postwar
trials of war criminals.
Essential Understandings
Specific groups, often the object of hatred and prejudice, face increased risk of
discrimination during wartime.
Essential Knowledge
Terms to know
Affected groups
 Genocide: the
systematic destruction of
a racial, political,
religious, or cultural
group
 Jews
 Final solution:
Germany’s decision to
exterminate all Jews
 Gypsies
Significance
 In the Nuremberg trials,
Nazi leaders and others
were convicted of war
crimes.
 Poles
 Slavs
 “Undesirables”
(homosexuals, mentally
ill, political dissidents)
 The Nuremberg trials
emphasized individual
responsibility for actions
during a war, regardless
of orders received.
 The trials led to
increased demand for a
Jewish homeland.

Standard VUS.11e
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Directions: Answer the following questions to check your understanding of the
content of standard VUS.11e.
1 What was the Holocaust and who were its victims?
___________________________________________________________________________________
.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
2 What was the short-term and long-term significance of the Holocaust?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standards VUS.11a, 11b
REVIEW
Directions: Complete each sentence below with a term from the word bank. Write the
letter of the term in the blank.
Word Bank
a.
liberation
n.
Europe
b.
Lend-Lease
o.
world war
c.
Iwo Jima
p.
El Alamein
d.
declare war
q.
isolationist
e.
neutrality
r.
United States
f.
industrial
s.
Hawaii
g.
the Philippines
t.
Pearl Harbor
h.
oil and steel
u.
military
i.
Poland
v.
Manchuria
j.
Japanese force
w.
oil fields
k.
Britain
x.
atomic bombs
l.
Soviet Union
y.
invade Japan
m.
“island hopping”
z.
political
____
1.
The U.S. gradually abandoned ______________ as events in Europe and
Asia pulled the nations toward war.
____
2.
World War II began with Hitler’s invasion of ____________ in 1939, followed
by the Soviet Union’s invasion of Poland from the east and Baltic countries.
____
3.
During the first two years of the war, the United States stayed officially
neutral as Germany overran France, most of _____________, and pounded
Britain from the air (the Battle of Britain).
____
4.
In mid-1941, Hitler turned on his former partner and invaded the
_____________.
____
5.
Despite strong __________________ sentiment at home, the United States
increasingly helped Britain. The U.S. gave Britain war supplies and old naval
warships in return for military bases in Bermuda and the Caribbean.
____
6.
The ____________________ Act gave the President authority to sell or lend
equipment to countries to defend themselves against Axis powers. Franklin
Roosevelt compared it to “lending a garden hose to a next-door neighbor
whose house is on fire.”
____
7.
During the 1930s a militaristic Japan invaded and brutalized _____________
and China and sought military and economic domination over Asia.
____
8.
The United States refused to recognize Japanese conquests in Asia and
imposed an embargo on exports of _________________ to Japan. Tensions
rose but both countries negotiated to avoid war.
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History
____
9.
While negotiating with the U.S., and without any warning, Japan carried out
an air attack on the American naval base at ___________________ on
December 7th, 1941.
____
10.
The attack on Pearl Harbor destroyed much of the American Pacific fleet and
killed thousands of Americans. Roosevelt called it “a date that will live in
infamy” as he asked Congress to ______________ on Japan.
____
11.
After Pearl Harbor, Hitler honored a pact with Japan and declared war on the
______________________.
____
12.
The debates over isolationism in the U.S. were now over. World War II was
now a true ______________ and the United States was fully involved.
____
13.
Wartime strategies reflect the ____________ and military goals of alliances,
resources on hand, and the geographical extent of the conflict.
____
14.
The U.S. and its allies (___________ and the Soviet Union, after being
invaded by Germany), followed a “Defeat Hitler First” strategy.
____
15.
Most American _____________ resources were targeted for Europe.
____
16.
In the Pacific, American military strategy called for an __________________
campaign, seizing islands closer and closer to Japan and using them as bases
for air attacks on Japan, and cutting off Japanese supplies through
submarine warfare against Japanese shipping.
____
17.
Germany hoped to defeat the Soviet Union quickly, gain control of Soviet oil
fields, and force Britain out of the war through a bombing campaign and
submarine warfare before America’s _________________ and military
strength could turn the tide.
____
18.
Following Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded ___________________ and Indonesia
and planned to invade both Australian and Hawaii. Its leaders hoped that
America would then accept Japanese predominance in Southeast Asia and
the Pacific, rather than conduct a bloody and costly war to reverse Japanese
gains.
____
19.
In the Battle of ____________________ (turning point in North Africa)
German forces threatened to seize Egypt and the Suez Canal, but were
defeated by the British. This defeat prevented Hitler from gaining access to
Middle Eastern oil supplies and potentially attacking the Soviet Union from
the south.
