World War II Vocabulary

Treaty of Versailles

• A peace agreement signed in 1919 that ended World War I. It made Germany take responsibility for the war and pay money to other countries.

• A military alliance formed in 1914 to counter the Central Powers.

• A treaty that established the League of Nations in 1920.

• An agreement that allowed Germany to expand its territory after World War I.

Adolf Hitler

• Adolf Hitler was the leader of Germany during World War II. He was the head of the Nazi Party.

• Famous scientist known for the theory of relativity

• Renowned artist of the Renaissance period

• President of the United States during the Great Depression

Concentration Camp

• A facility for the rehabilitation of criminals.

• A place where large numbers of people, especially political prisoners or members of persecuted groups, are imprisoned to provide forced labor or await mass execution.

• A recreational area for community gatherings.

• A type of military training camp.

Great Depression

• A time period in the 1930s when many people lost their jobs and money, and businesses struggled.

• A period of economic growth and prosperity in the 1920s.

• A global conflict that occurred during the 1940s.

• A time when the stock market reached its highest point.

D-Day

• June 6, 1944, the day Allied forces invaded northern France by landing on the beaches of Normandy.

• July 4, 1776, the day the United States declared independence.

• November 11, 1918, the day World War I ended.

• December 7, 1941, the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

• Franklin Delano Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was the President of the United States during the Great Depression and most of World War II.

• A famous American inventor

• A leading general in World War I

• The first President of the United States

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

• Two Japanese cities that were hit by atomic bombs dropped by the U.S. in August 1945, leading to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.

• Two Japanese cities that were hit by atomic bombs dropped by the U.S. in August 1945.

• Two cities in Japan known for their cherry blossoms.

• Two cities in Japan that were the first to surrender in World War II.

Cold War

• A period of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union from the late 1940s to the early 1990s, without direct military conflict.

• A military alliance formed between the United States and its allies during World War II.

• A series of economic agreements between the United States and European countries in the 1960s.

• A cultural movement in the United States during the 1980s focused on peace and diplomacy.

Holocaust

• The systematic mass murder of 6 million Jews by the Nazis and their allies during World War II.

• A large-scale military operation during World War II.

• A peace treaty signed after World War I.

• A cultural movement in Europe during the 20th century.

Axis

• The countries that fought against the Allies in World War II. The main Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan.

• A group of countries that remained neutral during World War II.

• The countries that supported the Allies in World War II, such as the United States and the Soviet Union.

• A military alliance formed after World War II to prevent future conflicts.