Question 1

What was the result of the invasion of Manchuria, China by Japanese troops in the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

The invasion of Manchuria occurred in the early 1930s during a period of weakness and instability in China caused by a civil war. Japanese troops took control of the region and proclaimed it as an independent state, which allowed them to gain access to its natural resources and strengthen their position in East Asia. This act of aggression was widely condemned by the international community but ultimately set the stage for Japan's further expansion in the region, leading to the start of the Second World War.

Question 2

Which of the following statements accurately describes the purpose of the Neutrality Act of 1935?

Accepted Answer

The Neutrality Act of 1935 was passed to forbid the sale of arms and munitions to warring nations in response to the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in China. It sought to keep the United States out of foreign conflicts by making it illegal to sell arms to belligerents during a time of war.

Question 3

How did developments in Germany and Japan compare leading up to the Second World War?

Accepted Answer

Both Germany and Japan had totalitarian regimes and leaders who professed their intention for their country to dominate their region of the world. Hitler believed in Germany's supposed racial superiority and sought to dominate Europe, while Japanese leaders sought to direct a resurgent Asia through their "master race."

Question 4

What was the result of the Battle of Britain in 1940?

Accepted Answer

Although German air strikes caused significant damage and casualties, the Royal Air Force used new radar technology and the bravery of its pilots to successfully defend Britain and win the battle. The victory prevented German invasion plans and boosted morale for the Allied forces.

Question 5

What did the governments of Italy and Germany have in common by the 1930s?

Accepted Answer

By the 1930s, both Italy and Germany had established fascist forms of government, with Benito Mussolini leading Italy and Adolf Hitler leading Germany. Fascism prioritizes authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, and the suppression of political opposition.

Question 6

Germany's invasion of what country triggered the beginning of the Second World War in Europe?

Accepted Answer

Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, triggered the beginning of the Second World War in Europe.

Question 7

What effect did the German occupation of Czechoslovakia have on Roosevelt?

Accepted Answer

The German occupation of Czechoslovakia caused Roosevelt to abandon his policy of impartiality and take a stronger stance against Hitler's aggressive expansion. He gave a speech on March 15, 1939, in which he declared that the United States would not be indifferent to the fate of any European country threatened by aggression. This was a clear departure from his previous isolationist sentiments.

Question 8

Which of the following contributed to Hitler's rise to power?

Accepted Answer

Hitler's rise to power was largely due to his use of showmanship and organization of a police state employing tyranny, terrorism, and propaganda to impose absolute control. He was known for his ability to captivate and manipulate audiences through his speeches and rallies, and he used this to his advantage in gaining support from the German people.

Question 9

The Spanish Civil War began when

Accepted Answer

The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 when Spanish Nationalists, led by Francisco Franco, revolted against the newly established democratic government. The Nationalists wanted to overthrow the government and establish a fascist dictatorship. The Catholic Church did support the Nationalist movement, but did not directly cause the start of the war. Hitler and Mussolini did support Franco's Nationalists, but did not attack Spain themselves. Italy did provide support to the Nationalists but did not attack Spain. Francisco Franco did not defect to the United States.

Question 10

The Japanese use of the kamikaze began with the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.

Accepted Answer

The Japanese first used kamikaze attacks in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.

Question 11

Winston Churchill, who would become the British prime minister in 1940, predicted that an agreement would not end Hitler's assaults, saying that, "This is only the beginning of the
Reckoning." Which of the following agreements was this?

Accepted Answer

Churchill made this prediction in relation to the Munich Pact, which was signed in 1938 and allowed Hitler to annex parts of Czechoslovakia. Churchill warned that appeasement would only embolden Hitler and lead to further aggression.

Question 12

Which of the following statements accurately describes the German blitzkrieg?

Accepted Answer

The German blitzkrieg was centered on speed and coordination between air and land forces, and it was a highly effective tactic that stunned defenders in western Europe. This allowed the German army to quickly overrun and conquer much of Europe. None of the other options accurately describe the blitzkrieg.

Question 13

In late summer 1940, President Roosevelt agreed to send fifty "overaged" destroyers to Britain in return for

Accepted Answer

The agreement to send fifty "overaged" destroyers to Britain was in exchange for the ability to build U.S. naval and air bases on British islands in the Caribbean. This was known as the "Destroyers for Bases" agreement.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about the involvement of various nations in the Spanish Civil War is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Hitler and Mussolini supported the fascist Nationalist faction led by Franco in the Spanish Civil War, which added to the sense of crisis in Europe as it showed how fascism was gaining power in other parts of the continent. The United States and Britain remained neutral, and the Soviet Union provided some support to the republican movement. However, none of these nations were directly involved in the conflict.

Question 15

During the Second World War, presidential authority expanded at the expense of state and local authority.

Accepted Answer

The national government took on a greater role in managing the war effort, which led to increased presidential authority and a shift away from state and local authority.

Question 16

At what point did Congress revise the 1935 Neutrality Act to do more to stop "aggressor" nations?

Accepted Answer

The revision to the Neutrality Act that did more to stop "aggressor" nations was passed after the invasion of Poland in 1939, which marked the beginning of World War II. The revision allowed the sale of arms to belligerent nations on a cash-and-carry basis, with the requirement that they transport the arms in their own ships. This was in contrast to the previous Neutrality Act, which had prohibited the sale of arms to belligerent nations altogether.

Question 17

In 1935, Hitler, in flagrant violation of the Versailles Treaty, began rebuilding Germany's

Accepted Answer

The Versailles Treaty had limited the size and power of Germany's military, but in 1935, Hitler began openly violating those restrictions and started rebuilding and expanding the German armed forces.

Question 18

What was the significance of America's "good neighbor" policy as the Second World War grew more imminent?

Accepted Answer

The "good neighbor" policy was based on the principle of noninterventionism and the promotion of peace and cooperation among nations. As the Second World War grew more imminent, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and most Americans continued to support this sentiment, believing that the best way to avoid another devastating war was to maintain good relations with other nations and avoid getting involved in their conflicts. The policy did not promote free trade or aggressive military actions, nor did it signal a rejection of the policy due to foreign crises. Although it was implemented during the interwar period, it remained a significant policy during World War II as well.

Question 19

The global scope and scale of the Second World War ended America's ________ during the previous two decades.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "isolationism in terms of global conflicts" describes America's foreign policy of staying out of international disputes and focusing on domestic issues. The global scope and scale of the Second World War ended this isolationism and forced America to become involved in the global conflict.

Question 20

What was the role of the Nye Committee?

Accepted Answer

The Nye Committee, also known as the Senate Munitions Committee, was created to investigate the role that bankers and munitions makers played in America's entry into the Great War. It concluded that these groups had pushed the United States into war for their own financial gain, leading to support for isolationism and neutrality in subsequent years.

Quiz 26: The Second World War