World War II Key Terms

Holocaust

• The systematic extermination of Jews during World War II under Nazi Germany

• A religious festival celebrated by Jewish communities

• A political movement advocating for Jewish rights

• A historical event marking the end of World War I

Navajo Code Talkers

• Native Americans from the Navajo tribe used their own language to create a code for the U.S. military that the Japanese could not break.

• A group of soldiers who used sign language to communicate during battles.

• A team of linguists who translated Japanese messages for the U.S. military.

• A secret organization that developed new weapons for the U.S. military.

D-Day

• The Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944

• The day the United States declared independence

• The day World War I officially ended

• The day the Berlin Wall fell

Axis Powers

• Germany, Italy, Japan

• United States, United Kingdom, France

• China, India, Brazil

• Russia, Canada, Australia

Internment camps in US

• Japanese Americans were placed in camps because the government was afraid of spies and sabotage during WWII

• Japanese Americans volunteered for military service during WWII

• Japanese Americans were given land grants to relocate after the war

• Japanese Americans were allowed to live freely without restrictions during WWII

G.I. Bill

• Law passed in 1944 to help returning veterans buy homes and pay for higher educations

• A program to provide free healthcare to veterans

• A tax incentive for businesses hiring veterans

• A military training program for veterans

Harry Truman

• President of the U.S. when FDR died.

• Vice President under FDR

• Governor of Missouri

• Secretary of State

Hiroshima

• City in Japan, the first to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, on August 6, 1945.

• Capital of Japan, known for its skyscrapers and technology.

• A city in the United States known for its historical significance during World War II.

• A famous tourist destination in Europe, known for its art and culture.

The Manhattan Project

• A secret research and development project of the U.S. to develop the atomic bomb.

• A public initiative to promote nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

• An international treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

• A military operation during World War II to invade Japan.

Invasion of Poland 1939

• Military act by Germany that started WWII in Europe

• A diplomatic agreement between Germany and Poland

• A battle fought between Germany and France

• An economic crisis in Poland