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Kellogg-Briand Pact
The United States and 61 other nations signed this pact it stated that each country would never make war again. This agreement still allowed defensive war. -
Benito Mussolini
Leader of Italy, Mobilized fascism. A political movement that enforced a strong government ruled by a dictator. -
Joseph Stalin-Leader of the Soviet Union
Enforced a totalitarian government.
He had complete control over the people.
Communism-an economic and political system based on one-party government and state ownership of property. -
Francisco Franco
Head of State of Spain. Used the title Caudillo de España, por la gracia de Dios. Leader of Spain, by the grace of God. -
Holocaust (anti-semitism)
This event claimed the lives of and estimated 11 million people across Europe, all done by the hands of Hitler and the Nazi party. Anti Semitism is the hatred of Jews, and was a major fuel in this event. Others were targeted too, and sent to concentration camps to suffer and die. This took place over the course of the war. -
Concentration Camps
Genocide: The dilibeate and systematic killing of an entire people
These camps were the containment areas for all non-pure people (including Jews). Families were torn apart and sent to different camps, never to see each other again, and mass murders with guns, gas, and starvation took place. -
Adolf Hitler
Leader of Germany. basic government of Nazism. Nazism-based on extreme nationalism and a belief that all inferior Germans should be exterminated or enslaved.
The Nazi Party killed Jews. -
Troop build up in the Rhineland
Hitler ordered troops to gather in the Rhineland for German forces. This action broke Articles under the Treaty of Versailles, making it a disturbance of peace on the world. -
Neutrality Acts
A series of acts designed to keep the United States out of war. They outlawed arms sales one loans to nations at war including civil wars. -
Quarantine Speech
A speech given by F.D.R. hopeing that peace-loving nations would isolate aggressive nations in order to stop the aggression of war. "Surely the 90% who want to live in peace under law and in accordance with standards that have recieved almost universal acceptance through the centuries, can and must find some way to preserve the peace." -
German troops march into Austria
WW2-ANSCHLUS-GERMAN AUSTRIAN UNIFICATION Hitler made an agreement with the Ausrtian chancellor, Kirt Von Schuschnigg, to allow Austrian Nazis into his government. After the troops marched in, they forced Schuachnigg to resign. -
Troop build up in Ethiopia
Mussolini ordered his troops to occupy Ethiopia (Then called Abyssinia). It was Africa's only remaining independent country. Haile Selassie, when he didn't recieve any assitance from the League of Nations, said, "It is us today. it will be you tomorrow." -
Munich Pact
An agreement between Germany and Sudetenland to allow German trrops to invade with out a shot being fired. Neville Chamberlain came back to Sudetenland declaring that there was peace for the people after he signed the pact. -
Neville Chamberlain
He was the British Prime Minister that signed the Munich Pact. He proclaimed: "My friends... there has come back from Germany peace and honor. I believe it is peace in our time." -
Winston Churchill
He believed that Chambelain had demonstrated a shameful policy of appeasement ,meanoing giving up principles to pacify an aggressor. He stated that Britain and France chose dishonor. -
Kristallnact
Kristallnact, or "crystal night"-the night of broken glass-was the night when gands of Nazi troopers attacked Jewish homes, buisnesses, and synagogoues across germany. "jewish sjop windows by the hundreds were systematically and wontonly smashed..." said aan american who witnessed this event in Leipzig in Germany. -
Franklin D. Roosevelt
President of the United States of America. Provided Lend-Lease aid to those who were fighting against Nazi Germany. Lead America through the great Depression and WWII. -
Soviets invade Finland
Joesph Stalin sent his troops into Finland in midwinter. At]fter three months of fighting the Finns, Stalin revealed himself as being "of the same stamp as Hitler." -
Nonaggression Pact
An agreement between the Soviet Union and Germany in which they stated to not fight each other. They also signed a secret pact agreeing to divide Poland between them. -
Blitzkrieg
