Term
| Which event is generally considered to be the first belligerent act of World War II? |
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Definition
| Germany’s attack on Poland |
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Term
| Which two countries were the first to declare war on Germany? |
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Definition
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Term
| Against which country did the Soviet Union instigate an armed conflict in late 1939? |
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Definition
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Term
| What were the first two western European countries that Germany invaded? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which best describes Germany’s standard invasion strategy at the beginning of World War II? |
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Definition
| Attack with a combination of speed and overwhelming force |
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Term
| What major mistake did the Allies make in preparing to defend against Germany’s attack on France? |
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Definition
| They misinterpreted where the main invasion would take place |
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Term
| What happened at Dunkirk in May 1940? |
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Definition
| British forces retreated across the English Channel |
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Term
| Where was the French surrender to Germany signed? |
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Definition
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Term
| Why did the British Royal Navy attack French warships at Mers-el-Kebir? |
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Definition
| The French crews refused to surrender their ships when the British requested |
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Term
| What was Germany’s initial strategy for conquering Britain? |
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Definition
| First establish air superiority, then send in ground forces |
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Term
| What was the “London Blitz”? |
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Definition
| A term used for Germany’s bombing campaign on London |
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Term
| Overall, the Battle of Britain is considered to be |
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Definition
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Term
| What was Italy’s primary role in the war? |
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Definition
| It distracted Germany from accomplishing its main objectives |
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Term
| What was Hitler’s primary justification for invading Russia? |
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Definition
| Germany needed more space for its population |
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Term
| What was the code name given to Germany’s plan to invade the USSR? |
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Definition
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Term
| What happened to the Soviet air force during the opening days of the German invasion? |
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Definition
| Up to 2,000 Soviet aircraft were destroyed while still on the ground. |
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Term
| Which of the following was not a part of the Soviet defense plan against Germany? |
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Definition
| The Soviets sought to lure German armies into forests, which they would then set on fire |
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Term
| On which region of the Soviet Union did Hitler place the highest priority? |
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Definition
| Ukraine and southern Russia |
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Term
| Via what route did Russians manage to send some supplies to Leningrad during the German siege of the city? |
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Definition
| A supply route across Lake Ladoga |
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Term
| Which country was the site of most of the Nazi extermination camps? |
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Definition
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Term
| How did the Western Allies respond to Germany’s invasion of Russia? |
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Definition
| They sent supplies and intelligence information to the USSR |
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Term
| What Japanese action created tension with the United States? |
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Definition
| Its seizure of territory in China |
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Term
| What U.S. action created tension with Japan? |
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Definition
| Its establishment of a trade embargo against Japan |
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Term
| Who was the Japanese admiral behind the Pearl Harbor attack? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which of the following was not true about the Pearl Harbor attack? |
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Definition
| The Japanese painted their aircraft to look like American planes |
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Term
| What was unique about the Doolittle Raid? |
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Definition
| The bombers were launched from an aircraft carrier |
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Term
| Which battle is considered to be the turning point for the war in the Pacific? |
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Definition
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Term
| The Battle of the Coral Sea was a unique naval battle in that |
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Definition
| It was fought entirely with carrier-based aircraft |
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Term
| During the Battle of Midway, Japan lost |
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Definition
| Most of its aircraft carriers |
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Term
| The Battle of Stalingrad was |
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Definition
| One of the deadliest battles in human history |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What was the focus of the Tehran Conference? |
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Definition
| The Allied invasion of France |
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Term
| What was the significance of Guadalcanal to Japan? |
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Definition
| The island was in an ideal position for controlling the Solomon Islands |
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Term
| Why was the Japanese capture of Rangoon such a bitter loss for the Allies? |
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Definition
| As a major seaport, it was an excellent supply point |
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Term
| Which statement best characterizes the series of battles in the Pacific following the Battle of Guadalcanal? |
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Definition
| With each battle, the Japanese soldiers increasingly fought to the death |
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Term
| What was the significance of Mt. Suribachi? |
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Definition
| It was the site of a major battle on Iwo Jima |
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Term
| Which country instigated the conflict in North Africa? |
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Definition
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Term
| Why did Allied forces invade Italy after it had already surrendered? |
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Definition
| German forces were still fighting in the country |
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Term
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Definition
| A large monastery in central Italy where the Germans defended Rome from Allied forces |
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Term
| The Battle of Kursk is best described as |
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Definition
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Term
| After the Battle of Kursk, German forces: |
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Definition
| Began a lengthy retreat back to Germany |
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Term
| What was the code name for the Allied invasion of Europe? |
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Definition
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Term
| The Allied invasion of Europe was primarily directed at: |
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Definition
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Term
| The Allied invasion of Europe was primarily directed at: |
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Definition
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Term
| What was the location of the second major Allied assault into Europe in 1944? |
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Definition
| The French Mediterranean coast. |
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Term
| Why was the Luftwaffe so ineffective during the last part of the war? |
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Definition
| Germany was experiencing a severe oil shortage |
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Term
| Where did the Battle of the Bulge take place? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Which Allied country’s forces arrived in Berlin first? |
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Definition
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Term
| In the last six months of the war, what was the U.S. strategy for winning the conflict with Japan? |
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Definition
| Break the Japanese will with massive bombing raids on Japanese cities |
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Term
| At what conference did the Allies set the terms for the Japanese surrender? |
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Definition
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