Deck 25: World War Ii

Question 1

Allied hopes that aerial bombing would bring the war to a quick, humane end __________.

A) proved true
B) led to enormous damage to civilians' property and civilian deaths
C) were never tested, as FDR and Churchill strictly limited bombing
D) led both the Axis and Allies to avoid attacking civilian targets

Answer 1

led to enormous damage to civilians' property and civilian deaths

Question 2

Which of these most accurately describes the activities of workers during World War II?

A) Workers staged no important strikes.
B) The major unions all organized important strikes.
C) Despite no-strike pledges, workers staged wildcat strikes.
D) Union membership fell, as workers and union leaders fought over strikes.

Answer 2

Despite no-strike pledges, workers staged wildcat strikes.

Question 3

In 1942, a major offensive by the German Afrika Korps was stopped by the Allies at the battle of __________.

A) Morocco
B) El Alamein
C) Algeria
D) Casablanca

Answer 3

El Alamein

Question 4

Among the Allies, the fiercest fighting and greatest causalities were endured by __________.

A) Britain
B) the United States
C) the Soviet Union
D) France

Question 5

After the outbreak of war, Hollywood __________.

A) ignored the war and produced escapist fare
B) sought to build morale with patriotic movies
C) directly faced American racism in film
D) made films questioning whether the war was justified

Question 6

In 1943, riots broke out in southern California between U.S. sailors and __________.

A) Mexican American "zoot suiters"
B) Chinese laborers
C) African American veterans
D) civilian defense plant workers

Question 7

What was the greatest impact of World War II on the United States?

A) The Depression ended.
B) The United States acquired many new colonies around the world.
C) The economy continued to struggle to meet war demands.
D) New Deal agencies continued at a greater pace than before.

Question 8

Which of these groups suffered the most from wartime dislocations during World War II?

A) Japanese Americans
B) African Americans
C) Mexican Americans
D) German Americans

Question 9

Most Americans became aware of the full horrors of the Holocaust __________.

A) at the beginning of the war
B) through government films detailing Nazi atrocities
C) only as the war entered its final stages
D) as European Jewish refugees flooded into the United States from 1941 onward

Question 10

African Americans enlisted at a rate that was __________ percent above their proportion in the general population.

A) 25
B) 35
C) 40
D) 60

Question 11

Between 1943 and 1945, a unique community emerged in Los Alamos, New Mexico, made up of __________.

A) displaced Dust Bowl farmers
B) African American factory workers
C) researchers, scientists, and their families
D) Japanese internees

Question 12

Navajos served in a unique capacity during the war as __________.

A) radio code talkers
B) spies behind German lines
C) military chaplains
D) medical corpsmen

Question 13

To get Roosevelt to respond to unfair treatment of African Americans, A. Philip Randolph threatened to organize __________.

A) all African American workers in one great union
B) a march on Washington to the Lincoln Memorial
C) the Congress of Racial Equality
D) a massive strike by all black workers

Question 14

In 1942, Americans regained naval superiority in the Pacific with __________.

A) the introduction of submarine attacks on Japanese shipping
B) victories in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway
C) the first use of jet aircraft in combat
D) the capture of Okinawa

Question 15

The success of the first atomic bomb test convinced Truman that __________.

A) the United States no longer needed Soviet aid to win the war
B) the United States would not need to join the United Nations
C) Japan would surrender without a fight once told about the bomb
D) Germany could be defeated with one atomic attack

Question 16

By the time the Allies met at Yalta, Roosevelt had realized that neither the Soviets nor the British would accept __________.

A) establishing European spheres of influence
B) a conditional German surrender
C) the principles of the Atlantic Charter
D) American domination of the postwar world

Question 17

Hitler saw which of these as a root cause of Germany's problems in the 1920s and 1930s?

A) the Treaty of Versailles
B) the Catholic church
C) Italian interference in German affairs
D) the Germans' own failures

Question 18

The project name for the atomic bomb was __________.