____
20.
In the Battle of Stalingrad, hundreds of thousands of German soldiers were
killed or captured in a months-long siege of the Russian city of Stalingrad.
This defeat prevented Germany from seizing the Soviet _______________
and turned the tide against Germany in the east.
____
21.
American and Allied troops under the command of General Eisenhower began
the Normandy landings (D-Day) in German-occupied France on June 6, 1944.
Despite intense German opposition and heavy American casualties, the
landings succeeded and the __________________ of western Europe from
Hitler had begun.
____
22.
In the Battle of Midway, the “Miracle of Midway” (the turning point in the
Pacific), American naval forces defeated a much larger ________________
as it prepared to seize Midway Island.
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History
____
23.
Coming only a few months after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese victory at Midway
would have enabled Japan to invade _____________. The American victory
ended the Japanese threat to Hawaii and began a series of American victories
in the “island hopping” campaign that carried the war closer and closer to
Japan.
____
24.
The American invasions of the islands of ____________________ and
Okinawa brought American forces closer than ever to Japan, but both
invasions cost thousands of American lives and even more Japanese lives, as
Japanese soldiers fought fiercely over every square inch of the islands and
Japanese soldiers and civilians committed suicide rather than surrender.
____
25.
Facing the prospect of horrendous casualties among both Americans and
Japanese if American forces had to invade Japan itself, President Harry
Truman ordered the use of ________________ on the Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki to force the Japanese to surrender. Tens of
thousands of people were killed in both cities.
____
26.
Shortly after the bombs were used, the Japanese leaders surrendered,
avoiding the need for American forces to ____________________.
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History

Standards VUS.11c, 11d, 11e
REVIEW
Directions: Complete each sentence below with a term from the word bank. Write the
letter of the term in the blank.
Word Bank
a.
Bataan Death March
m.
job roles
b.
homeland
n.
Navajo
c.
“final solution”
o.
Geneva Convention
d.
non-combat
p.
Asian American
e.
global
q.
high casualties
f.
Tuskegee Airmen
r.
Jews
g.
Nuremberg trials
s.
surrender
h.
wartime
t.
Genocide
i.
savage
u.
Europe
j.
segregated
v.
social and moral
k.
Pacific
w.
desegregation
l.
individual responsibility
____
1.
World War II solidified the nation’s role as a _________ power, and ushered
in social changes and established reform agendas that would preoccupy
public discourse in the U.S. for the remainder of the 20 th century.
____
2.
Women entered into previously male ____________.
____
3.
African Americans and others struggled to obtain ________________ of the
armed forces and an end to discriminatory hiring practices.
____
4.
African Americans generally served in segregated military units and were
assigned _____________ roles but demanded the right to serve in combat
rather than support roles.
____
5.
The _________________ (African American) served in Europe with
distinction.
____
6.
Nisei regiments (_______) earned a high number of decorations.
____
7.
Communication codes of the _________ were used (oral, not written
language; impossible for the Japanese to break.)
____
8.
Mexican Americans also fought, but in _____________ units.
____
9.
Minority units suffered ________________ and won numerous unit citations
and individual medals for bravery in action.
____
10.
The conduct of war often reflects ____________________ codes of a nation.
____
11.
The treatment of prisoners often reflected the ___________ nature of
conflict and the cultural norms of the nation.
Standard VUS.11
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Virginia Standards of Learning Workbook – Virginia and United States History
____
12.
The _____________________ attempted to ensure the humane treatment
of prisoners by establishing rules to be followed by all nations.
____
13.
The treatment of prisoners in the ___________ Theater often reflected the
savagery of the fighting there.
____
14.
In the ___________________, American POWs suffered brutal treatment by
the Japanese after surrender of the Philippines.
____
15.
Japanese soldiers often committed suicide rather than _______________.
____
16.
The treatment of prisoners in ___________ more closely followed the ideas
of the Geneva Convention.
____
17.
Specific groups, often the object of hatred and prejudice, face increased risk
of discrimination during ________________.
____
18.
______________ is the systematic and purposeful destruction of a racial,
political, religious, and cultural group.
____
19.
Hitler’s _______________ was Germany’s decision to exterminate all Jews.
____
20.
Groups affected by the “final solution” were _______, Poles, Slavs, Gypsies,
and “undesirables” (homosexuals, mentally ill, political dissidents).
____
21.
In the ______________, Nazi leaders and others were convicted of war
crimes.
____
22.
The Nuremberg trials emphasized ____________________ for actions
during a war, regardless of orders received.
____
23.
The trials led to increased demand for a Jewish ______________.
Standard VUS.11
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