Glossary
Anschluss
The annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in March 1938, a clear violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
Example:
The Anschluss demonstrated Hitler's aggressive expansionist policies and the ineffectiveness of the international community's response.
Appeasement
A diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid conflict.
Example:
The Munich Agreement, where Britain and France allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland, is a prime example of the policy of appeasement.
Atomic Bombings
The dropping of two atomic bombs by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945).
Example:
The unprecedented destruction caused by the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ultimately led to Japan's unconditional surrender, ending World War II.
Battle of Britain
A sustained aerial campaign fought during the summer and autumn of 1940, in which the Royal Air Force defended the United Kingdom against large-scale attacks by the German Air Force.
Example:
The successful defense during the Battle of Britain prevented a German amphibious invasion of the UK and was a crucial early turning point for the Allies.
Battle of Midway
A decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place in June 1942, where the United States Navy decisively defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Example:
The Battle of Midway is considered a major turning point in the Pacific War, as it crippled Japan's carrier fleet and shifted the naval balance in favor of the Allies.
Battle of Stalingrad
A brutal and decisive battle on the Eastern Front from August 1942 to February 1943, where Soviet forces inflicted a catastrophic defeat on the German army.
Example:
The Battle of Stalingrad is widely considered a major turning point of World War II, as it halted the German advance into the Soviet Union and marked the beginning of their retreat.
Blitzkrieg
A German military strategy meaning 'lightning war,' characterized by rapid, coordinated attacks using tanks, motorized infantry, and air support.
Example:
The effectiveness of Blitzkrieg was evident in Germany's swift conquest of France, overwhelming Allied defenses with speed and surprise.
D-Day Invasion
The Allied amphibious landing on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe.
Example:
The sheer scale and complexity of the D-Day Invasion made it one of the most significant military operations in history, opening a vital second front against Nazi Germany.
Eastern Front
The major theatre of conflict during World War II between the Axis powers (primarily Germany) and the Soviet Union.
Example:
The Eastern Front was characterized by immense scale, brutal fighting, and staggering casualties, accounting for the vast majority of German military deaths.
Economic Sanctions
Commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual.
Example:
The United States imposed economic sanctions on Japan, particularly an oil embargo, in response to its aggression in China and Indochina, escalating tensions prior to Pearl Harbor.
Extremism
Political ideologies or actions that are far outside the perceived political center, often characterized by radical views and methods.
Example:
The economic despair and political disillusionment of the interwar period created fertile ground for extremism, as seen in the rise of fascism and Nazism.
Great Depression
A severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during the 1930s, originating in the United States.
Example:
The global economic crisis of the Great Depression exacerbated political instability across Europe, contributing to the rise of authoritarian leaders who promised economic recovery.
Holocaust
The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II.
Example:
As Allied forces advanced through Europe, they uncovered the horrific atrocities of the Holocaust in concentration camps like Auschwitz and Dachau.
Hyperinflation
An extremely rapid and out-of-control increase in prices, often leading to a collapse in the value of currency.
Example:
During the early 1920s, Germany experienced severe hyperinflation, where the cost of a loaf of bread could rise to billions of marks, rendering savings worthless.
Invasion of Poland
The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which officially marked the beginning of World War II.
Example:
The swift and brutal Invasion of Poland by German forces, utilizing Blitzkrieg tactics, finally prompted Britain and France to declare war.
Island Hopping
The military strategy employed by the United States in the Pacific War against Japan, involving the capture of strategically important islands rather than every Japanese-held island.
Example:
General MacArthur's Island Hopping campaign allowed Allied forces to bypass heavily fortified Japanese strongholds and establish airbases closer to the Japanese mainland.
League of Nations
An international organization established after World War I with the goal of promoting peace and preventing future wars through collective security.
Example:
Despite its noble intentions, the League of Nations proved ineffective in stopping aggressive actions by powers like Japan and Italy, largely due to its lack of enforcement power.
Meiji Restoration
A period of rapid political, social, and economic modernization and Westernization in Japan beginning in 1868.
Example:
The industrialization spurred by the Meiji Restoration fueled Japan's need for raw materials and markets, contributing to its expansionist policies in Asia.
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (Non-Aggression Pact)
A neutrality pact signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in August 1939, which secretly divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence.
Example:
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact shocked the world, as it united two ideological enemies and cleared the way for Germany's invasion of Poland without Soviet opposition.
Pearl Harbor Attack
A surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.
Example:
The devastating Pearl Harbor Attack directly led to the United States' entry into World War II, shifting the global balance of power.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
Hitler's violation of the Treaty of Versailles in 1936 by sending German troops into the demilitarized Rhineland region.
Example:
The Remilitarization of the Rhineland was a bold gamble by Hitler, testing the resolve of Britain and France, who ultimately chose not to intervene.
Reparations
Payments made by a defeated country to compensate for war damages or injuries during a conflict.
Example:
After World War I, Germany was burdened with immense reparations payments, which crippled its economy and fueled widespread resentment among its populace.
Treaty of Versailles (1919)
The peace treaty signed after World War I that imposed harsh terms on Germany, including significant territorial losses and heavy reparations.
Example:
Many historians argue that the punitive nature of the Treaty of Versailles directly contributed to the rise of extremist ideologies in Germany, setting the stage for future conflict.
V-E Day
Victory in Europe Day, celebrated on May 8, 1945, marking the formal acceptance by the Allies of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender.
Example:
Celebrations erupted across Allied nations on V-E Day as news spread that the war in Europe had finally come to an end.
Weimar Republic
The democratic government of Germany from 1919 to 1933, established after World War I and preceding the Nazi regime.
Example:
The Weimar Republic struggled with political instability, hyperinflation, and the economic fallout of the Great Depression, making it vulnerable to extremist movements.