1. U.S. History Final Exam Review
Mr. Cross
PART II
Semester B

2. WORLD WAR II Treaty of Versailles Adolf Hitler Josef Stalin Fascism
Ends WWI
Punishes Germany
Cripples German economy, military and society
Direct cause of WWII
Adolf Hitler
Rises to power in Germany in early 1930s
Uses public speaking skills, propaganda and manipulation of Anti-Semitic feelings to become dictator
Begins building up German military immediately
Josef Stalin
Fascist dictator of Soviet Union
Comes to power in early 1920s
Collectivizes Soviet farms, begins rapid industrialization
Fascism
Placing the needs and prosperity of the nation far above the rights and needs of the individual
Usually involves a powerful, centralized government led by a dictator

3. WORLD WAR II Course of the WWII in Europe Annexes Austria (03/1938)
Hitler begins massive buildup/rearmament of German military
Places thousands of troops in the Rhineland near France (03/1936)
Direct violation of treaty of Versailles
Annexes Austria (03/1938)
Anschluss
Another direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles
Nazi occupation of Sudetenland (Czechoslovakia) (10/1938)
Nazis conquer rest of Czechoslovakia (03/1939)
Sign Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (08/1939)
Nazi invasion of Poland (09/1939)
France and Britain declare war on Nazi Germany
Event that sparks the beginning of WWII

4. WORLD WAR II Appeasement Operation Barbarossa (06/1941) Blitzkrieg
Allied leaders allowed Hitler to build up German military, annex former territories and completely violate the Treaty of Versailles
Operation Barbarossa (06/1941)
Hitler goes back on non-aggression pact w/ Soviet Union
Begins invasion of the Soviet Union that would ultimately cost the Nazis the war
Opened a two-front war
Blitzkrieg
German for “lightning war”
Fast moving attacks using tanks, armored vehicles and aircraft
Axis Powers
Germany, Japan, Italy
Allies
U.S., Britain, Soviet Union

5. WORLD WAR II American Involvement in WWII
U.S. passes a series of Neutrality Acts in the mid-1930’s
Taking strong isolationist approach
Prohibited the sale of weapons, munitions and war related resources to nations at War
Isolationism
U.S. should avoid any entangling alliances that would pull them into another foreign war
Internationalism
U.S. should use its power and influence to “police the world”
Cash & Carry
U.S. becoming less and less isolationist
Sells weapons to Allies as long as the Allies paid cash and transported the weapons/vehicles themselves
Lend/Lease
U.S. begins lending military goods to Britain and Soviet Union in order to fight the Nazis
U.S. is clearly on the side of/aiding the Allies…

6. WORLD WAR II Japan attacks U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, HI
U.S. immediately declares war upon Japan, enters WWII
Battle of Midway
Huge naval victory for U.S. Navy against Japan
Destroyed/incapacitated four Japanese main aircraft carriers
Turned tide of war in Pacific in favor of the Allies
“Island Hopping” campaign
U.S. forces begin conquering small islands off the coast of Australia on a NW path the ultimate objective, an invasion of Japan
Guadalcanal, Kawajalein, Guam, Philipines, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima
War in Pacific ultimately ends with the use of nuclear weapons against two large Japanese industrial cities
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Codenamed “Fat Man” and “Little Boy”
As tide turns in Europe, Allies launch D-Day Invasions
“Operation Overlord,” June 6th, 1944
Beginning of the end for Germany

7. WORLD WAR II The Holocaust
Nazi genocide of over 6 million European Jews and other minorities
“Final Solution”
Concentration Camps
Prisoners sent to work, starved/worked to death
Many concentration camps built within and near Germany
Extermination/Death Camps
Prisoners sent for the purpose of being killed in large numbers using Cyanide and other poisonous gases
All Extermination camps were built outside of Germany for very specific reasons