A) Torch
B) Manhattan
C) Gadget
D) Overlord

Question 19

As Japan continued to expand into Indochina, President Roosevelt responded by __________.

A) moving the U.S. Pacific fleet to Hawai'i
B) appealing to the League of Nations
C) cutting off oil shipments to Japan
D) ordering American forces to attack Japanese forces

Question 20

Which of these events occurred first?

A) Hitler's annexation of Austria
B) Japan's seizure of Manchuria
C) Mussolini's annexation of Czechoslovakia
D) Russia's invasion of Poland

Question 21

One striking result of World War II on those who served was that __________.

A) many Americans formed new bonds of community that transcended previous divisions
B) most remembered it as a bad, unnecessary war
C) blacks and whites served together with little discrimination or conflict
D) most who served tried to forget their war experiences as quickly as possible

Question 22

World War II had its greatest impact on the wages and role in the workforce of __________.

A) African Americans
B) Mexican Americans
C) men
D) women

Question 23

The greatest area of World War II population growth and expansion of defense industries was the __________.

A) South
B) Midwest
C) Northeast
D) West Coast

Question 24

In 1938-1939, the western powers "appeased" Hitler by allowing him, with resistance, to annex part and then all of __________.

A) Belgium
B) Czechoslovakia
C) Poland
D) Denmark

Question 25

The British prime minister, with whom FDR formed a particularly close wartime relationship, was __________.

A) Clement Atlee
B) Winston Churchill
C) Wendell Willkie
D) Charles Drew

Question 26

World War II military recruitment resembled the experience of World War I in that __________.

A) many conscripts in both wars were turned away as functionally illiterate
B) blacks were barred from military service in both wars
C) very few recruits in either war were found physically unfit for service
D) about equal numbers of men served in the two wars

Question 27

From 1935 to 1937, Congress tried to prevent involvement in a coming war by passing five __________ Acts.

A) nonaggression
B) lend-lease
C) isolation
D) neutrality

Question 28

The start of the Allied invasion of Europe that was part of Operation Overlord began with __________.

A) the Battle of the Bulge
B) D-Day
C) the aerial bombing of Dresden
D) the Battle of Stalingrad

Question 29

In the initial battles of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, __________.

A) the Soviets put up an unexpectedly stiff defense
B) Hitler's forces devastated the Red Army
C) Hitler suffered a series of crucial setbacks
D) the German army moved forward slowly and tentatively

Question 30

By mid-1941, __________.

A) the United States was fighting an undeclared naval war with Germany in the Atlantic
B) Americans were demanding that the United States formally enter the war
C) the United States had made no significant preparations for the coming war
D) both Germany and Japan were carefully avoiding any action that might bring the United States into the war

Question 31

The fighting over the island of __________was particularly fierce because of its close proximity to Japan.

A) Okinawa
B) Guam
C) Guadalcanal
D) Tarawa

Question 32

Although this policy was unspoken, at Yalta, the United States and Britain accepted the reality of a postwar Soviet sphere of influence in __________.

A) Manchuria and Korea
B) the Middle East
C) the Baltic states and part of Poland
D) all of Eastern Europe

Question 33

Which situation finally caused President Roosevelt to respond to the Holocaust?

A) front-page news stories in American newspapers of the atrocities committed in Nazi concentration camps
B) liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp by the Soviet army
C) petitions from American Jewish community leaders to relax immigration laws so that unlimited war refugees could come into the United States
D) Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau's accusation that the State Department had thwarted efforts to rescue death camp prisoners

Question 34

The turning point of the war in Europe came with a series of Allied victories in __________.

A) 1941
B) 1942
C) 1943
D) 1944

Question 35

At Stalingrad and Kursk in 1943, __________.

A) the Allies broke the back of Russian resistance
B) Germany suffered stunning and costly defeats
C) strategic bombing reduced casualties and civilian damage
D) American forces had to come to Stalin's rescue

Question 36

Perhaps the greatest contribution women made in the military in World War II were the approximately 56,000 who served as __________.

