American Studies
Final Exam Review World War II Terms to Know
World War II Terms to Know
1.
2.
3.
Treaty of
Versailles
Treaty that ended WWI in 1919 but severely
War Guilt
Clause
Provision of Treaty of Versailles which blamed
Adolf Hitler
background
Struggling artist who found glory in WWI as
punished Germany and lead to WWII
Germany for starting WWI
German soldier, joined German Workers Party
and renamed it National Socialist German
Workers Party (NAZI),
Blamed Jews and other untermench for
Germany’s troubles
4.
Appeasement
Policy of Neville Chamberlain and others to
keep Hitler happy by giving in to his demands
for the Sudetenland
5.
Maginot Line
Series of fortresses along German and French
border, French believed it to be impenetrable
6.
Dunkirk
Coastal town in N. France where British army
(BEF) was trapped in 1940 but rescued by
hundreds of military and civilian boats and
ships
7.
The Blitz
Period of major bombing of southern England
by German air force as way of
8.
MolotovRibbentrop
Non-aggression pact between USSR and Nazi
Germany just before WWII (although both
Stalin and Hitler planned on attacking each
other)
9.
“stab in the
back”
Phrase used by Hitler and Germany army
which blamed the Jews and the Weimar
Republic for surrendering during WWI
10.
Pearl Harbor
Attacked by Japan December 7, 1941 which
propelled the US into WWII
11.
Lebensraum
“Living space”, term used by Hitler for the need
of Germany to expand
12.
13.
Operation
Barbarossa
Nazi Germany’s invasion of USSR in June
Enola Gay
American bomber which dropped the 1st atomic
1941, broke the Molotov Ribbentrop pact
“A date which will live in infamy”
bomb on Hiroshima
14.
Doolittle Raid
Small raid on Tokyo by American bombers
soon after Pearl Harbor which did little physical
damage but did Japanese to become more
militarily defensive
15.
“Collective
Guilt”
Policy of Allies on Germany at end of WWII
which blamed WWII and the Holocaust on
German citizens themselves, not just the Nazi
government
16.
Gold Star
Mothers
Mothers of American servicemen killed in
17.
Rosie the
Riveter
Symbolic figure of American women who
Rationing
US policy during WWII to limit the consumption
18.
action during WWII
performed male-dominated jobs during WWII
of resources needed for the war effort
19.
Victory
Gardens
Garden of vegetables found throughout
America during WWII planted to supplement
the lack of food available due to rationing,
viewed as a way the average American could
help in war effort
20.
Air Raid
Warden
Enforced the order to turn all lights out in the
21.
Office of War
Information
“sold” the war to the American people via
22.
War Bonds
sold to Americans as way of raising money for
event of enemy bombers
propaganda
war
23.
Executive
Order 9066
Ordered all Japanese Americans living along
west coast to relate to internment camps during
the war
24.
“Fifth Column”
Term for Japanese Americans during WWII
meant to imply that they were a disloyal group
25.
26.
27.
“A Jap's a Jap.
The only good
one is a dead
one!”
Korematsu v.
US case
Common expression of WWII illustrating the
Total War
War in which there are no rules, entire
hatred towards Japan
Japanese American who sued US gov over
Executive Order 9066
economy directed towards victory, civilians are
targeted for attack
“Lights out up there”
28.
Guernica
Town in Spain bombed during Spanish Civil
War, dress rehearsal for WWII
29.
30.
Kamikaze
31.
Bataan Death
March
Japanese Suicide pilots who crashed planes
into American ships towards end of war
Forced march of US prisoners by Japanese
noted for brutality, thousands of Americans
died on their war to prison camp in Philippines
32.
Manhattan
Project
Government project made up of thousands of
scientists, physicists, to create an atomic
weapon, led of Robert Oppenheimer, based in
Los Alamos, NM
33.
Hiroshima &
Nagasaki
Japanese cities bombed with atomic weapons
in Aug. 1945 under Truman’s order, lead to end
of WWII
34.
Cold War
35.
The Big Three
Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin (Allies during WWII)
36.
Yalta &
Potsdam
Agreements
Meetings of Allies during WWII to determine
War of ideology between US and USSR after
WWII
with post war Europe would look like, agreed to
divide Germany
37.
