World War II
World War II was the largest war in history. It is essential that every student learn basic facts about this important event.
Glossary
- Appeasement - British and French political strategy of ceding territory to Hitler in return for his promise that he will not ask for any more.
- Anschluss - 1938 invasion and annexation of Austria by Germany
- Armor - Tank units
- Blitzkrieg - "Lightning war". German tactics including rapid penetration with tanks, dive-bomber attacks, and disruption of Allied rear areas
- D-Day - First day of Allied invasion of Normandy, featuring paratroop drops and amphibious beach assaults
- Gestapo - Nazi secret police, known for torturing their victims
- Holocaust - Organized murder of six million Jews by Germany.
- Lebensraum - breathing space, rationale for German land conquests in the east.
- Luftwaffe - German air force
- Munich Agreement - Treaty where Great Britain and France gave up part of Czechoslovakia in an act of appeasement.
- Operation Market Garden - Allied attempt to invade Holland, capture intact bridge across the Rhine, and end the war by Christmas 1944
- Operation Overlord - Allied invasion of Normandy, starting with D-Day.
- Operation Torch - Allied invasion of North Africa (landings in Tunisia and Algeria)
- Panzers - German tanks
- Stukas - German dive bombers fitted with sirens to sound scary as they make their attacks
- Sudetenland - Mountainous region in northern Czechoslovakia with a local German majority
- V-E Day - May 8, 1945. Germany surrendered. Victory in Europe.
- V-J Day - August 15, 1945. Japan surrendered. Victory over Japan.
- S.S. or Schutzstaffel - elite German army units personally loyal to Hitler. Ideologically motivated, and involved with many war crimes including the Holocaust
- U-boat - German submarine
- Wannsee Conference - January 1942, Nazis decide to exterminate the Jews.
- Wehrmacht - the German army (not including the SS)