A) Air Force ferry pilots
B) nurses in the Army
C) Navy cooks
D) Marine Corps training officers

Question 37

In the election of 1944, FDR's running mate, who eventually became president with FDR's death in 1945, was __________.

A) Dwight Eisenhower
B) Harry Truman
C) Henry Wallace
D) Thomas Dewey

Question 38

Germany, Italy, and __________ formed the Axis powers.

A) China
B) Japan
C) the Soviet Union
D) Spain

Question 39

Under the War Powers Act, what division of government was given sweeping new authority to carry on the war?

A) Congress
B) the president
C) the Joint Chiefs of Staff
D) the Defense Department

Question 40

How was the Potsdam Conference different from the Yalta Conference that had been held earlier in 1945?

A) The Potsdam Conference was held in Asia, while the Yalta Conference took place in Europe.
B) The Potsdam Conference addressed how to defeat Hitler, while the Yalta Conference dealt with the creation of an atomic bomb.
C) The United States and Britain both had new leaders involved at the Potsdam Conference.
D) Soviet leader Josef Stalin refused to attend the Potsdam Conference.

Question 41

What steps did the government take to encourage patriotism and prevent subversion during the war?

Question 42

What impact did the war have on the federal government?

A) A number of activities traditionally overseen by the federal government were delegated to the states.
B) Military matters became the sole focus of the government.
C) Government spending fell, but the size of the government increased.
D) The size and scope of the government increased dramatically.

Question 43

Discuss some of the problems that occurred in American society with mobilization for war.

Question 44

Why did Truman make the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan? How did critics opposed to the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justify their negative reactions?

Question 45

Which of these was Roosevelt's highest priority once he acquired the authority outlined in the War Powers Act?

A) the launching of an all-out attack on Japan
B) the implementation of the military draft
C) a massive reorganization of the economy
D) the securing of an alliance with Britain

Question 46

Kristallnacht provided evidence of which of these?

A) the folly of appeasing Hitler
B) the growing persecution of Jews in Hitler's Germany
C) the weakness of the United States
D) the inevitability of war between the United States and Germany

Question 47

During the Battle of Stalingrad, __________.

A) the Soviets suffered more casualties than Americans did during the entire war
B) Hitler wanted to retreat, but his generals refused to go along
C) the Germans suffered a strategic defeat, even though they lost very few men
D) warm weather aided the Germans, but it was not enough to secure victory

Question 48

In the years between World War I and the beginning of World War II, what did most Americans believe the nation's role should be?

A) remain isolated from the world's problems
B) prepare for the inevitable war against Germany and Japan
C) defend former allies against German aggression
D) unleash a preemptive strike against Japan

Question 49

In 1940‒1941, Japan's leaders hoped the United States would __________.

A) be preoccupied with European diplomacy and would ignore Japanese conquests in Southeast Asia
B) remain in isolation and take no role in the overseas conflicts
C) join the Allies in Europe and concentrate on Europe
D) join the Axis alliance and assist in their cause

Question 50

How did the Japanese respond to the League of Nations' objections to Japan's conquest of Manchuria?

A) It launched an attack on League headquarters.
B) It sought support within the League for its actions.
C) It pretended to agree to League demands.
D) It quit the League.

Question 51

Analyze how mobilizing for war changed the American economy, government, and society.

Question 52

Which of these helps explain the high turnover and absentee rates of women factory workers during the war?

A) Wages were high, and jobs were easy to find.
B) Many women found it nearly impossible to manage both a job and a household.
C) The majority of women did not feel it was right for women to work in factories.
D) Women were often discouraged from working in factories by male friends and family members.

Question 53

Which regions had the highest infant and maternal mortality rates during the war?

A) Midwest and Northeast
B) West and Northwest
C) Northeast and Southeast
D) South and Southwest

Question 54

A young woman during World War II who wanted to serve in the navy, would have joined the __________.

