Totalitarianism & World War 2 – Flashcards

describes a government that takes total, centralized control over every aspect of public and private life. Leaders of this gov were feared by all people.

state control of individual, harsh methods of enforcement, modern technology (guns and nuclear bombs) , state control of society, dictatorship and one-party rule, being a dynamic leader and ideology.

Stalin

instruction in the govs beliefs - To mold peoples mind. Needed to convince all citizens that their loyalty and support are required.

One sided info to persuade someone. Used it to sway people to accept certain beliefs. Saying info was wrong was an act of treason.

Not allowing people to see or say certain things. The government did not tolerate creativity. Many people fell victim.

Stalin spread propaganda that religion was superstition.- many police destroyed churches and sent away religious leaders. Also Hitler was responsible for the death of many jews.

Totalitarian rulars created "enemies of the state" who are blamed for things that go wrong. Usually "enemies" were members of a specific religious or ethnic group. Forced to certain areas with special rules.

1937- a campaign of terror directed at eliminating anyone who threatend Stalins power. millions of people stood trial and were executed to concentration camps. When GP ended in 1938, stalin had total control of the soviet gov and communist party.

a system in which the gov made all economic decisions

Outlined by Stalin. Plan for the developement of the soviet unions economy. Set impossibly high goals, gov limited production of consumer goods in order to achieve goals therefor there were shortages, but it did have impressive economic resluts. During this time many woman entered the labor forces.

in 1928 Stalin took over 25 million privately owned farms in the USSR and combined them to create collective farms. 100s of people worked to produce food for the state. Resistance in collective farms was high among kulaks.

class of wealthy peasants from Ukraine. Fought gov bc they didnt want them to take their land.

A new militant political movement that emphasizes loyalty to the state and obidience to its leader. Also believed that a nation must struggle because peaceful states were doomed to be conquered. Similar to communism because both had dictator, one-party rule, and denied individual rights.

Viewed by fascists as bitter because it didn't give them as much land as they wanted after World War I. And Germans didn't like it because it blamed them for World War I as well.

Politician and military leader who boldly promised to rescue italy by revivning its economy and rebuilding its armed forces. Vowed to give Italy strong leadership. Founded Facist Party in 1919, and its popularity grew as the economy weakened. Publically critisized Italian gov and played off the fear of workers. Became Il Duce.

A little known political leader whose early life had been marked by disapointment. Joined Nazi party. Later became leader of this party. Sent to jail when trying to take over Munich. When he got out of jail, he revised the nazi party, he was ignored until the US went through the Great Depression and could no longer pay loans to Germany. Thats when people turned to him for help because they wanted change and he promised that. Became Chancellor. Dropped unemployment rate from 6 mil to 1.5 mil. HATED jews. Created lots of Propaganda.

German brand of Fascism. Nation Socialist German Workers Party. Wanted to overturn treaty of Versailles and combat communism. Hated jews. Hatred led to anti-semantism

hat hitler wrote while he was in jail. Translated to My Struggle. Set forth belief and goals for Germany. Said Germany was a master race, and non germans were inferior. Also said Germany was over crowed and needed lebensraum.

Living Space

An elite black uniform unit loyal only to Hitler. They arrested and killed 1000s of Hitlers enemies. Shocked Germans into Total obiedience.

1938- When Nazis attacked mobs of Jews in the street and stormed jewish homes, business and synagogues. Translates to "Night of Broken Glass."

Invaded Manchuria- northwest province of China which was against the Japanese Parliament and League of Nations wishes.

Leader of Japan. Militarists who took over still let the emperor rule in his name

Wanted to solve the countries economic problems through foriegn expansion. Extreme nationalist so they let emperor still rule to keep support of army. Invaded Manchuria against Parliament and League of Nations wishes.

Wanted their Iron and Coal. Seized it against parliaments objections. First direct challenge to League of Nations

Border incident caused full scale war between Japan and China. China's army was no match to the Skillful japanese. Japs captured many major cities including Beijing and Nanjing.

Since Invading Manchuria Upsetted the League of Nations, they protested against Japs. They ignored the protest and dropped out of the league in 1933.

Mussolini attacks Ethiopia, one of the three independent African Nations

Ethiopians had successfully resisted the Itlalians for a long time annd now Mussolini ordered a massive invasion of Ethiopia in October 1935. Ethiopian spears and swords were no match for Italian planes and tanks.

