World War II Terms Flashcards

Cash and Carry

• Initiated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on September 21, 1939, to support nations in war.
• Allowed the sale of military supplies to belligerents paying in cash and responsible for transport risk.
• Replaced the Neutrality Acts of 1936.

Lend-Lease Act

• Proposed in late 1940 and enacted in March 1941.
• Authorized the president to transfer arms and defense materials to countries deemed vital to U.S. defense.
• Enabled the U.S. to provide significant support to Britain, China, and the Soviet Union without direct involvement in battle.

FDR's Four Freedoms

• Proposed by Roosevelt in January 1941.
• Defined four essential freedoms: speech and expression, worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
• Advocated for universal rights and highlighted American values.

Edward R. Murrow

• Born April 25, 1908, in North Carolina, he became a significant figure in American journalism.
• Directed talks for CBS since 1935 and initiated news broadcasts in 1928 throughout WWII.
• Known for the television program "See It Now" which controversially exposed Joe McCarthy in 1951.

The Blitz in London

• Term coined by the British press for intense German air raids over Britain in 1940-1941.
• Aimed at industrial targets and civilian areas during the Battle of Britain.
• The name translates to "lightning war," reflecting the speed and intensity of the attacks.

Attack on Pearl Harbor

• Surprise strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941, targeting a U.S. naval base in Hawaii.
• Triggered the entry of the United States into World War II.
• Japanese military referred to the operation under various code names during different planning phases.

Battle of Midway

• Critical naval battle in the Pacific Theater from June 4 to 7, 1942.
• U.S. Navy, led by Admirals Chester Nimitz, Frank Jack Fletcher, and Raymond A. Spruance, decisively defeated the Japanese fleet.
• Resulted in significant damage to Japan's naval forces, marking a pivotal turn in the war.

Operation Torch

• British-American invasion of French North Africa initiated on November 8, 1942.
• Part of the North African Campaign during World War II aiming to gain control over the region.

Bataan Death March

• A memorial march held annually to honor service members who defended the Philippines in WWII.
• Participants traverse challenging desert terrain to commemorate sacrifices made during the war.

Manhattan Project

• U.S.-led research and development initiative during WWII that resulted in the creation of the first nuclear weapons.
• Collaborated with the United Kingdom and Canada, primarily based in New Mexico.

Yalta Conference

• Held from February 4 to 11, 1945, attended by leaders from the U.S., U.K., and the Soviet Union.
• Aimed at discussing post-war reorganization and addressing the future of Europe after WWII.