charles de gaulle
French general and statesman who became very popular during World War II as the leader of the Free French forces in exile (1890-1970)
winston churchill
A noted British statesman who led Britain throughout most of World War II and along with Roosevelt planned many allied campaigns. He predicted an iron curtain that would separate Communist Europe from the rest of the West.
general bernard montgomery
British General; stopped Rommel's advance in the Battle of El Alamein
Dwight D. Eisenhower
leader of the Allied forces in Europe then was elected to be Pres. of the USA
erwin rommel
German field marshal noted for brilliant generalship in North Africa during World War II (1891-1944)
petain
Replaced Nivelle and restored discipline in the French army. Waiting for the Americans and tanks to arrive. British resumed a major part of the burden in maintaining the Front.
francisco franco
Spanish general whose armies took control of Spain in 1939 and who ruled as a dictator until his death (1892-1975)
, Fascist leader of the Spanish revolution, helped by Hitler and Mussolini
franklin d. roosevelt
Was elected president of the US by an overwhelming majority in 1932, introduced the New Deal, and led the US through most of WWII.
douglas macarthur
United States general who served as chief of staff and commanded Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II
Non-aggression Pact
1939-Secret agreement between German leader Hitler and Soviet Leader Stalin not to attack one another and to divide Poland
September 1st, 1939
Germany invades Poland, thus beginning World War II
the polish corridor
Strip of Polish territory that cut through Germany
axis powers
in World War II, the nations of Germany, Italy, and Japan, which had formed an alliance in 1936.
blitzkreig
Lighting Wars" type of fast-moving warfare used by German forces against Poland in 1939
battle of britain
an aerial battle fought in World War II in 1940 between the German Luftwaffe (air force), which carried out extensive bombing in Britain, and the British Royal Air Force, which offered successful resistance.
atlantic charter
1941-Pledge signed by US president FDR and British prime minister Winston Churchill not to acquire new territory as a result of WWII amd to work for peace after the war
phony war
was a phase in early World War II marked by few military operations in Continental Europe, in the months following the German invasion of Poland and preceding the Battle of France. Although the great powers of Europe had declared war on one another, neither side had yet committed to launching a significant attack, and there was relatively little fighting on the ground
Anti-Comintern Treaty
between Germany and Japan, signed in 1936, to block the spread of Soviet communism by the -> Comintern. In a secret clause they also agreed they would stay neutral if either went to war with the USSR. Italy joined the Pact in 1937.
rescue at dunkirk
May 1940, Germans trapped Allied forces, forced Belgium to surrender, British troops evacuated to Dunkirk, Great Britain sent 850 ships to save the troops
operation barbarossa
Codename for Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II -- led to USSR joining the Allies
el alamein
Town in Egypt, site of the victory by Britain's Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery over German forces led by General Erwin Rommel (the 'Desert Fox') in 1942-1943.
battle of stalingrad
a 1942-1943 battle of World War II, in which German forces were defeated in their attempt to capture the city of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union thanks to harsh winter --> turning point of war in Eastern Europe
vichy
Puppet state established by Germany in southern france after the German invasion
luftwaffe
the German airforce
neutrality acts
4 laws passed in the late 1930s that were designed to keep the US out of international incidents
d-day
allied forces under dwight d. eisenhower landed on the beaches of normandy in history's greatest naval invasion.
operation overload
(FDR) , Name given to the planned Allied invasion of France, the code name of the attack that they planned against Germany were they surround them so they have no chance of winning aka D-day
normandy
where the Allies land on June 6, 1944, D-Day also, a region in northwestern France on the English channel.
lend-lease act
allowed sales or loans of war materials to any country whose defense the president deems vital to the defense of the U.S-help allies out.
battle of the bulge
December, 1944-January, 1945 - After recapturing France, the Allied advance became stalled along the German border. In the winter of 1944, Germany staged a massive counterattack in Belgium and Luxembourg which pushed a 30 mile "bulge" into the Allied lines. The Allies stopped the German advance and threw them back across the Rhine with heavy losses.
ve day
May 8, 1945; victory in Europe Day when the Germans surrendered
vj day
Victory over Japan day" is the celebration of the Surrender of Japan, which was initially announced on August 15, 1945