Flashcard library · AP World History
World History: World War II
This flashcard deck covers the essential events, figures, and concepts of World War II, perfect for students seeking to master the most frequently tested material. From the war's origins and key battles to its major leaders and lasting consequences, these cards provide concise and accurate summaries to boost your understanding.
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What event started World War II in Europe?
Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939; Britain and France declared war two days later.
Who were the three main Axis powers?
Germany, Italy and Japan.
What was appeasement?
Britain and France giving in to some of Hitler's demands to avoid war, as at Munich in 1938.
What brought the United States into the war?
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
What was Blitzkrieg?
Germany's "lightning war": fast, concentrated attacks by tanks with air support.
Why was Stalingrad (1942–1943) a turning point?
The Soviet victory destroyed a German army and began the push west on the Eastern Front.
What was the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy?
Operation Overlord; the landings on June 6, 1944 are known as D-Day.
Who commanded the Allied forces for the Normandy invasion?
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force.
Who were the Big Three at Yalta?
Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.
What was the Holocaust?
The Nazi regime's systematic murder of six million Jews, along with millions of others it targeted.
What did the Lend-Lease Act (1941) do?
Let the United States supply weapons and materials to Allied nations before it entered the war.
What was island hopping?
The US strategy in the Pacific of bypassing strongly held Japanese islands to take strategic ones for airbases.
What was the Manhattan Project?
The secret US-led program, with Britain and Canada, that built the first atomic bombs.
Which Japanese cities were destroyed by atomic bombs?
Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945).
Which organization was founded in 1945 to keep international peace?
The United Nations.