World War II Study Guide

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World War II Study Guide

World War II Study Guide

Russian revolution- pre-revolutionary Russia only true autocracy (dictatorship) left in Europe; no representative government, Nicholas II became czar in 1884, Alexandra is Nicholas’s wife and is even more blindly committed to autocracy, she was under the influence of Rasputin, helped her son with hemophilia, scandals surrounding Rasputin served to discredit the monarchy, military is last support for the czar, corrupt military leadership had contempt for ordinary Russian people, average peasants had very little invested in the war, Nicholas left the front September 1915, mass desertions and 2 million casualties, Alexandra and Rasputin throw the government into chaos communism- opposite of capitalism, working class revolution that gives ownership and control of wealth and property to the state, every is “equal”

March revolution- March 12, riots and strikes, Duma declared itself provisional government, czar ordered soldiers to intervene, instead they joined the rebellion, the czar thus abdicated on March 17, middle class controls provisional government, leftists (socialists, communists) in St. Petersburg formed the Petrograd Soviet, provisional government continues to fight war which is a big mistake, people are fed up with war, radical socialists take charge, Bolsheviks led by Lenin create the Soviet Political Ideology, more radical and revolutionary than the provisional government, most influenced by Marxist (governed my workers) socialism; emulated western socialism, 2 factions (Mensheviks lead by Czar vs. Bolsheviks more radical and no monarchy)

November revolution- 1917, Lenin and Bolsheviks take control of provisional government in a bloodless takeover, gets Russia out of WW1, a civil war followed 1917-1920, “Reds” Bolsheviks vs. “Whites” Mensheviks, complete breakdown of Russian economy and society, eventually czar and family killed, Reds win war and the government controls all aspects of life, government run by communist party even though elected legislature exists, economy experiences recovery soon after exit from war then Lenin dies in 1924 and no clear leader left behind, Stalin takes control

Lenin- leader of Bolsheviks, has a tremendously charismatic personality, “Peace, Land and Bread”, preached that war was a capitalist/imperialist war that offered no rewards for the peasants/workers, he also felt the war was over with the czar’s abdication- Bolshevik party membership exploded, their power was consolidated and located in cities

Stalin- takes control of Soviet Union, dictator that turns Russia into industrialized nation, huge production of steel, mining, coal, and transportation, collectivization of agriculture (government takes over all ownership of farms), huge farms owned by groups of peasants, controls the production and prices, Great Purge: many Soviets are sent to labor camps in Siberia, military leaders, old Bolsheviks, and enemies of Stalin are the main targets of 4+ million victims fascism- a combination of unhappiness with Paris Peace Conference, rising taxes and unemployment, and revolution in Russia spur division in Italy, extreme nationalism  everything done for the state

Benito Mussolini- emerges as a powerful opponent to socialism and the current government, supports extreme nationalism, restores order, gains power and is appointed Prime Minister of Italy through force, nicknamed Il Duce black shirts- Mussolini’s gangs, gain power in Italy life in Fascist Italy- Government controls economy but retains capitalism unlike Russia, comes at expense of workers not business, Italian economy grows significantly, rise of youth groups to promote fascist ideology, training them to serve military and country- expansion abroad to show glory of Italy, became a model for future Totalitarian countries, originally Italy and Il Duce are admired abroad for restoring order, this will change

Weimar Republic- democracy in Germany after WW1, weak government plagued by constant changes in parties and power, blamed for terrible Versailles Treaty issues, inflation is causing economic crisis, huge price rises, 100 marks in 1922 = 944,000 marks in 1923;, 10,000 mark for loaf of bread, due to destruction from war and reparations (hyperinflation)

German economic recovery and collapse- inflation cause economic crisis, eventually reparations reduce under the Dawes Plan and reoccupy Ruhr, Germany begins to recover but then Great Depression hits worldwide

Adolf Hitler- born in Austria, originally tried to be an artist but rejected, also became very anti-Semitic, moves to Germany, fights in WW1 for Germany, despises Weimar Republic because of Versailles and economic collapse, becomes leader of the Nationalist Socialist Workers Party (Nazi Party), tries to overthrow government, wrote Mein Kampf: My Struggle, written by he was in jail for trying to overthrow government

Hitler’s rise to power- promotes idea of extreme nationalism, Ant-Semitism, and superior race (Aryans), leaves prisons and restores rallies, promises jobs, end of reparations, and remilitarism, many join his cause because of Great Depression, blame failure of economy on Weimar Republic and Jews, Nazi Party is largest in Reichstag and Hitler becomes Chancellor, starts huge public works program and building up military, campaign against Jews, Kristallnacht = Night of Broken Stars, government takes control of all aspects of life youth groups and secret police, urge all aspects of culture that counter Nazism

