Important Terms and People World War II Important Terms and People

Axis Powers Primarily Germany, Japan, and Italy during World War II; Mussolini said the other countries of the world would revolve around their “axis”

Allied Powers Those that opposed the Axis Powers; primarily the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, United States, Canada, China, and Australia

Allied Powers Notable People in World War II

Franklin Delano Roosevelt President of the United States from 1933 until his death in April 1945; replaced by his Vice-President Harry Truman

Harry Truman Became President of the United States in April 1945 upon the death of Franklin Roosevelt; closed out the war in Europe, and later Japan; made decision to use atomic bombs against Japan

Winston Churchill Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945; he succeeded Neville Chamberlain

Charles De Gaulle French General and leader of the Free French Forces during World War II; vowed to keep fighting after the French surrender; became Premiere of France after liberation from the Nazis in 1944

George C. Marshall U.S. Army Chief-of-Staff during WWII; later Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense

Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Commander of all allied forces in Europe during WWII

Douglas MacArthur 5 Star General of the United States Army, and Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific

George S. Patton Highly decorated 4-star Major-General of the army who served in North Africa, Sicily, France, and Germany during World War II

Omar Bradley Five-Star general of the US Army, commanded all ground forces invading Germany from the west; commanded 43 divisions (1.3M men), largest commanded under one field general

Mark Clark Distinguished 3-star general during WWII, most known for invasions of North Africa and Italy; known as the liberator of Italy

Chester W. Nimitz Was Fleet Admiral of the United States Navy, Pacific Fleet

Bernard Montgomery “Monty” was a highly decorated British Field Marshall during WWII; he commanded Allied forces in Africa, Italy, and northwest Europe

Georgy Zhukov Soviet field commander who was involved in nearly every major battle on the eastern front against Germany, including the defense of Moscow, Battle of Stalingrad, and the Battle for Berlin

Notable People in World War II Axis Powers Notable People in World War II

Isoroku Yamamoto Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy, including the attack on Pearl Harbor

Pietro Badoglio A General in the Italian army who was not in favor of Italy’s alliance with Germany; Succeeded Mussolini after his removal by the Fascist Grand Council; immediately arranged an armistice for Italy with the Allies

Heinrich Himmler Reich-Fuhrer SS, Commander of all SS divisions throughout the Reich; extreme loyalty to Hitler, one most directly responsible for the Holocaust

Hermann Goring Head of the Luftwaffe (air force) and a one-time successor to Hitler

Erwin Rommel Known as the “Desert Fox,” Rommel was a brilliant commander who led the German military campaign in North Africa; was assigned to fortify defenses for the Atlantic Wall; highly respected on both sides