Key People
Charles de Gaulle: After the Germans invaded France, Charles de Gaulle was appointed the under-secretary of state for defense and war. After the French surrendered on June 22, 1940, de Gaulle fled to London. In Britain, he made radio broadcasts, asking the French to continue resisting the Nazis. He soon formed the Free French forces.
Winston Churchill: After Neville Chamberlain resigned, Winston Churchill became the new British Prime Minister. His adamant refusal to give in to the pressures of the Nazis inspired British citizens. He forged a bond with United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt and communist dictator Joseph Stalin throughout World War II.
Douglas MacArthur: A trained soldier at West Point, Douglas MacArthur was appointed commander of the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific in 1942. He carried out an island-hopping campaign, in which he hoped to take control of weaker islands under Japanese control. He was also responsible for liberating the Philippines in 1944 and carrying out the Tokyo War Crime Trials.
Hirohito: Hirohito was the emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989. As the Japanese military continued its imperialist campaign leading up to the war, Hirohito was wary of the army's use of violence, especially in Nanking, China. However, he did not punish members of the military with the fear that they would force him to step down from power. After Japan joined in an alliance with Germany and Italy, Hirohito approved the decision to fight against the US.
Erwin Rommel: Under the command of Adolf Hitler, Erwin Rommel was sent to North Africa to assist the Germans with their battle against the British. He was best known for his British defeat at Gazala, followed by Tobruk in 1942. Rommel was widely respected by the Axis and the Allies.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Serving under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower lived in the Philippines from 1935 to 1939. After World War II began, he returned to Europe. In 1942, he led "Operation Torch" in North Africa. In 1943, he led the invasion of Sicily and Italy. (He would also one day become the president of the US.)
FDR: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the president of the US during the Great Depression and World War II. When war broke out in Europe, he maintained a fairly isolationist policy. However, as the war continued, he asked Congress to allow the government to increase support for the nation's ally, Great Britain. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the US declared war on Japan.
Joseph Stalin: From 1929 to 1953, Joseph Stalin served as the communist dictator of the Soviet Union. He deliberately starved peasants and collectivized agriculture in an attempt to modernize and industrialize the nation. He made a nonaggression pact with Hitler in 1939, which Germany betrayed in 1941. Stalin and his army fought against the Nazis and their invasions of the Soviet Union alongside the Allied powers.
Benito Mussolini: Benito Mussolini was the fascist dictator of Italy after becoming Prime Minister in 1922. Despite being Hitler's ally, Mussolini remained neutral when war erupted. By 1940, he decided to join the fight alongside the Nazis. Mussolini tried to seize control of territories in North Africa, but was defeated by the British forces.
Adolf Hitler: Known as one of the most notorious dictators of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was primarily responsible for the rise of Nazism in Europe, and led the invasion of Poland, which initiated World War II. Hitler's two main enemies were the communists—the Bolsheviks, in particular—and the Jews. He was also responsible for the Holocaust--the extermination of the Jews.
Chiang kai-Shek: Chiang kai-Shek was a soldier, statesman, and the leader of the Chinese nationalist government. He focused on defeating the communists and protecting China from Japanese imperialism. After the US declared war on Japan in 1941, the Chinese government allied themselves with the Allied Powers as part of the "Big Four".
Harry Truman: After Franklin Delano Roosevelt's death in 1945, Harry Truman succeeded him as president. Towards the end of World War II, Truman sought to end the fighting in the Pacific. He accepted the government's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. After the catastrophic attack, the Japanese government surrendered.
Key Terms
Anschluss: Regarding World War II, Anschluss refers to the unifying of Germany and Austria. The Social Democrats of Austria were in support of their annexation into German territory. On March 12, 1938, Adolf Hitler announced the Anschluss of Germany and Austria.
Axis Powers: The Axis Powers consisted of Germany, Italy, Japan, and Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. These powers opposed the Allied Powers during World War II.
Battle of Britain: The Battle of Britain began in 1940, and was one of the longest and largest bombing campaigns to date. The bombing took place over the United Kingdom, though there were no land invasions. The bombing marked a decisive change in World War II, for the British were titled the victors.
Battle of Iwo Jima: The island of Iwo Jima, located off the coast of Japan, was seen as a necessity to the US troops. The capture of Iwo Jima would allow for an American base to form for long distance bombing strikes on Japan. The US troops began an amphibious operation to invade and take Iwo Jima in February 1945. Although the Japanese militants of Iwo Jima were well prepared and adjusted, the American troops took control after a month of battle.
Battle of Midway: During World War II, the Battle of Midway helped end the effectiveness of the Japanese Navy. The battle took place in 1942, and the United States destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers.