A) WAVES
B) WAC
C) WAFSP
D) MCWR

Question 55

What German action finally provoked Britain and France to declare war?

A) the invasion of Poland
B) the annexation of Austria
C) the seizure of Czechoslovakia
D) the invasion of France

Question 56

Which of these delayed Germany's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union?

A) an assassination attempt on Hitler
B) the threat of a British landing in Scandinavia
C) Mussolini's failures in North Africa and Greece
D) German losses in the Battle of Britain

Question 57

Discuss the various steps that Roosevelt took to combat isolationism at home.

Question 58

Which of these men would most likely have been chosen first by a draft board in 1942?

A) an eighteen-year-old high school graduate
B) a twenty-one-year-old college graduate
C) a thirty-year-old married man
D) a nineteen-year-old high school dropout

Question 59

In the Atlantic Charter, FDR and Churchill pledged to support __________.

A) the freedom of all peoples from tyranny
B) a European currency and a unified economy
C) economic support for the Soviet Union
D) any country committed to fighting the rise of socialism

Question 60

Which statement is accurate regarding the events that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor?

A) The United States had intelligence reports that a Japanese attack was coming somewhere in the Pacific.
B) The United States believed that Japan was bluffing and no actual attack was being planned.
C) The United States knew that Hawaii would be attacked but did not know when the strike would occur.
D) Due to diplomatic progress, the United States did not believe that a Japanese offensive was possible.

Question 61

Which statement most accurately describes the experiences of women in the WACS and WAVES during World War II?

A) Both male soldiers and commanders were suspicious of their morality and were hostile toward them.
B) Many women rose in the chain of command, and they were only barred from top posts in which they would supervise male subordinates.
C) Their pay and opportunities for advancement were the same as for men.
D) Women were treated with great respect by their male officers.

Question 62

Although many factors such as high rents, lack of adequate child care, and increases in juvenile delinquency placed strains on the American family during World War II, notable improvement took place in __________.

A) public health and medical care
B) racial integration of neighborhoods
C) availability of a variety of household goods
D) couples waiting until they were older to marry

Question 63

African American activists' desire to contribute to the war effort and to advance the cause of civil rights at home led to what was known as __________.

A) the "Double V" campaign
B) Operation Torch
C) the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
D) the Arsenal of Democracy

Question 64

What was the significance of Operation Torch?

A) It was the first time American troops went into action in the European Theater.
B) It signified the turning of the war in the Pacific.
C) It was the largest landing operation in history, more commonly referred to as "D-Day."
D) It was the first time an atomic weapon was used during a war.

Question 65

According to the Japanese American Citizens League, what was the real reason for the internment of the Japanese Americans during World War II?

A) racism
B) cultural misunderstanding
C) military necessity
D) greed

Question 66

How did the war break down ethnic and regional barriers between Americans?

A) Military service pulled Americans out of their local communities and put them in more diverse social situations.
B) The absence of segregation in the military allowed for considerable interracial interactions.
C) All Americans had essentially the same experience in the military, and as a result, came to hold common beliefs and opinions.
D) The war eliminated the racial and religious tensions that had characterized the country during the 1930s.

Question 67

What was the American Pacific campaign of 1942-1944 often called?

A) island-hopping
B) the lightning war
C) Operation Overlord
D) Operation Torch

Question 68

Women in the military were most likely to work in which area?

A) nursing or administration
B) assembly-line jobs
C) secretarial positions
D) mechanical repairs

Question 69

What was the eventual strategy that Roosevelt and Churchill developed to defeat the Axis Powers in Europe and Asia?

A) temporarily contain Japan while defeating Germany first because it was the bigger threat
B) temporarily contain Germany while defeating Japan first because it was the bigger threat
C) draw Germany out of Europe and defeat it in North Africa, while simultaneously conducting a full-scale invasion of Japan's home islands
D) defeat Japan in the Pacific while placing the Soviet Red Army in charge of defeating Germany in Europe

Question 70

In general, what role did popular culture play in the legacy of World War II?

