World War II Vocabulary

Dictator Leader who controls his country by force

Fascism Extreme nationalism and racism

Anti-Semitism Hatred of Jews

Totalitarian A single party and its leader suppress all opposition and control all aspects of people’s lives.

Appeasement Trying to avoid war by giving another country something they want in order to make them happy.

Britain and France tried to appease Hitler by giving him the Sudetenland (shown above in orange.)

Blitzkrieg “lightening war” or a surprise attack that comes without notice

Lend-Lease Allowed Americans to sell, lend, or lease arms or other war supplies to any nation considered “vital to the defense of the United States.” Amount of money given by the United States as a result of the Lend-Lease Act.

Disarmament Giving up military weapons MORE THAN 200 Japanese planes are destroyed at Omura as part of the Allied disarmament program.

Mobilization Military and civilian preparations for war

Ration Consumers only buying limited numbers of resources and goods needed for the war effort

Internment Camps Camps where Japanese Americans were placed during WWII. They were crowded and uncomfortable with harsh conditions.

D-Day June 6, 1944 The day the Allied forces landed on the coast of Normandy and established a foothold in Europe.

Genocide Wiping out an entire group of people

Holocaust The killing of 6 million Jews by Nazi Germany

Island Hopping The U.S. would attack and capture certain key islands and then use these islands as bases for leapfrogging to others as they moved closer to the Philippines and Japan.

Kamikaze Suicide pilots who crashed planes loaded with explosives into American ships

I'm sitting here in the cramped living quarters aboard a Japanese air craft carrier in the room of Cadet Jun Nomoto, asking him about his next mission at Pearl Harbor, knowing that he will not return, for his duty in the Japanese military is a kamikaze pilot. Are you feeling any regret in the position in witch you chose? "I consider it an honor to die for my emperor, and country" he replies. Who do you think will win this bloody battle? "We die in battle with out complaint. I wonder if those not in uniform would do the same. Only then can Japan have any prospect of winning." How does your family feel about your decision to become a kamikaze pilot?

"My family supports my decision because they realize that dying for my country is a great honor" he solemnly replies. How many other men have volunteered for this position? "At least 5,000. These men are being highly looked upon." How do you feel about the United States? "I feel attacking Pearl Harbor is the right thing to do because they have cut off important oil exports to Japan." Do you have any last words? "Death and I are waiting...I shall die watching the pathetic struggle of our nation." "Now if you'll excuse me, I must go say my prayers, and load my plane with explosives."

U.S. ship badly damaged by a kamikaze attack.

Okinawa is the most important island in the Ryukyu Group, only 360 miles from Kyushu. If Iwo Jima may have seemed tough for the US Navy, when compared to the invasion of Okinawa it was a Sunday School picnic. Here, Japanese Kamikaze Aircraft held command, they killed almost 5,000 Navy personnel, the greatest number to die in a single Pacific Battle. 34 Allied ships sunk, another 368 damaged, in the main, at the hands of the deadly Kamikaze. It was the last, and bloodiest battle of the whole war in the Pacific. The task force off Okinawa under Kamikaze attack