Early WWII
What tactic allowed Germany to quickly defeat France in 1940?
Blitzkrieg
What event caused Germany to declare war on the United States?
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor
What was the primary Allied objective in the Battle of the Atlantic?
Protect supply lines to Britain
Describe one major challenge faced during the Battle of Guadalcanal
Jungle conditions, malaria, supply issues
Who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Guadacanal
Why was Sicily strategically important during Operation Husky?
It allowed for an invasion of mainland Italy
False
What tactic did German U-boats use to overwhelm Allied convoys?
Wolf pack tactics
Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?
To eliminate the U.S. Pacific fleet
What was the goal of Operation Torch?
Invade North Africa to establish a foothold to invade Europe through Italy
What was the purpose of the Lend-Lease program?
To provide free military supplies to Allied nations
Why is the Battle of Midway considered a turning point?
Japan lost 4 aircraft carriers
What technological advancement helped locate U-boats?
HF/DF
What was the main significance of the Doolittle Raid?
First U.S. Bombing of Japan
Who was the U.S. commander in the Southwest Pacific?
Douglas MacArthur
What was the significance of breaking the Enigma code?
Allowed Allies to track German movements and anticipate attacks.
What was the main reason the U.S. used the atomic bombs on Japan?
To avoid a costly land invasion
Why did the Battle of Stalingrad become a turning point on the Eastern front?
It resulted in a massive German defeat and opened the door for a Soviet counteroffensive
What was the main objective of the island-hopping strategy?
What was unique about the Battle of Corral Sea?
Naval battle fought entirely by aircraft
What was Japan's main strategic goal early in the war?
Become resource independent and dominate East Asia
What were Japanese tactics late in the war?
"Defense-in-depth" and kamikaze attacks
Explain the massive deception campaign by allied forces in Operation Fortitude.
Operation Fortitude was a massive deception operation, feeding Germany faking intelligence that the Allies were planning to land through Norway (Fortitude North) and Pas de Calais (Fortitude South) diverting massive amount of Germany forces way from the actually beaches of D-Day.
What made the Battle of Tarawa especially difficult?
Coral reefs blocking landing crafts
Compare the strategies used by the United states in the Atlantic vs the Pacific theaters.
Atlantic: protecting supply lines and defeating Germany first, while Pacific focused on island-hopping campaign against the Japanese