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Hitler's Rise to Power
Adolf Hitler followed path similar to Mussolini's. In 1919, he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party-known as the Nazi Party. Soon became party's leader. Nazism-German fascism-was based on extreme nationalism. Believed in national expansion, and racial "purification". -
Mein Kampf
Written by Hitler-translated to "My Struggle". Set forth the basic beliefs of Nazism that became basic plan of action for the Nazi Party. INcluded racial "purification", uniting all Germans, and national expansion. -
Italy's Fascist Gov.
Established in Italy by Benito Mussolini, fascism stressed nationalism and placed the interests of the states over the individuals. They argued that power must rest with a single strong leader and several devoted party members. -
Soviet Union's Totalitarian Gov.
Ruled by Joseph Stalin, he focused on making the Soviet Union a model communist state-making both agricultural and industrial growth the prime goals of the S.U. He abolished private owned farms and replaced them w/ large Gov. run ones (collectives). By 1939 established totalitarian gov.-indiv. have no rights, and gov. suppresses all opinion. -
Japanese invasion of Manchuria
Nationalistic military leaders in Japan launched a surprise attack and seized Chinese province Manchuria despite protests of moderate Japanese officials. League of Nations condemned Japan so Japan quit the league. -
Storm Troopers
Hitler's private army. Made up of many of the unemployed Germans. The German people were desperate and turned to him as their last hope. -
Third Reich
In 1933 Hitler was appointed prime minister of Germany. He quickly dismantled the democratic Weimer Republic. He established the Third Reich (Third German Republic) in its place. -
Mussolini's Invasion of Ethiopia
Thousands of Italians ready to attack Ethiopia, League of Nations warned them and stated they were against unprovoked aggression. When invasion began, only ineffective boycott. Ethiopia fell in May 1936. -
Hitler's military build-up in Germany
In 1933, Hitler pulled Germany out of the League. In 1935 he started up military build up-violated Treaty of Versailles. A year later, he sent troops into the Rhineland, a German region bordering France and Belgium that was demilitarized as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. The League did nothing to stop Hitler. -
Hitler invades the Rhineland
Sent troops into the Rhineland, a German region bordering France and Belgium that was demilitarized as a result of the Treaty of Versailles. The League did nothing to stop Hitler. -
Francisco Franco
Spanish army general who rebelled against Spanish republic. Revolts broke out, Spanish civil war broke out. Hitler and Mussolini backed Franco with troops. -
Rome-Berlin Axis
German and Italian dictators grew close due to Spanish Civil War. Their signed formal alliance was called the Rome-Berlin Axis. -
Munich Agreement
Hitler invited French premier Édouard Daladier and British prime minister Neville Chamberlain to meet with him in Munich. Hitler said Sudentland would be last of Germany's territorial advances. Chamberlain and Daladier-eager to avoid war-signed the agreement, turning Sudentland over to Germany w/o a single shot fired. -
Hitler's Anschluss
Nazi propaganda term for the annexing of Austria into Nazi Germany. Germany marched in unopposed, declared unified. U.S. and other countries did nothing. -
Blitzkrieg
"lightning war". Blitzkrieg made use of advances in military technology—such as fast tanks and more powerful aircraft—to take the enemy by surprise and then quickly crush all opposition with overwhelming force. -
Britain and France declare war on Germany
Declared war 2 days after Germany attacked Poland. Major fighting was over in three weeks, long before France, Britain, and their allies could mount a defense. In the last week of fighting, the Soviet Union attacked Poland from the east, grabbing some of its territory. By the end of the month, WWII started. -
Phony war
French and British troops on the Maginot Line, a system of fortifications built along France’s eastern border (see map on p. 538), sat staring into Germany, waiting for something to happen. On the Siegfried Line a few miles away German troops stared back. The blitzkrieg had given way to what the Germans called the sitzkrieg (“sitting war”), and what some newspapers referred to as the phony war. Germany invaded Denmark,Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg, -
Nonaggression pact
Tensions over whether Germany should try and obtain Germany rose (surrounded by Soviet Union, France, Britain=no bueno) Stalin surprised everyone by signing a nonaggression pact with Hitler. Germany and Soviet union agreed not to attack eachother. Also split Poland with eachother through a secret treaty. -
Hitler's invasion of Denmark and Norway
Suddenly, on April 9, 1940, Hitler launched a surprise invasion
of Denmark and Norway in order “to protect freedom and independence.” But in truth, Hitler planned to build bases along the coasts to strike at Great Britain -
Hitler's invasion of the Netherlands
