Text of the World War II Review
Name two places Hitler took territory before the war started.
Czechoslovakia, Austria, Rhineland
What event started the war in Europe?
Germany’s invasion of Poland
How long did it take Germany to conquer Western Europe at the start of the war?
9 months (9/39-6/40)
What was the Battle of Britain?
massive German air raids over a period of months in 1940
What law allowed us to provide supplies for Great Britain while remaining
neutral?
Lend-Lease Act
What was the Atlantic Charter?
An agreement on war goals between Churchill and Roosevelt signed in 8/41 (before
we entered the war
What were two ways the Germans tried to sink U.S. ships in the Atlantic?
mines and U-Boats
What event brought us into the war?
Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Name one piece of evidence that suggests the government knew the Japanese were
going to attack Pearl Harbor.
Tension with Japan, no carriers in port
What kind of things were Japanese-Americans forced to leave behind when they
were interned?
homes, businesses, most of personal possessions
How did WWII solve the problems of the Great Depression?
boosted production & wages, created full employment
Name one problem faced by Rosie the Riveter.
wage gap, fired for flirting, sexual harassment, little day care
Name a military organization that women joined to support the war effort.
WACS, WAFS, WAVES
How did our army handle soldiers of different races?
placed them in segregated units
How did the federal government raise money for the war effort?
Selling war bonds
Name two goods that were rationed during WWII.
rubber, gasoline, sugar, flour, meat products
Name three common themes of U.S. propaganda.
join the armed forces, buy war bonds, don’t spread info, do your part (ration,
car pool, etc.)
What is the greatest single example of racial tension on the home front?
Zoot Suit Riots
What offensive operation by the Germans eventually helped lead to their
downfall?
invasion of the USSR
How long did it take the Japanese to establish control of the entire Western
Pacific?
5 months (12/41-4/42)
What happened to most of the U.S. troops that were forced to surrender on the
Philippines in April of 1942?
Bataan Death March (10,000+ casualties)
What two kinds of fighting were most common in the Pacific?
naval air battles & amphibious assaults (island hopping)
What battle was considered the turning point in the Pacific?
Midway
Where did Douglas MacArthur “return” in 8/44?
the Philippines
On which island did the Marines raise the flag over Mt. Surabachi?
Iwo Jima
Where did the Japanese resort to the greatest amount of kamikaze activity? Why
was this island geographically significant?
Okinawa, less than 500 miles from Japan
What was the name of the program to create the A-Bomb? Where did many of it’s
scientists come from?
Manhattan Project, Europe – which they left because of anti-Semitism
What was Truman’s alternative to dropping the Bomb?
massive land invasion
On what two cities was the A-Bomb dropped?
Hiroshima & Nagasaki
Identify two things that were controversial about the use of the A-Bomb.
used on civilians, radiation, start arms race, unknown effects
Where did we enter the fighting in the war against Germany?
North Africa
Where was our next major campaign after winning in North Africa? Why was it
difficult to fight there?
Sicily (Italy), rugged mountainous terrain
What did we use to attack German manufacturing and military centers from 1942
until the end of the war?
Long range Bombers
Who was pushing us to open up a second front against the Germans in 1943?
Stalin and the Soviets
What invasion marked the beginning of the end for the Germans in Europe?
D-Day/Operation Overlord
What was so difficult about attacking Omaha beach on D-Day?
Faced a big cliff and a shallow beach
What was the last major German counter attack?
Battle of the Bulge
Name a hazard faced by U.S. troops after they invaded Normandy and were headed
into Germany.
land mines, hedgerows, sniper fire
Name the general in charge of U.S. and Allied forces in Europe.
Eisenhower
Identify two of the key issues discussed by the big 3 at Yalta.
fate of eastern Europe, help vs. Japan, German reparations