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Benito Mussolini's fascist government in Italy
Stressed nationalism and placed the interests of the state above those individuals.Argued that power must rest with a single strong leader and a small group of devoted party members. -
Mein Kampf
Hitler's book, it meant "My Struggle," wrote about the basic beliefs of Nazism that became the plan of action for the Nazi party. -
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
Believed the need for more living space for a growing population so the militarists launched a surprise attack and seized control over the Chinese province of Manchuria -
Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany
Became the Nazi's party leader because he was a great public speaker and organizer then was appointed as the prime minister. He dismantled Germany's democratic Weimar Republic.
Became strongest political party in Germany -
Storm Troopers
People joined Hitler's private army (Brown Shirts) because they were desperate, they were unemployed and Germany's economy was struggling. -
Third Reich
Also known as the Third German Empire and said it would last a thousand years. -
Hitler's military build-up in Germany
Hitler took Germany out of the League and violated the Treaty of Versailles because the League of Nations weren't doing anything against Japan -
Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia
Ethiopia was his first target of his new Roman Empire, by May 1936, Ethiopia had fallen. -
Hitler invades the Rhineland
In violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler sent troops into Rhineland, a German region bordering France and Belgium that was demilitarized as a result of the Treaty of Versailles -
Francisco Franco
Led a group of Spanish army officers; they rebelled against the Spanish republic, were fascist. This war forged a close relationship between the German and Italian dictators and Franco was established as Spain's fascist dictator. -
Hitler's Anschluss
A day later after German troops marched into Austria unopposed, Germany announced that its Anschluss or "union" with Austria was complete -
Munich Agreement
Daladier and Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement to avoid war with Hitler, which turned the Sudentenland over to Germany without a single shot being fired. -
Joseph Stalin's totalitarian government in the Soviet Union
-Tried to exert complete control over its citizens
- Individuals had no right and the government suppresses all opposition -
Rome-Berlin Axis
This was a formal alliance between the German and Italian dictators. -
Nonaggression pact
Stalin signed this with Hitler, as tensions rose over Poland. Fascist Germany and communist Russia committed never to attack each other. There was a secret second pact, which agreed to divide Poland between them. -
Blitzkrieg
Germany's newest military strategy, also called the lightning war. It advanced in military technology- such as fast tanks and more powerful aircraft. -
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Britain and Germany declared war on Germany after Germany introduced their new military strategy; Germany won with no problem. This kind of started WWII -
Hitler's invasion of Denmark and Norway
Hitler launched this surprise attack against Denmark and Norway to "protect their freedom and independence," but he actually planned to build bases along the coast to strike Great Britain -
Hitler's invasion of the Netherlands
For the same reason as his invasion of Denmark and Norway, was overrun by the end of May -
Germany and Italy's invasion of France
The German offensive trapped almost 400,000 British and French soldiers and few days later, Italy joined them. Germans occupied the northern part of France. -
Phony war
Newspaper called what Germans called the "sitzkrieg" (sitting war) phony war. The Finns surrendered against the Soviet Union and this war ended when Hitler turned against the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. -
Marshal Philippe Petain
Led the Nazi-controlled puppet government, his government would be set up at Vichy, in Southern France -
The Battle of Britain
The Luftwaffe began making bombing runs over Britain; their goal was to control of the skies by destroying Britain's Royal Air Force. Germany continued to pound bombers on Britain trying to disrupt production and break civilian morale. -
Lend-Lease Act
Roosevelt thought of this plan because Britain had no more cash to spend in the arsenal of democracy; under this plan, the president would lend or lease arms and other supplies to "any country whose defense was vital to the United States." -
Pearl Harbor attack
A Japanese dive-bomber swooped low over Pearl Harbor followed by more than 180 Japanese warplanes. This killed 2,403 Americans and wounded 1,178 more, sunk or damaged 21 ships, including 8 battleships. After the bombing, isolationists now supported an all-out American effort. -
Battle of the Atlantic
The German aim in this battle was to prevent food and war materials from reaching Great Britain and the Soviet Union. Germans sank 87 ships off the Atlantic shore and a total of 681 Allied ships. To fight against this war, the Allies organized cargo ships and convoys, they were able to find and destroy German U-boats and the tides turned. -
U.S. convoy system
Convoys were groups of ships that traveled together for mutual protection -
Manhattan Project
Code name for the research of the new discovery and development of a new bomb. -
Internment
Military governor of Hawaii, General Delos Emmons, was forced to pay internment, confinement, of 1,444 Japanese Americans. -
Women's Auxiliary Army Corps
Women volunteers would serve in noncombat positions; this gave women an official status and salary. -
Battle of Stalingrad
German's intention was to capture Soviet oil fields in the Caucasus Mountains. The situation looked so desperate that Soviet officers in Stalingrad recommended blowing up the city's factories and abandoning the city. Soviet stepped forward when they saw the opportunity to counterattack, trapping the Germans in and around the city cutting off their supplies; this was the turning point of the war. Total deaths of 1,100,000 soldiers. -
Operation Torch
This was when the Allied forces went in to attack Oran and Algiers. -
Bloody Anzio
Hitler was determined to stop the Allies in Italy rather than fight on German soil, one of the hardest battles the Allies encountered. During this year, German armies continued to put up strong resistance, Italy was eventually freed. -
Korematsu v. United States
The Supreme Court decided this trial as Japanese Americans fought for justice, that the government's policy of evacuating Japanese Americans to camps was justified on the basis of "military necessity." -
D-Day
The day that Eisenhower's gathered Allied forces attacked Normandy in Northern France, code named "Operation Overlord." The largest land-sea-air operation in army history. -
The Battle of the Bulge
Tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory, creating a bulge in the lines. Hitler hoped that this would disrupt the enemy's supply lines, demoralize the Allies, and split American and British forces. Nazis retreated -
Harry S. Truman
When President Roosevelt died from a stroke, VP, Harry S. Truman became the nation's 33rd president. -
Death of Hitler
Hitler blamed the Jews for starting the war and losing it. He said him and his wife decided to die, "to escape the disgrace of capitulation." He shot himself while his wife drank poison and both were burned. -
Unconditional surrender
General Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich -
V-E Day
Allies celebrate this day; Victory in Europe Day, when the war in Europe was finally over. -
Office of the Price Administration
This fought inflation by freezing prices on most goods. Congress raised income tax rates and extended the tax to millions of people who never paid it before. It reduced consumer demand on scarce goods y leading workers to spend less and the gov. encouraged Americans to use their extra cash to buy war bonds. -
War Productions Board
Ensured that the armed forces and war industries received the resources hey need to win the war. Allocated raw materials to key industries and organized drives to collect scrap iron, tin cans, paper, rags, and cooking fats for recycling into war goods.