Download Chapter 16 Assessment Notes

Terms & Names
1. Fascism – stressed nationalism and placed interested of state above those of the individuals
2. Adolf Hitler – Nazi Germany’s dictator. He believed in purifying the Aryan race by ridding
Germany of the inferior races.
3. Nazism –“German brand of fascism” based on extreme nationalism
4. Winston Churchill –Became prime minister of Britain in 1940. Strongly against appeasement
towards Nazi Germany.
5. Appeasement –giving up principles to satisfy an aggressor
6. Charles de Gaulle –French general that fled to England after Germany took over France.
7. Holocaust –the systematic murder of 11million people across Europe. More than half were Jews.
8. Genocide –deliberate and systematic killing of an entire population
9. Axis Powers –Japan, Italy, and Germany
10. Allies –the nations against the Axis powers
Main Ideas
1. Joseph Stalin, or “man of steel”, was a dictator of the Soviet Union during WW2. His goal was to
create a model communist state by industrial and agricultural growth. He abolished all privately
owned farms and put in large government-owned farms in their place, each farm was worked by
hundreds of families. Stalin planned to make the Soviet Union a huge industrial power with his
“five-year plan”. In 1939 Stalin had successfully established a totalitarian government.
2. Italy and Germany helped determine Francisco Franco’s victory over the Spanish republic
because “Hitler and Mussolini backed Franco’s forces with troops, weapons, tanks, and fighter
planes. They helped him because once he controlled Spain he set up a fascist totalitarian
government.
3. Blitzkrieg, or lightning war, made use of advances in military technology such as fast tanks and
more powerful aircraft. It quickly took Germany’s enemy, Poland, by surprise and quickly
crushed all opposition with overwhelming force. Blitzkrieg included the Luftwaffe, or the
German air force, dropping bombs on military bases, airfields, and cities; while tanks “raced
across the Polish countryside, spreading terror and confusion”. It was very effective because it
caught France and Britain “with their pants down”.
4. After the fall of France in 1940, Germany demanded that France allowed it to occupy its
northern land and that a Nazi-controlled puppet government be set up at Vichy. Marshall
Philippe Petain would be the head of the Vichy government. General Charles de Gaulle reacted
by fleeing to Britain and setting up a government-in-exile. He was the one to say “France has
lost a battle, but France has not lost the war.”
5. The Holocaust was fueled by the Nazi’s intense racism and other kinds of discrimination. Jews of
course are the most well known race that was victim to this genocide; they were blamed for the
depression and Germany and for losing WW1. The Nazis believed the Gypsies to be an inferior
race also. Freemasons were charged as supporters of the “Jewish conspiracy” to rule the world
and were killed as well. Because they refused to join the army and salute Hitler, Jehovah
Witnesses were included in this mass killing. Some of the other groups the Nazi’s considered
unfit to be part of the master Aryan race were homosexuals, the mentally deficient, the
mentally ill, the physically disables, and the incurably ill.
6. Many non-Jews showed resistance to the persecution of Jews and put their lives on the line. The
Israeli government, to show appreciation, gave these people the titles of “Righteous Gentiles”.
In 2001, 18,269 people were “recognized for their courage and morality.” A Portuguese
diplomat, Aristides Sousa Mendes, who was stationed in France, issued 10,000 visas to Jews
trying to enter into France. Raoul Wallenberg issued “protective passports” that allowed
Hungarian Jews to escape the concentration camps. Sempo Sugihara helped over 6,000 Jews
escape the Nazis. Along with these people, many Germans helped Jews escape the Nazis.
7. The United States slowly made movements away from Neutrality and isolationism. In September
of 1939, Congress passed a “cash-and-carry” provision that allowed nations at war to buy US
weapons if they paid in cash and transported them on their own ships. Roosevelt hoped that
providing arms would help Britain and France overcome Germany and allow the United States to
stay out of the war. When France fell and Britain was under attack, the US sent 500,000rifles
and 80,000 machine guns to Britain. Then Roosevelt asked Congress to “boost defense
spending” and also pass the “selective training and service act”, the nation’s first peacetime
draft. Then came the lend-lease act that said the US would lend or lease arms to “any country
whose defense is vital to the United States”. Then the US followed the “enemy of my enemy is
my friend” policy and supported the Soviet Union when Germany turned on Stalin. Then US
granted its war ships allowance to attack German U-boats in self defense. Roosevelt signed the
Atlantic Charter, which stated the common purpose of the Allies. Then after Pearl Harbor,
Roosevelt called for war.
8. The United States was pushed into WW1 by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but the real
reason we entered the war was to stop Germany and fascism from taking over the US. The Nazis
were quickly taking over Europe and the United States would soon follow. By joining the Allies,
the United States helped defeat Hitler stopped fascism from growing.
Critical Thinking
1. Cause –Effect
First Blitzkrieg – Germany takes over Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany
Allies stranded at Dunkirk British radar detects German aircraft –
Lend-lease act –countries such as Britain and the Soviet Union are able to lease US arms in order
to fight the German army
2.