Containment
Idea of George Kennan and adopted by
Truman, policy involved avoiding direct
confrontation with Soviet Union but not allowing
communism to spread
Truman
Doctrine
Truman's official policy of containment and aid
39.
Marshall Plan
Gave 17 billion to war torn nations in order to
40.
“Iron Curtain”
38.
to stop communism from spreading
stop communism from spreading
“An iron curtain has descended upon ‘eastern
Europe”
-Churchill’s speech about the prison-like state
of Soviet dominated Europe
41.
Berlin Airlift
Truman's response to the Soviet blockade of
Berlin where food, water, supplies were flown
into Berlin when Stalin blockaded the city in
1947
42.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Alliance of
Domino Theory- Theory that if communism wa
allowed to spread into one country adjacent
countries would also fall to communism
US and W. European nations against Soviet
aggression
43.
Warsaw Pact
Soviet lead alliance against NATO
44.
Red China
Communist China under Mao Tse Tung
45.
Korean War
War in which communist North Korea invaded
South but were stopped by US and UN forces,
ended in truce in 1953
46.
47.
th
38 Parallel
Rosenbergs
Line of latitude which divides N. and S. Korea
American communists executed for spying for
the Soviets, led to Red Scare of 1950s
48.
Fallout Shelters
49.
U2 Incident
Underground shelters meant to protect
Americans in event of nuclear war
US spyplane shot down of Soviet territory, pilot
Gary Powers and spy equipment found by
Russians, made Cold War colder
50.
Sputnik
1st man-made satellite successfully launched
into space in Oct 1957, began Space Race
51.
Bay of Pigs
Military fiasco during Kennedy's administration
where Cuban commandos were capture by
Castro, made JFK look weak
52.
Cuban Missile
Crisis
Closest US and USSR came to nuclear war,
Soviet constructed missile bases dismantled
after JFK blockaded Cuba until missiles
removed
53.
HUAC
House Committee on Un-American Activities,
investigated suspected communist, especially
in Hollywood
54.
McCarthyism
Period of intense fear of communism in US,
witch-hunt to find communist lead by political
opportunist Joseph McCarthy
55.
Alger Hiss
Adviser to FDR who was accused of spying for
Russia, cross-examination by Nixon revealed
that he was lying, pumpkin papers found at his
farm
56.
Hollywood Ten
Prominent Hollywood directors, writers,
producers who refused to cooperate with
HUAC during Era of McCarthy, accused of
placing procommunist subliminal messages in
“Are you now or have you ever been a membe
of the communist party”
films, books
57.
GI Bill of Rights
Government program to help returning WWII
soldiers pay for college and housing, fueled US
economy with well-educated workforce
58.
Consumerism
Characteristic of the 50s where Americans
sought material goods to “keep up with the
Jones”
59.
Conformity
Characteristic of 50s America where Americans
avoided individuality and conflict and embraced
tradition, trusted authority
60.
National
Highway Act of
1956
Eisenhower era law which built thousands of
61.
Levittown
Planned community in Pa and Long Island, NY
miles of roads & fueled car industry
built for newly married returning WWII soldiers
62.
“Little Boxes”
Song by Pete Seeger which criticized
conformist America and lack of indivuality
63.
Baby Boom
64.
Dr. Benjamin
Spock
Dr. who encouraged Americans to nurture their
Election of
1948
Truman won although predicted to lose to
66.
Dixiecrats
Southern democrats who didn't want civil rights
67.
Truman,
Dewey,
Thurmond,
Wallace
Eisenhower’s
candidacy
Candidates of 1949 election
Checkers
Speech
Nixon’s TV speech in which he denied
Term that illustrates the rapid rise in the
birthrate during the 50s.
65.
children.
Republican Thomas Dewey
legislation and left Truman for Thurmon in 1948
68.
69.
Had never voted in election and had no strong
political beliefs
accepting “gifts” except for a little cute dog
named Checkers
70.
“We Like Ike”
Slogan of 1952 for Dwight Eisenhower
71.
Eisenhower’s
Farewell
Address
Warned against the influence of the “military
industrial complex” IE. Influence of companies
that make weapons & military on our
government
72.