Germany's new military strategy meaning "Lightning War." New tactics allowed Germany to strike quick and silence all opposition with overwhelming force. -
Period: to
World War II
A period of war that made a lasting impact on the entire world. It began with Hitler's march on Europe and dream to destroy all impure humans. -
Germans invade Denmark & Norway
Hitler sent his troops into Denmark and Norway stating that this action was necessary in order "to protect [those countries] freedom and independence." -
Germans invade Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg
Nazi's invade the NetherlandsHitler turns his attack against Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxumbourg. All three of the countries were overrun by the end of May and the "phony war" had become very realistic. -
Germany and Italy invade France
Fortifications along the Maginot Line fell as Germans and Italy invaded France. Germans came from from the North and Italy came from the South and the fighting lasted only four days. French officers were given terms of surrender and Germany would occupy the northern part france while the Nazi's controlled the southern part of France. Charles De Gall, a French general, fled to England stating "France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war." -
Axis Powers
A mutual defense treaty signed by Japan, Germany, and Italy called the Tripartitie Pact, united the trhee powers. These three nations became know as the Axis Power. -
Battle of Britain
Germans began to put together a naval invasion fleet and moved in on Britain while attacking from the air at the same time. 1000 planes flew in power over Britain and pounded the area with bombs. Britains' Royal Ari Force (RAF) held off the attack and Hitler eventually ordered a retreat. Churchill stated, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." -
The Election of 1940
The battle was between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie. Willkie supported FDR's opinion about helping britain, and thus lost a huge isolationist part of the people. Both promised to keep the U.S. out of war, and Roosevelt was reelected with about 55% of the votes. This made history with his third term as the President of the United States. Isolationaists were not happy due to FDR's agreement that he made to help the British. -
A. Phillip Randolph
As President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, he fought fot the rights of colored Americans, stating that they should be allowed to fight for the country they live in, regardless of their ethnicicty. A massive march broke out on Washington of more thatn 100,000 African-Americans, which caused Roosevelt to force labor unions and employers to allow Blacks to participate in the defense industry. -
Atlantic Charter
The United States and Great Britian agreed to do 8 things:
1) Seek no territorial expansion
2) Pursue no territorial changes without the consent of the inhabitants 3) Respect the right of people to choose their own form of government 4) Promote free trade among nations 5) Encourage international cooperation to improve peoples' lives 6)Build a sevure peace based on freedom from want and fear 7) Work for disarmament of aggresors 8) Establish a "permanent system of general security." -
Lend-Lease Act
A plan to lend or lease arms and other supplies to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States." -
Leader of Japan-Hideki Tojo
A militant Japanese general who became the Prime Minister of Japan -
Pearl Harbor
Pearl HarborThe Japanese launched a bombing and airstrike attack on the U.S.'s largest naval base in the Pacific. The raid went on for an hour and a half, and by the end the U.S. Pacific navy was crippled. 2400 people died, and 1178 people were wounded. FDR gave his famous speech the next day, stating that this was a date that would "live in infamy." A declare of war on Japan soon followed and was approved. -
War Plans with Churchill and FDR
Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt met to discuss war plans for the situation at hand. They agreed that the destruction of the Germany was top priority. Roosevelt had always considered Hitler to be the number one threat, and beleived that only after they were beat could America move on to the lesser powers. Joseph Stalin was also in need of help from invading German forces. They also agreed that a complete victory was the only was to keep the peace and happiness of the people. -
Selective Service (and the G.I.)
