1. What happened at the Munich Conference of 1938?
British and French leaders again chose appeasement. The caved into Hitler�s demands and then persuaded the Czechs to surrender the Sudetenland without a fight. In exchange, Hitler assured Britain and France that he had no further plans for expansion.
2. What event started World War II?
On September 1, 1939, a week after the Nazi - Soviet Pact, German forces stormed into Poland. Two days later, Britain and France honored their commitment to Poland and declared war on Germany.
3. What event brought the United States into World War II? When did it occur?
In December 1941, the Allies gained a vital boost when a surprise action by Japan suddenly pitched United States into the war. On December 7, 1941, Japanese airplanes struck Pearl Harbor.
4. What means did the Nazi Germany use in its attempt to murder all European Jews?
His program was to kill Jews and others he pledged �racially inferior� such as Slavs, Gypsies, and the mentally ill. To accomplish this goal he had �death camps� built in Poland and Germany. As they reached the camps they were stripped of their clothes, heads shaven, and taken away from their parents and siblings.
5. Why was the Battle of Stalingrad important?
It was one of the costliest battles of the war. Hitler was determined to capture Stalin�s namesake city. The battle began when the Germans surrounded the city. The Russians then encircled their attackers. Trapped without food or ammunition and with no hope of rescue the Germans finally surrendered in early 1943. the battle cost the Germans approximately 300,000 killed, wounded, or captured soldiers.
6. Explain the American �island-hopping� campaign.
The goal of the campaign was to recapture some Japanese-held islands white bypassing others. The captured islands served as stepping stones to the next objective. American forced gradually moved north until they reached Japan itself.
7. When and why was the United Nations established?
In April 1945, delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco to draft a charter for the United Nations. Under the UN Charter, each member nation had one vote in General Assembly, where members could debate issues. Its five permanent members � the United States, the Soviet Union (today Russia), Britain, France, and China � all have the right to veto any council decision.
8. What was the Truman Doctrine?
It would guide the United States for decades. It made clear that Americans would resist Soviet expansion in Europe or elsewhere in the world. The Truman Doctrine was rooted in the idea of containment, limiting communism to the areas already under the Soviet Union.