Reasons for the War
This 1939 invasion of a neighbor by Germany is considered the formal start of the war.
invasion of Poland
This "Big Three" leader famously stated, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."
Winston Churchill
Codenamed Operation Overlord, this 1944 invasion saw Allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy.
D-Day
This secret U.S. program was formed to develop the first atomic weapons.
the Manhattan Project
This international organization was established in 1945 to replace the failed League of Nations and prevent future global conflicts.
the United Nations (UN)
This policy, practiced by Britain and France in the 1930s, involved giving in to Hitler’s demands to avoid conflict.
Appeasement
He was the only U.S. President to be elected to four terms, leading the country through most of the war.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)
This German war tactic used fast-moving tanks and aircraft to overwhelm defenses.
"lightning war" or Blitzkrieg in German
This British-perfected technology used radio waves to detect incoming enemy aircraft from miles away.
Radar
This massive U.S. economic aid package was designed to help rebuild Western Europe and prevent the spread of Communism after the war.
the Marshall Plan
This 1919 treaty ended WWI but created economic hardship and resentment in Germany, fueling the rise of the Nazis.
Treaty of Versailles
This Soviet dictator led the USSR through the brutal struggle against Germany on the Eastern Front.
Joseph Stalin
The "date which will live in infamy" refers to the 1941 surprise attack on this naval base.
Pearl Harbor
This powerful antibiotic, though discovered in 1928, was first mass-produced during the war to treat Allied soldiers' infections, drastically reducing the death rate from wounds.
Penicillin
At this 1945 conference, the "Big Three" leaders (Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill) met to discuss the final defeat of Germany and the post-war occupation zones.
the Yalta Conference
This Japanese desire for "living space" and natural resources led to the 1937 invasion of this massive Asian nation.
China
Although he remained officially neutral during WWII, this fascist dictator rose to power following the Spanish Civil War with military support from Hitler and Mussolini.
Francisco Franco
This 1942-1943 battle for a Russian city is often cited as the bloodiest in human history.
Battle of Stalingrad
To solve the problem of blood loss on the battlefield, African American scientist Charles Drew pioneered the use of this substance, which could be stored and shipped more easily than whole blood.
Blood Plasma
This geopolitical term, coined by Winston Churchill, described the physical and ideological division of Europe between Western democracies and the Soviet-controlled East.
the Iron Curtain
In 1936, Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles by moving German military forces into this "buffer zone" between Germany and France.
Rhineland
This Japanese Emperor remained the head of state throughout the war and the subsequent U.S. occupation.
Emperor Hirohito
This 1942 naval battle, fought largely with carrier-based planes, is considered the turning point in the Pacific.
Battle of Midway
These native "Talkers" used their indigenous language to create an unbreakable code for the U.S. Marines.
the Navajo Code Talkers
This 1944 agreement established a new international monetary system, creating the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure global economic stability.
the Bretton Woods Agreement