Kennedy/Nixon
Helped JFK win election of 1960 because he
Debates
looked “presidential” on TV while Nixon looked
nervous, sickly, and sweaty
Plessy v
Ferguson
1896 Supreme Court decision which legalized
74.
Jim Crow Laws
Segregation laws in the South
75.
“Separate but
Equal”
Brown v Board
of Education
See above
73.
76.
“separate but equal”, legalized Jim Crow Laws
Supreme Court case of 1954 that said separate
but equal is “inherently unequal”. Reversed
Plessy v Ferguson
77.
Rosa Parks
Refused to give up her seat to a white man in
Montgomery, Alabama. Started modern Civil
Rights Movement
78.
79.
80.
81.
Montgomery
Boycott of city buses after Rosa Parks
Bus Boycott
Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Peaceful leader of the Civil Rights movement,
Little Rock Nine
1st students to test Brown v Board of Ed
Greensboro SitCollege students who refused to move from
in
seat until they were served coffee in
“I have a dream” “I’ve been to the
mountaintop
segregated diner
82.
SNCC/ Jail Not
Bail
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
who got arrested on purpose as a form of
protest
83.
Freedom
Riders
SNNC members to traveled in the south in
order to protest segregated busing terminals
but were brutally attacked
84.
Letter from a
Birmingham
Jail
Statement by Dr. King to his critics who had
Justice delayed is justice denied.
blamed him for the violence in Birmingham
during a Civil Rights march in 1963
85.
86.
March on
Washington
Highpoint of Civil Rights Movement where King
gave “I have a dream” speech and called for
passage of Civil Rights Bill in Aug 1963
87.
I have a dream
speech
King speech in which he speaks of America
88.
Civil Rights Act
of 1964
Made all segregation based on race illegal in
89.
Black Power
Militant civil rights movement which regjected
where there is no more racism
US
King’s peaceful protest and embraced Malcolm
X’s more eye for an eye approach
90.
Malcolm X &
Radical black separatist who advocated “eye
“judged by the content of their character and
not by the color of their skin”
91.
92.
Nation of Islam
for an eye”, rejected peaceful protest
Mountaintop
Speech
James Earl Ray
MLK’s prophetic last speech
Assassinated MLK April 4, 1968 in Memphis,
Tennessee
93.
JFK inaugural
address
Called on Americans to serve their nation and
“Ask not what your country can do for you…
warned Soviets that America would stand up to
“We will bear any burden, oppose any foe…
communism
94.
95.
96.
Peace Corps
JFK inspired group of Americans who traveled
to distant poorer nations to act as ambassadors
of good will for US
97.
Camelot
Term which captures the perceived “regal”
nature of JFK
98.
Assassination
in Dallas
November 22, 1963 JFK shot by Lee Havey
Oswald, shattered hopes and dreams of many
Americans
99. Lee Harvey
Oswald
100. Magic Bullet
Assassinated JFK in Dallas.
1 bullet which struck JFK and Gov. Connely of
Texas, most controversial aspect of Warren
Commission’s claim that Oswald acted alone
101. Warren
Commission
Investigated JFK assassination and found the
Oswald had acted alone, many Americans
grew to distrust the Commission and the
Government itself
102. The Great
Society
LBJ’s program to eradicated poverty and
103. The Treatment
LBJ’s method of convincing political opponents
injustice in American
to go along with his wishes
104. Michael
Harrington’s
The Other
America
Book which said that there was still poverty in
105. Warren Court
Not on test
106. Gideon v
Wainwright
107. Miranda v
Arizona
108. Betty Friedan
Not on test
America during the 1950s, greatly influenced
LBJ to start Great Society program
Not on test
Wrote Feminine Mystique as a means of
showing America that women were not happy
with their role as a stay-at-moms.
109. Roe v Wade
Supreme Court case of 1973 which legalized
1st trimester abortion.
110. Equal Rights
Amendment
111. Phyllis Schlafly
Not on test
112. Election of
1964
LBJ v Barry Goldwater, Johnson won by
113. Barry
Goldwater
Republican conservative candidate in the 1964
114. Counter
Culture
Culture of the baby boomers after 1964,
Not on test
landslide
Daisy Ad
election and “father of modern conservatism”
rejected values of their parents, forefront of
Anti-Vietnam War
115. The
Establishment
116. Hippies
Culture of WWII generation, Silent Majority
Most visible counterculture group
Haight-Ashbury
117.
