Benito Mussolini
an italian dictator who spread a plotical movement, fascism
fascism
spread by dictators, an extreme form of patriotism and nationalism, advocating a strong nationalistic dictatorship
adolf hitler
leader of the national socialist german workers party, or the nazis, and the german dictator responsible for millions of deaths
Joseph Stalin
Communist dictator of the Soviet Union
axis
alliance of the dictators initially called the romer-berlin axis, japan later joined, the main goal was to gain territory
Neville Chamberlain
British Prime Minister who met with hitler and formed the munich agreement
Appeasement
meeting demands of a hostile power in order to avoid war
Blitzkrieg
germany style of war meaning lighting war, used to invade countries and defeat them, included the use of planes, tanks, troops, etc.
Lend-Lease Act
united states would send the allies materials and resources to the allies
Pearl Harbor
japan surprise attacked hawaiian island, causing mass destruction and killing thousands, america enters the war as a result
after germany violated the appeasement, they declared war on Germany
when did britain and france enter the war?
War Production Board
government agency that coordinated the production of military equipment
A. Phillip Randolph
African American labor leader who helped africans gain workplace rights during the war
braceros
mexican workers who were hired for farm work because of a shortage of workers, faced prejudice and violence
Tuskegee Airmen
an all african unit in the armed forces, faced prejudice
Rosie the Riveter
picture that served as a symbol of hardworking women making money and contributing to the war effort
Japanese-American Internment
because of hystreria roosevelt rounded up 110,000 japanese men, women, and children and put them in prisonlike camps
Nisei
japanese americans born in america, made up 2/3's of people rounded up in the interment
1. war bonds
2. rationing
3. draft
4. WPB
how did americs prepare for war?
d-day
150,000 allie soldiers launched the amphibious invasion of normandy, france June 6th, 1944
General Erwin Rommel
German commander in North Africa known as "desert fox", eventually defeated by Allied forces in Africa
Suez Canal
valuable sea route to asian and gave access to middle eastern oil fields wanted by British troops
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
american general who controlled allied troops that pushed back the germans in Africa and eventually helped defeat them
Stalingrad
russian city attacked by the germans, turning point of war, germans eventually surrendered
Battle of the Bulge
hitlers last big move, resulted in 200,000 casualties, pushed allied troops back to the Ardennes region and forced them to regroup
Yalta Conference
roosevelt stalin and churchill met in russia to discuss plans for after the war and europes future
Holocaust
nazis killed 6 million jews along with other ethnic groups resulting in 11 million dead, and put millions others in concentration camps treating them inhumanely
a month of fighting, then the italian government surrendered to the allies and kicked mussolini out of the government
Allies invaded Sicily, Italy and what happened?
1. stalin would declare war on Japan
2. would establish a postwar peace keeping org.
3. new types of gov. in Europe
what did the yalta conference decide?
battle of midway
battle between american and japanese navy, japan lost 250 planes and four carriers and they never recovered, turning point of war
island hopping
strategy to liberate japanese controlled islands , invaded weaker islands and then used those to attack stronger islands
Guadalcanal
first major american land victory that took six months of fighting, navajo code talkers were a huge help
Manhattan Project
secret american project during the war to build an atomic bomb
hiroshima
japanese city destroyed by an atomic bomb dropped by U.S.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
what cities were atomic bombs dropped on?
Marshall Plan
U.S. plan to help europe recover from economic crisis, gave $13 million to help
Potsdam Conference
world leaders met in germany to plan the end of the war
Nuremberg Trials
were held in germany to put war criminals on trial for there crimes against humanity
GI Bill of Rights
gave returning soldiers living allowance and payed for their schooling because of difficult job competition
United Nations
national peace keeping organization made up of 50 nations, never want history to repeat itself