Ethiopian leaders asked France for help, and while they comdemmed the attacks it did nothing. Brittain continued to let Italian ships and supplies pass through their canals. Thought that by giving Mussolini Ethiopia it would keep peace.

Defy Treaty of Versailles by entering Rhineland and Invading Poland. Also Captures Czechoslovakia after given Sudentland.

a zone that formed a buffer between France and Germany. Also important industrial area. Hitler was forbidden to enter a 30-mile-wide zone on either side of the Rhine River. When he entered the area, Britain and France offered an appeasement to try to keep Europe at peace.

Area in Czechoslovakia with a larger German Pop. Hitler wanted this land really badly, and it was given to him in the Munich Conference even though Czechs refused. The Czech's asked France for help but they did nothing.

A meeting proposed by Mussolini with Germany, France, Brittain and Italy. Hitler was given the Sudentland at this meeting hoping that it would keep peace in Euro. Took place Sep 29, 1938.

belief that political ties to other countries should be avoided. Thats what US believed.

British Prime Minister at Munich Conference. Believed peace could be preserved if he gave into Hitler's commands

Captured by Hitler 6 months after Munich Confernce where he agreed he would not mess with Czech borders any longer.

When Hitler entered Poland, thats when the war officially began. Final Straw. Germany and USSR agreed to divide Poland up.

Port that German's wanted Poles to return to

Giving into and aggressor to keep peace. France and Britain used this policy with Germany.

Ten year treaty between Germany and USSR. Agreed to divide Poland between them in this pact. Also allowed USSR to get Finland, Lithuania, Lativa and Estonia.

Used when German's Invaded Poland. Ment "lightning war" Involved using fast-moving airplanes and tanks, followed by massive infantry forces to take defenders by surprise and quickly overwhelm them.

A french general who set up a Government-in-exile in London after France fell. Wanted to reconquer France from the Germans. Organized Free French military forces who battled the Nazi's until France was liberated in 1941.

new British prime minister. Britan was all alone now fighting in the war and Churchill declared Britain would NEVER give in

When Germany would night bomb Britain. Citizens would have to go in to bomb shelters. These attacks continued until May 1941. Hitler was stunned that the British resisted so he called off attacks. Showed the Allies that Hitler could be stopped.

when the British were attacking Italy in Tobruk and capturing and making them prisners, Hitler had to help Italy. So he sent the Afrika Corps led by Rommel. He seized Tobruk. Earned nickname "Dessert Fox."

even though the US had not yet entered the war, Pres Roosevelt and Churchill met secretly and issued a joint declaration called the Atlantic Charter. It upheld free trade among nations and the right of people to choose their own government. Later served as peace plan to end war.

When German forces trapped Allies in area of Northern France, The allies became outnumbered and retreated to Dunkirk. Britain set out to help troops by sending a fleet that would sail back and forth from Dunkirk, bringing soldiers to safety.

"sitting war" Used to descirbe the Phony War between Germany and the French/Brits.

Britain's air force that Hitler wanted to knock out. Quickly launched attacks on the enemy because the RAF had new technology the included the radar and the enigma

Decoded secret German messages

Hitler's plan to invade Soviet Union. Broke their non-aggression pact. Russians used scorched earth policy on them like they did Napoleon. Russians did not expect to be attacked. Hitler starved Russians but they didn't fall. As it turned to winter, Nazi's began to suffer and die because they were still in their summer uniforms.

September 8, 1941, German Forces put Lenin grad under siege. Eventually cut off from rest of Soviet Union. Hitler starved city.

Dec 7, 1941

American sailors woke to the roar of explosives which was the Japaneese bombing Hawaii. Sunk and damaged 19 ships. 2,300 soldiers killed and 1,100 wouned. After attack the Us declared war on Japan.

Japan's greatest naval strategist. Planned Pearl Harbor attack

Said by President Roosevelt on Pearl Harbor day

a forced march of of more than 50 miles up the Asian peninsula. Japanese subjected their Allie prisoners to terrible cruelties. Many died.