Epicenter of counterculture movement in San
Francisco
118. Woodstock
Music and art festival in NY which featured
most popular musicians of counterculture,
meant to illustrate counterculture values of
peace, love, and music
119. Andy Warhol
Counterculture artist who mocked
consumerism and celebrity worship of the
1950s
120. Dien Bien Phu
1954 battle in which French were defeated by
Ho Chi Minh
121.
122. Viet Cong
South Vietnamese communist insurgents who
fought the US during war
123. Ho Chi Minh
Communist leader of North Vietnam.
124.
125. Gulf of Tonkin
Resolution
Law which allowed LBJ to take “all necessary
126. “search and
destroy”
Tactic of US soldiers to look for and kill NVA
127. Tet Offensive
Major military offensive by VC and NVA
measures” to defeat North Vietnam
and VC soldiers
soldiers in Jan 1968, turning point of War,
tarnished rosy claim that US was winning the
war
128. Presidential
Race of 1968
LBJ dropped out, RFK assassinated, race
“I’m Andy Warhol and I just ate a
Wopper with chesse”
between Humphrey and Nixon
129. Eugene
McCarthy
Democratic senator who defeated LBJ in NH
primary on an antiwar platform.
130. Democratic
Convention in
Chicago
Seen of major protests lead by Chicago 8,
131. George
Wallace
Alabama gov who said “Segregation today,
132. Chicago 8
See above
133. Richard Nixon
& “Law &
Order”
134. Free Speech
Movement
Not on test
greatly tarnished image of Democratic party
segregation tomorrow…..
1964 peaceful protest movement which called
for right of college students to speak out on
issues in college campuses
135. SDS & Port
Hudson
Statement
Students for a Democratic Society- Viewed US
Gov, Universities as a “Machine” which tried to
produce obedient robotic citizens and not free
thinking individuals
136. Weather
Underground
Radical wing of SDS who used terrorism and
137. The Draft,
Deferment,
Conscientious
Objector
Required military service by government,
138. Hawks v Doves
Dove- Someone who favors peace.
violence to end Vietnam War
controversial because wealthy often able to get
out of military service
Hawk- someone who favors war
139. My Lai
Massacre
Murder of over 300 unarmed civilians at the
hands of US soldiers (Charlies Co.) soon after
the Tet Offensive, stopped by helicopter pilot
Hugh Thompson
140. Silent Majority
Nixon’s term for Establishment people, hard
working, law abiding Americans
141. Cambodia
'Invaded' under Nixon in order to destroy
enemy bases and the Ho Chi Min Trail. Led to
the Kent State
142. Kent State
Scene of death of 4 college students killed
accidentally by nervous national guardsmen
during protests after US invasion of Cambodia
143. Maya Lin &
Vietnam
Memorial
144.
Asian American who designed Vietnam
memorial
“Be clean for Gene”
145. Nixon Doctrine
Not on test
146. Vietnamization
Nixon's plan to turn the major fighting over to
the Vietnamese by training and financing them.
147. Détente
Not on final
148. Pentagon
Papers
Top secret documents released to press by
Daniel Ellsberg which revealed that
government was lying to pubic
149. The Plumbers
Clandestine group who spied and played dirty
tricks on Nixon’s “Enemies”
150. The Fall of
Saigon
City in S. Vietnam that fell in 1975 and marked
151. Realpolitik
Not on final
152. SALT
Not on final
153. Enemies List
List of 200 people considered 'unfriendly' to
the official end of the Vietnam War.
Nixon.
154. CREEP
Committee to ReElect the President, directed
the Plumbers to spy on Democratic party
155. Watergate
Hotel in Washington where the Democratic
National Committee Headquarters was located
and where the “Plumbers” were caught spying--scandal lead to Nixon’s resignation
156. Saturday Night
Massacre
Weekend in 1974 when Nixon ordered the
firing of Cox who was investigating his
involvement in Watergate
157. The Tapes
Recordings of Nixon’s conversations in the
Oval Office, revealed that Nixon tried to cover
up the Watergate break-in
158. Gerald R. Ford
Pardoned Nixon as a way of ending “Our long
national nightmare”