After Denmark and Norway, Hitler attacked the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Overturned by end of May. Phony war had ended. -
Germany and Italy's invasion of France
Hitler sent troops through Ardennes, region of wooden ravines in Northern France, avoiding British and French troops. Italy attacked from south. Hitler handed French officers his terms of
surrender. Germans would occupy the northern part of France, and a Nazi-controlled puppet government, headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain, would be set up at Vichy, in southern France. -
Marshal Philippe Petain
Marshal who would head the puppet-government in lower France-specifically Vichy-according to Hitler's surrender rules for France. -
The Battle of Britain
Germany launched naval and air war at same time because it can't compete with Britain's naval forces. Goal to gain control over skies by destroying Britain's Royal Air Force. The RAF used radar to destroy many German aircrafts. -
Pearl Harbor attack
Japanese dropped bombs over Pearl Harbor- largest U.S. naval base in Pacific. Killed 2,403 Americans. Wiped out nearly all of U.S. Pacific fleet. Declared war against Japan on Dec. 8th, 3 days later Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. -
Operation Torch
Churchill and Roosevelt didn't think the Allies had enough troops to attack on European soil. Launched Operation Torch- invasion of Axis-controlled North Africa. Commanded by American General Dwight D. Eisenhower. -
Lend-Lease Act
Under this plan, the president could "lend or lease arms and other supplies to any country whose defense was vital to the United States" -
Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps
Military work force needed, with this, women volunteers would work in noncombat positions in the military. Became law May 15, 1942. In July 1943, after thousands of women had enlisted, the
U.S. Army dropped the “auxiliary” status, and granted WACs full U.S. Army benefits. WACs worked as nurses, ambulance drivers, radio operators, electricians, and pilots, nearly every duty not involving direct combat. -
Internment
Confinement. War department called for internment of all Japanese in America after Pearl Harbor attack in Hawaii. Prejudice began to develop over the country. -
U.S. convoy system
Allies responded to the attacks by Britain by organizing their ships like they did in the first world war (the convoy system: merchant vessels sailed with protection by naval escorts) -
Office of Price Administration
Administration that fought inflation by freezing prices on most goods. Also raised income tax and extended it to millions of people who had never paid it before. Higher taxes reduced consumer demand on scarce goods by leaving workers with less to spend -
War Productions Board
Decided which companies would convert from peacetime to wartime production and allocated raw materials to key industries. The WPB also organized drives to collect scrap iron, tin cans, paper, rags, and cooking fat for recycling into war goods. -
Manhattan Project
Code name for the country wide's research work on the development of making an atomic bomb in a less amount of time. Much of the early project was developed at Columbia Univ., Manhattan-hence the name. -
Battle of Stalingrad
First turning point in battle. Germans took offensive in southern Soviet Union hoping to capture their oil fields. Harsh winter, Soviet Union won. Soviet Union began to move westward towards Germany. -
Unconditional surrender
Roosevelt, Churchill, and their commanders agreed that they would only accept unconditional surrender by the Axis powers. Unconditional surrender: enemy nations must accept whatever terms of peace the Allies make. -
Battle of the Atlantic
Hitler ordered submarine raids on U.S.'s east coast. Aim was to prevent was to prevent war materials and food from transporting to Great Britain and the Soviet Union. -
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 in Europe was fought less than 40 miles from Rome. This battle, “Bloody Anzio,” lasted four months until the end of May 1944 and left about 25,000 Allied and 30,000 Axis casualties. -
D-Day
Allies set up huge phantom army and said they were going to attack the port of Calais-as a result, Hitler sent a large army there. Meanwhile, the Allies went to attack Normandy-leaving the fake army behind in Calais. -
The Battle of the Bulge
German tanks drove 60 miles into Allied territory, creating a bulge in the lines that gave this desperate lastditch offensive its name, the Battle of the Bulge. As the Germans swept westward, they captured 120 American GIs near Malmédy. Nazis could do little but retreat. -
Korematsu v. United States
Case in which Supreme Court deemed the internment of Japanese Americans constitutional and was justified on the basis of "military necessity" -
Harry S. Truman
Vice President to Roosevelt, became the 33rd president on April 12, 1945 because President Roosevelt had died of a stroke. -
Death of Hitler
Germany surrendered on April 25, 1945. He married his long time companion Eva Braun. The next day he shot himself while his wife swallowed poison. -
V-E Day
General Eisenhower accepted the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich. Allies celebrated V-E Day (Victory in Europe day)
