Transcript WWII Vocabulary Terms

An economic
condition when
money loses its
value and prices
rise.

Ex: This happened to the German
money due to the high war
reparations of the Versailles
Treaty. Germany printed more
money; making their currency
worthless.
A leader who rules
with total
authority in a
cruel or brutal
manner.
Individual human
rights and
freedoms are
restricted.



“National
Socialist
German
Workers’ Party.”
Hitler’s fascist
party.
Government
during WWII.
A political
philosophy in
which total
power is given
to a dictator and
individual
freedoms are
denied.
Ex: Hitler took away the right to
protest or speak out against the
government, eliminated the “free
press,” and took the lives of over
6 million men, women, and
children thought to be “inferior”
in his eyes.
Accepting
demands in
order to avoid
conflicts.
Ex: Britain and France thought
that they could avoid war by
accepting Germany’s
demands. In 1936, they signed
a treaty allowing Hitler to
take Austria & part of
Czechoslovakia.
A government in
which all
economic and
social activity
is controlled
by totalitarian
leaders and
one powerful
political party.
Great
Britain,
the USA,
the USSR,
and
France.
Germany,
Italy,
and
Japan.
Site of
Japanese
surprise
attack on
December 7,
1941

Caused USA to
enter WWII
The U.S. helped
Great Britain by
supplying
ammunition &
old warships in
exchange for
several military
bases in
Bermuda & the
Caribbean.
Consumers could
buy only certain
number of goods
so that the
majority of these
goods could be
sent abroad to aid
in the war effort.
i.e. shoes, gasoline, tires,
sugar, and meat.
A fictional
character
appearing on
government
posters
encouraging
women to help in
the war effort.

“She” symbolized the
many women working
in war-time jobs.
Fearful of
Japanese spies,
more than
100,000 West
Coast Japanese Americans were
sent to detention
centers.

Located mostly in desert areas,
these camps were crowded,
harsh, uncomfortable, and
stripped American citizens of
their civil liberties.
An often negative
preconceived
opinion or
feeling towards
someone due to
race, gender,
religion, or
anything else.
Hitler’s “Final Solution.”
Genocide* (systematic
killing) of European Jews
and others by the Nazis
during World War II.
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Over 6 million people including Jews,
Soviet prisoners of war, Poles, Gypsies,
and people with handicaps – were
ruthlessly killed.
*Genocide - The systematic and widespread
extermination or attempted extermination of
an entire national, racial, religious, or ethnic
group
Prison and
work
camps for
civilians.

Thousands were made
virtual slaves and were
forced to work until they
became sick or died. Most
who entered these camps
never made it out alive.
Hatred,
hostility, and
discrimination
toward and
against Jews.

Hitler and the Nazis party
portrayed the German people as
superior to all others. Much of
their anger was directed against
Jews. Unspeakable horrors were
done to these people.
The belief that
a “pure”
blood
German with
blonde-hair
and blue eyes
was superior
to all other
races.
This country
borders the
Soviet Union
and Germany.
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On September 1, 1939,
Hitler’s armies attacked
this country and claimed
it for Nazi Germany.
Official start of WW II.
June 6, 1944: the
largest combined
land-sea-air invasion
in history to begin
the liberation of
France from German
occupation.
The turning point on
the western front
and the beginning of
the end war in
Europe.

Code name: Operation
Overlord.
Two Japanese
cities where
the U.S.
dropped
atomic
bombs
ending WWII.
February 1943, Soviet
victory (ousting
Germans) marked a
major turning point
in the war for the
Allies on the
eastern front.

Thousands died in this long and
bloody battle. Germans were outgunned due to the United States
constant supply of weapons to the
Soviets. German supplies were cut
off. German troops were starving,
and suffering the effects of the harsh
Soviet winter.
This was the first
major Japanese
defeat and the
turning point of
the war in the
Pacific.

The U.S. navy destroyed
four Japanese aircraft
carriers and hundreds of
airplanes.
August – October
1940: Germans
bombed British
shipyards,
industries, & cities,
destroying entire
neighborhoods,
killing many
civilians.

British Royal Air Force
defense forced Hitler to end
the air attacks resulting in
a British victory.
He used the anger
over the Treaty of
Versailles and the
depression in
Germany to grab
power in the 1920s.
He wanted an allpowerful German
Empire, believed in
Aryan supremacy,
and blamed the
Jewish people for
the loss of WWI.
His evil reign of
power lasted 12
years.
He used unrest and
economic instability
in Italy to grab
power in the 1920s.
Opposed to
democracy, because
he felt it “divided”
the nation, this
fascist dictator
allowed no criticism
of his government
and controlled the
army and the
schools.
He was military
general and Prime
Minister of Japan
from 1941 – 1944.
In order to secure
new territories and
natural resources
for Japan, the
country invaded
Nanking, China and
killed around one
million unarmed
citizens.
Great Britain – urged
Britain to re-arm
after Hitler’s
election in 1933. In
1939 said Britain
and France should
form a military
alliance with the
Soviet Union. Was
appointed Prime
Minister in 1940 and
led Britain with
great courage.
He pushed for
economic support of
the Allies with the
Lend Lease program,
while trying to keep
his campaign promise
to neutral. After the
Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor, he
urged Congress to
declare war on
Japan.
President FDR was
elected to serve a
4th term and
chose this man as
his vice president.
After Roosevelt’s
sudden death, he
became President
and the decision
to drop the atomic
bomb on Japan
fell to him.
The tyrannical
dictator of the
Soviet Union
(USSR) who first
supported the Axis
Powers. His
country joined the
Allies in 1941 after
a non-aggression
pact with Germany
was violated by a
German invasion.