1. Learning about individual battles of the war and their impact
WWII
Unit Objective
Learning about individual battles of the war and their impact

2. Early years of the war
Germany used Blitzkrieg (“Lightning War”): quickly striking an enemy hard, often by surprise
Despite being an Ally, the Soviets took the other half of Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania

3. Fall of France (1940) Fall of Maginot Line:
LINE OF FRENCH BUNKERS AND FORTS
ALONG GERMAN BORDER MEANT TO HELP
PROTECT AGAINST GERMAN INVASION;
IT WAS OVERUN BY THE GERMANS
VERY EASILY

4. One week after Battle of Dunkirk, France surrendered (many French continued to fight for Allies)
Vichy France:
German satellite state in Southern France that was given some local control; Northern France was ruled directly by Germany and had no local control

5. North Africa was dominated by Germany (Erwin Rommel, Afrika Korps) & Italy
Japanese continued to expand empire unchecked in S.E. Asia & Pacific
Germany invaded Soviet Union (1941)
Hitler wanted more “living space”, oil, & wheat
Soviets used Scorched-Earth Policy to lure Germans deep into
Soviet Union
-Just like in WWI, Germans were stranded without supplies when
Russian winter hit & were unable to finish off the Soviets

6. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941—This is an ID)
U.S. role in war before the attack:
OFFICIALLY NEUTRAL; AIDED ALLIES
Why did the Japanese attack?
  SAW U.S AS LAST OBSTACLE TO DOMINATING
PACIFIC; U.S. HAD CUT OFF JAPAN’S OIL

7. Impact of Pearl Harbor Isolationism ended overnight
FDR asked Congress to declare war on Japan
Germany and Italy declared war on America, so America declared war on them
Japan was seen as devious for attacking America while negotiating for peace
U.S. Pacific Fleet was destroyed, but its air craft carriers were out to sea at the time

8. U.S. mobilized much quicker than AXIS Powers thought it would (equaling AXIS war production within a year by itself, doubling it by the end of the war)
U.S. sent troops to Europe first, not Japan—Why?

9. EUROPE WAS ABOUT TO FALL, NEEDED TO HELP THEM FIRST
-Dwight Eisenhower:
LED U.S. FORCES IN EUROPE

10. U.S. & British troops pushed back Germans & Italians in North Africa & eventually invaded southern Italy (1943)
Prompted Italian people to overthrow Mussolini & surrender
Once progress was made in Europe, U.S. began War in the Pacific

11. Douglas MacArthur:
LED U.S. FORCES IN PACIFIC
Island Hopping:
U.S. STRATEGY OF CONQUERING ONE ISLAND
IN A CHAIN & THEN MOVING ON TO THE
NEXT ISLAND

12. Victory over Germany
Following successful Allied invasion of Normandy, France (D-Day, June 6, 1944) U.S. & British invaded Germany from west, Soviets invaded from east
Also led to the invasion of Italy from the north
Italy and then Germany eventually surrendered
-V-E Day (May, 1945):
VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY

13. Victory over Japan  
As U.S. pushed closer and closer to Japan, Japanese fought even harder to protect their homeland
President Truman (FDR had died) decided to use atomic bomb to force Japanese surrender (would have cost too many American lives to invade)
Hiroshima & Nagasaki (August, 1945)
V-J Day (August, 1945):
VICTORY IN JAPAN DAY

14. Which Ally actually took over other countries during the early years of WWII?
Britain
France
Soviet Union
Germany
Italy

15. What was different about French resistance during WWII from what it had been in WWI?
It was stronger and France never fell
It was weaker and France fell very early in the war
France fell very early in the war but a French resistance force continued to fight an the Allied side

16. What was “Vichy France”?
The name Germany gave to France after taking it over
The name for the Southern part of France that was run by a puppet government controlled by Germany
The name for Northern France which was ruled directly by Germany

17. Who used the “Scorched Earth Policy”?
Soviets
Germans
Italians
Americans
Japanese

18. What was the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Why did U. S
What was the date of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Why did U.S. troops go to Europe first? Who led U.S. forces in Europe? The Pacific? What was “Island-Hopping”?

19. What was the objective of the D-Day Invasion?
To liberate France from German control
To liberate Belgium from German control
To force Mussolini to surrender
To force Japan to surrender

20. What was the “official” reason the U. S
What was the “official” reason the U.S. used the atomic bomb to end WWII?
To save American lives
To save Japanese lives
To send a message to the Soviets
Revenge for Pearl Harbor