A) It described America's role in the military and on the home front as virtuous and self-sacrificing and set the standard for future conflicts.
B) It portrayed America as opportunistic and was a cautionary tale for future generations.
C) It described the world as losing its virtue, and the war generation has since been labeled as the "lost" generation.
D) It validated aggression and stated that the war was a necessary tool in the expansion of America's empire.

Question 71

How did the New Deal fare during the year 1942?

A) It basically withered away due to economic progress and the addition of many new Republicans in Congress.
B) It was dramatically strengthened due to Roosevelt's popularity.
C) It maintained its previous strengths due to the chaotic nature of the war years.
D) It lost some authority but managed to rally after many new Democrats were voted into Congress.

Question 72

How did World War II differ from World War I?

A) World War II was a war of offensive maneuvers with surprise attacks, while World War I was characterized by immobilized armies in trenches.
B) Fighting in World War II was largely limited to Europe and some parts of eastern Asia, while World War I was fought on a larger global scale.
C) Greater casualties were inflicted in World War I than in World War II.
D) The United States entered World War II immediately after European nations declared war on each other, while it waited three years after the outbreak of war before entering World War I.

Question 73

What was the most important consequence of A. Philip Randolph's threat to lead a march on Washington?

A) Franklin Roosevelt pledged to integrate the defense industries and the government.
B) Industrialists branded the demonstrators as unpatriotic, and many were immediately fired.
C) Organized labor recognized the solidarity of the African American workers and integrated their unions.
D) Because many of the workers left their jobs to attend the rally in Washington, they were fired for being absent from their shifts.

Question 74

Which of these new agencies was responsible for building public support for the war?

A) the Office of War Information (OWI)
B) the Supply Priorities and Allocation Board (SPAB)
C) the Office of Price Administration (OPA)
D) the War Manpower Commission (WMC)

Question 75

African Americans served in combat in World War II __________.

A) only toward the end of the war
B) in elite infantry units with black officers
C) in integrated units
D) from the beginning of the fighting

Question 76

From the outset of its involvement, how did the United States plan on winning the war?

A) by outproducing its enemies
B) through the creation of the largest army in the world
C) by forcing Germany and Japan to go on the offensive
D) by combining diplomacy with force

Question 77

How did the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attempt to prevent subversion during the war?

A) The FBI engaged in extensive and often illegal wiretapping for domestic surveillance.
B) The FBI rounded up anarchists and deported many Bolsheviks.
C) The FBI appealed to the patriotism of Americans but did not violate their civil rights.
D) The FBI engaged the press, radio, and the motion picture industry to market patriotism during the era.

Question 78

Which statement best summarizes the effect of the War Powers Act?

A) The act expanded executive authority and created a precedent that endured much longer than the war.
B) Under the act, special agencies were created to handle operations any time the United States would go to war.
C) The act expanded executive authority, allowing the president special powers that ended once the war was over.
D) The act created the Office of Price Administration, which established a precedent of using price controls to check inflation.

Question 79

How did the Soviet Union help turn the tide of war in Europe in 1942?

A) The Red Army forced Nazi troops to abandon their invasion of the Soviet Union and retreat westward toward Germany.
B) Stalin's forces invaded eastern Germany and captured Berlin.
C) The Soviet strategic air offensive on German cities and industrial centers broke resistance and facilitated an Allied invasion from the west.
D) The Red Army's occupation of the Balkans and Hungary cut Germany's access to oil and food supplies shipped through the Mediterranean Sea.

Question 80

Due to major outbreaks of "battle fatigue," psychiatrists convinced the army command that __________.

A) eight months in combat should be the maximum
B) the problem derived from an individual's weakness, not the conditions of war
C) most soldiers should see no more than a 13-month tour of duty
D) women were incapable of serving in combat roles