World History: World War II

What 1919 treaty's harsh economic and territorial terms for Germany are often cited as a primary cause of World War II?

The Treaty of Versailles

Define the policy of 'appeasement' as practiced by Britain and France toward Nazi Germany in the late 1930s.

A diplomatic policy of making political or material concessions to an aggressive power in order to avoid a larger conflict.

What military tactic, meaning 'lightning war,' utilized mobile forces and locally concentrated firepower to quickly overwhelm enemies?

Blitzkrieg

Which 1939 event is widely considered the formal start of World War II in Europe?

The German invasion of Poland

What was the primary objective of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain?

To gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force (RAF) to facilitate a ground invasion of the United Kingdom.

What was the code name for the massive German invasion of the Soviet Union launched in June 1941?

Operation Barbarossa

What event on December 7, 1941, ended American isolationism and brought the United States into the war?

The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor

Why is the Battle of Midway considered the most important turning point in the Pacific Theater?

It resulted in the destruction of four Japanese aircraft carriers, halting Japanese expansion and shifting the initiative to the U.S.

How did the Battle of Stalingrad change the course of the war on the Eastern Front?

It resulted in the total defeat of the German 6th Army and marked the end of German advances into the Soviet Union.

Describe the U.S. military strategy of 'island hopping' in the Pacific.

The strategy of bypassing heavily fortified Japanese islands to capture strategically important ones that could support an advance toward Japan.