Turned the tide of war in the pacific. Japanese were goign to attack Midway island but the US found out and "sneak attacked" them.

in April 1942, under command of Doolittle, 16 B-25 bombers bombed several Japanese cities. Showed Japan was vunerable to attack. Raised moral of Americans

Us vs. Japan. Japan wanted point Moresby in New Guina which is the home to a major allie airline base. It was a naval battle and victory for the allies because it stopped Japan's advance.

Commander of the Allie land forces in the Pacific. Developed plan to handle the Japanese. Had to seize Guadalcanal before Japan turned it into an airline base by island hopping. ~Would seize other islands along the way.

Battle for Guadalcanal island. Commanded by MacArthur who developed plan to handle the Japanese. Had to seize Guadalcanal before Japan turned it into an airline base by island hopping. ~Would seize other islands along the way.

What Hitler called the German people. "Master race."

the systematic mass slaughter of Jews and other groups judged inferior by the Nazi's.

the systematic killing of an entire people. hitlers "Final Solution" was an example. Jews were sent to concentration camps where they would be killed and ghettos where they would be starved and were full of disease.

passed in 1935, deprived Jews of their rights to German citizenship and forbade marriages between Jews and non jews.

Where the Nazi's made the Jews live. segregated Jewish areas. Hoped that jews would starve or die of disease.

a program of genocide. Sending Jews to concentration camps where they would die and or be forced into harsh labor. Started because Hitler became impatient waiting for the jews to die in the ghettos.

slave labor prisons where jews were forced to work

camps equipped with huge gas chambers. The strong would be separated from the weak. The weak would be killed first and the strong would go through harsh labor.

one of the larger Extermination camps

Commander of the D-Day invasion. Tricked hitler by setting up a dummy army.

took control of British forces in North Africa. Dislodged Germans in El Alamein with a massive frontal attack. Beat Rommel's forces.

began Aug 23, 1942. Germans sent sixth army to Soviet Union . Commanded to seize oil fields as well as Stalingrad. Went on bombing raids but Stalin told troops to defend the city to the death. Germans surrenderd to Soviets.

allies attacked Italy. Captured Sicily from Italians. Toppled mussolini from power, and was arrested, and Italy surrendered. But then Italians got northern Italy and put Mussolini back in charge.

converted to produce things for the war, so consumer goods were in short supply.

Japanese Americans were suddenly seen as enemy after Pearl Harbor attack. Shipped them to relocation camps. Not tortured though.

Largest land and sea attack in history. Began June 6, 1944. Allies punched a hole in the German defense line and army broke out where they triumphitly marched to Paris and regained France

the Nickname for the D-day Invasion.

Leader of the United States third army who punched the whole in the German defense line during D-Day Invasion

December, 1944, Germany staged a massive counterattack in the west which pushed a "bulge" into the weak Allie defense lines. Hitler hoped to cut US supply lines. However the Allies stopped the German advance and threw them back across the Rhine with heavy losses.

Victory in Europe Day. Hitler committed suicide, so on May 7th 1945, General Eisenhower had to accept the unconditional surrender of the Third Reich. May 9, Surrender was official and after 6 years of fighting war was over.

Japanese suicide pilots

An island 760 miles from Tokyo that the American Marines took on their way to Japan

sland 360 miles from southern Japan that the Allies captured ALSO on their way to Japan

Roosevelt's successor who had to receive news of Nazi surrender since Roosevelt died.

The Atomic Bomb

nuclear bomb developed top-secretly. President Truman didn't want to use bomb but did anyways. Truman told Japanese that if they didn't surrender then they would drop it. Japan didn't reply so Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed.

Developed A-Bomb top secretly

Bombed by A-bomb. between 70,000 and 80,000 people died in the attack. First bomb dropped

A-Bombed dropped three days later. 70 thousand ppl killed immediately. Radiation also became really bad.

London was in ruins after Battle of Britain. Japan was in ruin after bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. USSR faced famine after using scorched earth policy against Germans. Berlin was also destroyed

promised change after war. Skyrocketed in France and Italy. Declined as economies began to recover.

When the International Military Tribunal put Nazi war criminals to trial. Charged with waging a war of aggression. Faced Charges.

Disbanding Japanese armed forces. Done to try to ensure peace.

process of creating a government elected by the people. Allie forces were helping Japanese do this

changed empire into constitutional monarchy. guaranteed that the real political power was in the the hands of the Japanese people