Battle of Stalingrad: This battle is considered to be one of the greatest and bloodiest of World War II. It took place in the city of Stalingrad, and stopped the Germans troops from advancing. After this battle (July 17, 1942-Feb. 2, 1943 ), the war turned in favor of the Allies.
D-Day: D-Day is celebrated on June 6. The Battle of Normandy is considered to be the battle that began the end of World War II. It was an impressive amphibious assault on five beaches in France, and over 150,000 Canadian, British, and American troops attacked the Germans.
Gestapo: Led by Heinrich Himmler, the Gestapo consisted of the leaders of the Nazi Police State. This organization, under the guidance of Hitler, maintained the rules of the Nazi state through fear and violence. The Gestapo recruited young children into its league. People could be arrested under suspicion of guilt, and were often put into concentration camps.
Lebensraum: "Lebensraum", which translates to mean 'living space,' was an idea formulated by Friedrich Ratzel. Ratzel believed that humans who adapted to a different array of geographic living spaces had a better chance of surviving and could spread more easily into other lands. Hitler was a proponent of this idea, and it was his inspiration behind taking over Germany.
Manhattan Project: Using the fission process, a group of scientists came together in 1939 to explore making an atomic bomb. Albert Einstein was called in to consult, and helped present the idea to President Roosevelt. The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945 in New Mexico.
S.S.: The Schutzstaffel, or Protective Echelon, was an organization serving as Hitler’s personal bodyguards. The anti-Semitic leader of the Schutzstaffel, Heinrich Himmler, made the organization larger than it had ever been before, allowing it to become one of the most feared parties during the Nazi reign in Germany.
V-E Day: Tuesday, May 8, 1945, is known as Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of Hitler's reign in Europe. Prompted by the suicide of Hitler on April 30th, 1945, the Nazi party surrendered to the Russian and Western powers.
V-J Day: V-J Day, also known as Victory over Japan Day, marks the surrender of Japan to the Allied powers and the official ending of World War II. The surrender took place on August 14, 1945.
Wannsee Conference: On January 20, 1942, 15 Nazi officials met in Wannsee, Germany to discuss the "Final Solution to the Jewish Problem". Members of the SS were present at this conference. The "Final Solution" referred to the purposeful killings of all European Jews. It was decided that approximately 11,000,000 Jews would be murdered.
Charles de Gaulle: After the Germans invaded France, Charles de Gaulle was appointed the under-secretary of state for defense and war. After the French surrendered on June 22, 1940, de Gaulle fled to London. In Britain, he made radio broadcasts, asking the French to continue resisting the Nazis. He soon formed the Free French forces.
Winston Churchill: After Neville Chamberlain resigned, Winston Churchill became the new British Prime Minister. His adamant refusal to give in to the pressures of the Nazis inspired British citizens. He forged a bond with United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt and communist dictator Joseph Stalin throughout World War II.
Douglas MacArthur: A trained soldier at West Point, Douglas MacArthur was appointed commander of the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific in 1942. He carried out an island-hopping campaign, in which he hoped to take control of weaker islands under Japanese control. He was also responsible for liberating the Philippines in 1944 and carrying out the Tokyo War Crime Trials.
Hirohito: Hirohito was the emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989. As the Japanese military continued its imperialist campaign leading up to the war, Hirohito was wary of the army's use of violence, especially in Nanking, China. However, he did not punish members of the military with the fear that they would force him to step down from power. After Japan joined in an alliance with Germany and Italy, Hirohito approved the decision to fight against the US.
Erwin Rommel: Under the command of Adolf Hitler, Erwin Rommel was sent to North Africa to assist the Germans with their battle against the British. He was best known for his British defeat at Gazala, followed by Tobruk in 1942. Rommel was widely respected by the Axis and the Allies.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Serving under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower lived in the Philippines from 1935 to 1939. After World War II began, he returned to Europe. In 1942, he led "Operation Torch" in North Africa. In 1943, he led the invasion of Sicily and Italy. (He would also one day become the president of the US.)
FDR: Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the president of the US during the Great Depression and World War II. When war broke out in Europe, he maintained a fairly isolationist policy. However, as the war continued, he asked Congress to allow the government to increase support for the nation's ally, Great Britain. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the US declared war on Japan.
Joseph Stalin: From 1929 to 1953, Joseph Stalin served as the communist dictator of the Soviet Union. He deliberately starved peasants and collectivized agriculture in an attempt to modernize and industrialize the nation. He made a nonaggression pact with Hitler in 1939, which Germany betrayed in 1941. Stalin and his army fought against the Nazis and their invasions of the Soviet Union alongside the Allied powers.