Holocaust- full discovery not known until end of war, 6 million Jews died because convicted of bad German issues appeasement- giving into demand to avoid threat

Spanish Civil War- monarchy abolished, democratic government, new government cracks down on church, fascists led by military and Francisco Franco challenge new government, Francisco called nationalists, supported by Germany and Italy, government called loyalists, support from Soviet Union, many atrocities committed by Nationalists, eventually Franco and Nationalists win

Francisco Franco- challenged new government, was a Nationalist, supported by Germany and Italy, committed many atrocities, won Spanish and Civil War

Nationalists vs. Loyalists- nationalists: Francisco  supported by Germany and Italy, loyalists: government  support from Soviet Union, Nationalists commit many atrocities, Nationalists win

Rhineland Remilitarization- 1936 Germany takes back Rhineland

Anschluss- 1938 Germany conquers Austria

Sudetenland- 1938 British and France allow Germany to take it and Munich Conference

Nazi Soviet Pact- surprised to the world, communists vs. fascists, split Poland invasion of Poland- Britain and France agreed to protect Poland under all conditions, Germany invades Poland, Britain and France declare war on Germany, this is what launched the war Blitzkrieg- April 1940 Germany starts “lightning war”, takes Denmark, Norway, Belgium and Netherlands

German and Italian conquest of Europe- May-June 1940 France falls, Germany conquers Northern France, leaves Southern France for German supports, Vichy France

Battle of Britain (London Blitz)- Germany excessively bombs Britain, London resists, radar invention, Hitler fails

Radar: invented during London Blitz, could detect when planes were coming

Operation Barbarossa- June 1941, Germany invades Russia,- big mistake

Leningrad and Stalingrad- Stalingrad: 1942-1943 Germany is defeated in Russia, 300,000 German casualties

Japanese aggression- Japanese believe they should control all of Asia, 1931 Japan takes Manchuria and Korea, Japanese leave League of Nations

Pearl Harbor- US naval base on Hawaii, December 7 1941 Japanese surprise attack, 2,400 Americans died, US declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy declare war on US oil and Dutch East Indies- Dutch East Indies filled with oil, Japanese want it, bomb Philippines and Pearl Harbor

Operation Torch- 1942-1943, allies invade North Africa, take “underbelly” of axis

Invasion of Italy- Operation Torch bring allies into Italy, takes Italy

D-Day- June 6, 1944: allies in Britain invade France, August 1944 France is free

Battle of the Bulge- Germans rammed through allies’ forces, works at first but no backup, Russia pushes back midway- 1942 Americans win, Japanese fleet is severely damaged

Coral Sea- 1942 save Australia, Americans win

“Island Hopping”- 1942-1945 go from island to island to reach Japan, Guadalcanal- Philippines- Iwojima- Okinawa; 1000 Japanese deaths atomic bomb- August 6, 1945 America drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima, President Truman decides this, August 8, 1945 Russia declares war on Japan, invade Manchuria, August 9,1945 America drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki kamikaze- Japanese still have 2 million person army, go full force to end war, people get in planes and commit suicide surrender of Japan- August 10, 1945 Japan surrenders to America, end of war war crime trials- leaders in Germany, Italy and Japan are put on trial, many are convicted and some executed United Nations- new organization created to replace League of Nations to promote peace and diplomacy, General Assembly each country gets one vote, Security Council: ensure peace; 5 permanent members US, UK, France, China, and USSR; can veto any decision of the council, tackles many global issues, has power of peacekeeping troops to enforce UN decision allies divide- rift begins between western allies (US, UK, France) and Soviet Union, ideological differences emerge West (capitalism, democracy) and East (communism, dictatorship), soviets occupy Eastern Europe (Stalin wants Buffer Zone between Germany and Russia), Stalin promises free elections but these either don’t happen or are rigged for communist victories, Western nations now see communism and its spread as a threat containment- President Truman, stop communism from spreading at key locations

Marshall Plan- to rebuild Europe, including Germany, to promote democracy and capitalism

NATO- builds up huge arsenal weapons including nukes, Western military alliance

Warsaw Pact- East military alliance, builds up huge arsenal weapons including nukes

East/West Germany and East/West Berlin- Germany is split into 2 countries, West Germany and East Germany, the city of Berlin is divided but located completely in West Germany

Big 3 Allies- America (FDR), Russia (Stalin), Britain (Churchill)

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