Winning World War II, Part I

Which country joined the Allies, entering the war on 12/08/1941?

• Australia

• the United States

• the Soviet Union

• Canada

Answer explanation

Congress declared war on Japan, with a nearly unanimous vote, with only one Congresswoman voting against it. Her name was Jeanette Rankin.

What term is NOT related to the United States supplying the Allies with war materials PRIOR to the US entering the war?

• Lend-Lease

• Cash-and-Carry

• "arsenal of Democracy"

• appeasement

Answer explanation

In spite of being "neutral" the United States slowly expanded its conditions on how "war materials" could and WOULD be shipped to Britain. In March 1941, American industries began shifting production to support a war effort.

Which Allied country was the last to surrender to the Nazis, leaving only Great Britain to fight?

• Poland

• Belgium

• France

• Soviet Union

Answer explanation

The British citizens conducted a daring rescue mission to evacuate nearly 340,000 British and French soldiers stranded at the French seaport of Dunkirk during the Nazi invasion. The bulk of the boats used to transport the men to safety were privately owned.

How did the Soviet Union end up a members of the Allied Forces?

• Japan was a huge rival, so when US declared war on Japan, the Soviets did as well to help

• Germany invaded the Soviet Union, breaking their pact to not be "aggressive" with one another

• Churchill and Roosevelt promised Stalin a seat at the peace talks table if he joined the Allies

• None of the above -- the Soviets were one of the AXIS powers not one of the ALLIED Powers

Answer explanation

Did you know...The Big Three faced many challenges in coordinating their efforts. Thousands of miles separated their capitals, so decisions were often made by telephone or telegraph. Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill only met twice in person.

What was NOT something Hitler promised Germany would get by supporting him and his quest for control?

• to return jobs and prosperity to the nation and its citizens

• Punish the Jewish people who he blames for Germany's troubles

• Make Germany a world power again

• Pay off all Germany's debt so future generations would live debt-free

What do historians conclude was Hitler's biggest mistake?

• Invading Soviet Union

• Using Submarine warfare

• Not accepting Allied terms for surrender

• Not taking all of Poland when he first invaded it

BEFORE its attack on Pearl Harbor, which countries had Japan invaded and taken control?

• Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Islands

• Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam and parts of China

• Australia and New Zealand

• Guam, Midway Islands and Wake Islands

Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?

• Japan agreed to attack to take America's focus off of helping Britain

• Japan once owned Hawaii

• Japanese needed a naval base closer to the US

• Negotiations to end a harmful US trade embargo were going nowhere

Answer explanation

As an island nation, with limited resources, Japan relied heavily on imports from the US -- oil, steel and scrap iron were most important. The 1941 embargo reduced US shipments to Japan to nearly nothing and Japan was struggling without them.

When the US entered the war, what was the Allies TOP PRIORITY?

• Defeat Japan first

• Defeat Germany first

• Convince the Soviets to attack Japan

• Get Italy to surrender

What did the American navy do to reduce the number of merchant ships lost at sea?

• arm all merchant ships

• escort merchant ships

• start shipping goods on navy ships

• Encourage ships to sail west to get east

Answer explanation

The attacks on merchants ships were so common that American naval and airforce units were called upon to protect the shipments for most of the war. This becomes known as the Battle of the Atlantic.