The Second World War 1939-1945
Which countries were involved in World War II?
The Second World War was fought between two rival groups of states, Axis powers and Allied powers. The major Axis powers were Germany, Japan, and Italy while the main Allied powers, also known as Allies, were Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
What is total war?
In such a devastating conflict, the scramble to secure new resources constantly exacerbated the fighting. The term used to describe this tendency is total war—a war without limits involving the mobilization of a country’s entire human, intellectual, economic, and technical resources.
When did the Second World War begin?
The Second World War began with the German attack on Poland on September 1,1939
What is the Luftwaffe?
The Luftwaffe is a German Air Force.
What is ‘Blitzkrieg’?
On September 1, German troops crossed the Polish frontier. Adolf Hitler’s method in Poland was called ‘Blitzkrieg’—a lightning war.
What was the Enigma used for?
Britain succeeded in breaking the German code machine, the Enigma, which was used by all branches of the German armed forces, military intelligence, the SS and police, merchant vessels, and railways with Ultra, its code-breaking operation.
What did Lend-Lease Act authorize the president?
In March 1941, the US Congress passed the ingenious Lend-Lease Act, which authorized the president to put American resources at the disposal of any state whose defense he regarded as necessary for American security.
What is Atlantic Charter?
In mid-August 1941, on a battleship at Newfoundland, Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to issue a public document known as the Atlantic Charter, a joint Anglo-American commitment to a post-war world order. Its principles included “respect[ing] the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live… and [their] wish to see sovereign rights and self-government restored to those who have been forcibly deprived of them” (Rich, 2003:258-259). The Charter also referred to the establishment of a wider and permanent organization for international security, i.e. the United Nations (UN).
Which countries signed the Tripartite Pact?
Japan, Germany, and Italy signed the Tripartite Pact.
When did World War II end?
World War II ended in 1945.
Where was the firs atomic bomb dropped on?
The first was an atomic bomb they dropped on Hiroshima when General Carl Spaatz, commander of the US Army Strategic Air Force in the Pacific, was given the order on 25 July to drop two atomic bombs on select Japanese cities after August 3.
Why did the U.S. choose Hiroshima for first atomic bomb?
The first was Hiroshima, chosen because it was large and had not suffered from earlier military attacks.
What is Big Three?
Between 1943 and 1945, the major Allied powers, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union, soon known as the Big Three, met at a series of conferences to decide upon the fate of the post-war international system.
Who are the leaders of the Big Three?
The leaders of the Big Three are Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill.
What was the main points discussed at the Yalta Conference?
In February 1945 Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill met again to discuss the political problems of post-war Europe in the Crimean town of Yalta. The main points discussed at the Yalta Conference (February 4-11, 1945) were as follows:
• the establishment of the United Nations,
• the partition of Germany and reparation payments,
• the settlement of Polish issue,
• whether and under what conditions the Soviet Union would enter the war against Japan.
What was the name of the Battle of Kursk?
Operation Citadel was the name of the Battle of Kursk.
When and why did Japan, Germany, and Italy sign the Tripartite Pact?
Japan, Germany, and Italy signed the Tripartite Pact in September 1940 to support one another in any war with another power.
When did Operation Barbarossa begin?
On the morning of June 22, 1941, Operation Barbarossa began.
Against which country did Britain and the Soviet Union sign a pact of mutual assistance?
On July 12, Britain and the Soviet Union signed a pact of mutual assistance against Germany.
When was Atlantic Charter signed?
In mid-August 1941, on a battleship at Newfoundland, Churchill and Roosevelt agreed to issue a public document known as the Atlantic Charter, a joint Anglo-American commitment to a post-war world order.