The Selective Service System helped to expand the 5 Million volunteer troops after Pearl Harbor to 15 Million. They went to 8 weeks of basic training and had to quickly become tough G.I.'s (Government Issused- meaning they were the first applied to the governemnt's uniforms, weapons, and supplies. However, it eventually became the way in which soldiers were described.) The drafted and volunteer troops were stablished in retaliation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. -
Industrial Response
As the war grew closer, the automobile industry had to cut production of cars and focus, along with other manufacturers, on contributing to the war effort. They produced tanks, airplanes, spare parts, and weapons to aid the troops in WWII. (Example: mechanical pencil makers built bombs instead of safe pencils.) Shipyards increase at blazing speed, one such ship being built in three days. -
Internment of Japanese
Japanese-Americans were placed in intern camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This was in response to many Amerians not trusting the Japanese and feeling that they could have placed spies in the U.S. There was a confinement of 1,444 Japanese-Americans in Hawaii, and Japanese-Americans on the west coast were all sent by Roosevelt to internment camps. Several were Nisei, or Japanese people born in America, making them American citizens. -
Philippines, Corregidor, Douglas MacArthur
MacAurthur: A general who commanded 80,00 American and Philippino troops. They were survivors against 200,00 invading Japanese troops for four months on the Batan Peninsula and another month on the island of Corregidor. Hunger, disease, and bombardments killed 14,000 and 48,000 were wounded. MacArthur was ordered to abandon the Philippines after these numbers reached America. -
Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC)
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The Battle of the Coral Sea
Japanese sought ot expand their naval forces in the Pacific. While doing so, they ran into the Allied forces, who were determined to not let them somplete their expansion. The battle composed of a combination of American and Australian fleets that were able to intercept a Japanese based strike force that was aimed at Australia. This battle has been said to establish a new type of naval warfare. -
Womens Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC)
The WAAC was a blll stating that women who were volunteers for the army would not recieve the same rank, pay or benefits as men doing the same jobs, nor could they expect to make the army a career. -
The Battle of Midway
Admiral Chester Nimitz was the commander of the American Army in the Pacific. He was abel to figure out by intercepting Japanese messages that a Japanese invasion force was on its way to the island Midway with over 110 ships. From the Midway, the Japanese plan was to move to Hawaii and complete the damage that they had done in Pearl Harbor. Nimitz was outnumbered four to one in battleships and planes, but he planned a surprise attack that would stop the Japanese at Midway. -
The Battle at Midway (continued)
Nimitz ordered carrier planes "to inflict maximum damage on the enemy." By the end of the battle, the Japanese lost 4 carrier planes, 1 cruiser, and 322 planes. The Americans had "avenged Pearl Harbor." -
Guadalcanal
In the Solomon Islands, it was were 19,000 marines stormed the Japanese who abandoned Guadalcanal 6 months later. The island where the battle was fought was considered the Island of Death. The battle marked Japan's first defeat. American's continued to leapfrog their way to Japan, commensing in many battles along the way -
The North African Front
The Americans and Britatins neede a way to defeat Hitler, and thus decided to launch Operatoin Torch. It was commanded by Dwight D. Eisenhower, and 107,000 troops landed in Casablanca, Oran, moving north. After months of fighting, they defeated the Afrika Korps, gaining control of the North Africa shores. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler had been advancing into the Soviet Union but was running low on oil for his war machines. He sent his 6th Army south to seize rich oil supplies and gain controll of the Stalingrad, which was a major industrial center on the Volga River. Nightly bombing raids prepared the way for the German toops. However, the Soviets launched a huge counter attack and managed to keep the Germans away from the Stalingrad. 1,250,000 Soviets died in the struggle, more than all American casualties in WW2. -
The Battle of the Atlantic
Hitler ordered sub attacks on the east coast of America after Pearl Harbor, making unprotected American ships easy targets. 87 ships were sunk in the first four months. In respone, convoys were formed and the American managed to sink more German U-boats faster than the Germans could build them. Americans also began to launch a mass production in ship building and was able to set sail more ships than were being destroyed. -
Italian Campaign
the Americans, Great Britain and France agreed to invade Italy in 1943.It started in Sicily and then on July 25, 1943, King Victor Emmanuel III asked Bonito Mussolini to come to his place and stripped him of his power. Hitler then seized control of Italy, made Mussolini its leader and ordered German troops to hold firm. The Battle of Bloody Anzio was fought and lasted four months. On April 28, 1945, Mussolini was shot and hung in Milan square. -