Benito Mussolini: Benito Mussolini was the fascist dictator of Italy after becoming Prime Minister in 1922. Despite being Hitler's ally, Mussolini remained neutral when war erupted. By 1940, he decided to join the fight alongside the Nazis. Mussolini tried to seize control of territories in North Africa, but was defeated by the British forces.
Adolf Hitler: Known as one of the most notorious dictators of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. He was primarily responsible for the rise of Nazism in Europe, and led the invasion of Poland, which initiated World War II. Hitler's two main enemies were the communists—the Bolsheviks, in particular—and the Jews. He was also responsible for the Holocaust--the extermination of the Jews.
Chiang kai-Shek: Chiang kai-Shek was a soldier, statesman, and the leader of the Chinese nationalist government. He focused on defeating the communists and protecting China from Japanese imperialism. After the US declared war on Japan in 1941, the Chinese government allied themselves with the Allied Powers as part of the "Big Four".
Harry Truman: After Franklin Delano Roosevelt's death in 1945, Harry Truman succeeded him as president. Towards the end of World War II, Truman sought to end the fighting in the Pacific. He accepted the government's decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. After the catastrophic attack, the Japanese government surrendered.
Key Terms
Anschluss: Regarding World War II, Anschluss refers to the unifying of Germany and Austria. The Social Democrats of Austria were in support of their annexation into German territory. On March 12, 1938, Adolf Hitler announced the Anschluss of Germany and Austria.
Axis Powers: The Axis Powers consisted of Germany, Italy, Japan, and Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia. These powers opposed the Allied Powers during World War II.
Battle of Britain: The Battle of Britain began in 1940, and was one of the longest and largest bombing campaigns to date. The bombing took place over the United Kingdom, though there were no land invasions. The bombing marked a decisive change in World War II, for the British were titled the victors.
Battle of Iwo Jima: The island of Iwo Jima, located off the coast of Japan, was seen as a necessity to the US troops. The capture of Iwo Jima would allow for an American base to form for long distance bombing strikes on Japan. The US troops began an amphibious operation to invade and take Iwo Jima in February 1945. Although the Japanese militants of Iwo Jima were well prepared and adjusted, the American troops took control after a month of battle.
Battle of Midway: During World War II, the Battle of Midway helped end the effectiveness of the Japanese Navy. The battle took place in 1942, and the United States destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers.
Battle of Stalingrad: This battle is considered to be one of the greatest and bloodiest of World War II. It took place in the city of Stalingrad, and stopped the Germans troops from advancing. After this battle (July 17, 1942-Feb. 2, 1943 ), the war turned in favor of the Allies.
D-Day: D-Day is celebrated on June 6. The Battle of Normandy is considered to be the battle that began the end of World War II. It was an impressive amphibious assault on five beaches in France, and over 150,000 Canadian, British, and American troops attacked the Germans.
Gestapo: Led by Heinrich Himmler, the Gestapo consisted of the leaders of the Nazi Police State. This organization, under the guidance of Hitler, maintained the rules of the Nazi state through fear and violence. The Gestapo recruited young children into its league. People could be arrested under suspicion of guilt, and were often put into concentration camps.
Lebensraum: "Lebensraum", which translates to mean 'living space,' was an idea formulated by Friedrich Ratzel. Ratzel believed that humans who adapted to a different array of geographic living spaces had a better chance of surviving and could spread more easily into other lands. Hitler was a proponent of this idea, and it was his inspiration behind taking over Germany.
Manhattan Project: Using the fission process, a group of scientists came together in 1939 to explore making an atomic bomb. Albert Einstein was called in to consult, and helped present the idea to President Roosevelt. The first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945 in New Mexico.
S.S.: The Schutzstaffel, or Protective Echelon, was an organization serving as Hitler’s personal bodyguards. The anti-Semitic leader of the Schutzstaffel, Heinrich Himmler, made the organization larger than it had ever been before, allowing it to become one of the most feared parties during the Nazi reign in Germany.
V-E Day: Tuesday, May 8, 1945, is known as Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of Hitler's reign in Europe. Prompted by the suicide of Hitler on April 30th, 1945, the Nazi party surrendered to the Russian and Western powers.
V-J Day: V-J Day, also known as Victory over Japan Day, marks the surrender of Japan to the Allied powers and the official ending of World War II. The surrender took place on August 14, 1945.
Wannsee Conference: On January 20, 1942, 15 Nazi officials met in Wannsee, Germany to discuss the "Final Solution to the Jewish Problem". Members of the SS were present at this conference. The "Final Solution" referred to the purposeful killings of all European Jews. It was decided that approximately 11,000,000 Jews would be murdered.