D-Day
Known as the Day of Invasion. It was led by Dwight Eisenhower. 3 million troops attacked Axis forcesin what became known as the largest land-air-sea operation in history. The germans retaliated aggressively but the allies held the beach and were able to land millions of troops supplies and vehicles. General George Patton advanced behind land bombardment and in two days liberated the French capital from Germany. This victory helped President Roosevelt win a fourth term as President of the U.S. -
The Battle of Leyte Gulf & kamikazes
178,00 Allied troops and 738 ships moved in on Layte Island. In doing so, General MacArthur announced, "People of the Philippines; I have returned." The entire Japanese fleet went into battle for Layte Gulf. The Japanese used a new tactic in this batle called the kamikazes, also known as the suicide plane. The literal meaning is "divine wind." 422 of these pilots were part of the suicide missions and were able to sink 16 ships and damaged 80. -
Battle of the Bulge
Germans broke through weak American defenses and captured 120 american G.I.'s and, herded them in and mowed them down with machine guns and pistols. 43 people some how survived. The Germans succeeded in forcing General Anthony Mc Auliffe to surrender due to the ability to keep the allies off guard. By the end of the battle the Germans lost 120 thousand troops, 600 tanks and 1600 planes forcing them to retreat. -
Yalta
Three leaders (Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill) meet to make important decisions on the war in the city of Yalta. hey agreed to creat international peace by forming the United Nations, based on principles in the Atlantic Charter. In July, Truman met with the same leaders, bringing ideas to help disarm Germany and rid the world of the Nazi reign. -
The Battle of Iwo Jima
After the liberation of the American prisoners of the war from the Philippines, the Allies went to Iwo Jima, which was described by William Manchester as "an ugly, smelly gob of cold lava squatting in a surly ocean." It was considered a criticasl base to the U.S. because it was loaded with bombers that could easily reach Japan. It was the most highly defended spot on earth. A huge battle commenced as the Allies tried to take the island from the Japanese, and only 200 Japanese troops survived. -
Harry Truman becomes President
President Franklin D. Roosevelt died on this date, and that very night, the nation accepted Harry S. Truman as their new President. He was inexperienced, and had a lot of trouble trying to clean up the final parts of the war. -
V-E Day
V-E Day (Victory in Europe) celebrated the end of the first part of the war with the death of Hitler and his new wife. -
Unconditional Surrender
The Soviet army stormed Berlin killing many German soldiers in sight. Hitler prepared for the end by marrying Eva Braun and blaming the Jews for starting the war and his gernerals for losing it. He stated "I, myself and my wife choose to die in order to escape the disgrace of surrender." Both he and his wife commited suicide and their bodies were soaked with gasoline and burned. A week later Eisenhower excepted the unconditional surrender of theThird Reich. -
The Battle of Okinawa
Okinawa was the last defensive outpost of the Japanese forces. The Japanese sent out more than 1900 kamikaze attacks on the Allied forces, sinking 30 ships and damaging 300 more, killing almost 5000 seaman. The on-land fighting was even more violent, and when it ended, more than 7600 Americans had died. Howeverm the japanese lost 110,000 lives trying and failing to defend Okinawa. Two Japanese generals had also commited "honorable" suicide. -
The Manhattan Project
The Americans had been working on a secret weapon for a time. This project was the "most ambitious scientific enterprise in histroy, but also the best kept secret of the war." More than 600,000 Americans were involved, but only a handful knew of the true purpose for the experiment. This was the creation of the atomic bomb. J. Robert Oppenhimer was the head scientist. On July 16, 1945, the first test was done in a desert. The bomb worked, and was more powerful than anyone had expected. -
Potsdam
This city in defeated Germany is where President Truman showed blueprints to disarm Germany and eliminate the Nazis. Allies agreed that "stern justice shall be meeted out to all war criminals, including those who have visited cruelty on our prisoners." It was, in essence, where the plan to end the war and finally restore peace was born. -
Hroshima & Nagasaki
After the bomb was tested, a B-29 bomber (the Enola Gay) flew over Hiroshima and released an atomic bomb over the important Japanese militay center. 43 seconds after the drop, almost every building in the city was vaporized. Hiroshima was destroyed. After this event, the Japanese leaders still hesitated to surrender. A econd bomb was dropped was dropped on Nagasaki three days after Hiroshima. By the end of 1945, about 200,000 people had died to to radiation poisoning caused by the bombs. -
Nurenberg War Trials
These trials occured in the city of Nurenberg, Germany, where 23 nations tried Nazi war criminals. 22 Nazi leaders were tried at the first trials, and they were on of Hitler's most trusted officials. 12 of the 22 defendents were sentenced to death, and most of the rest to prison later in other trials, almost 200 more Nazis were found guilty of war crimes.
