← Home
History: World War II — Causes & Key Events
Question
When did World War II begin and end?
tap to flip
Answer
It began on 1 September 1939 (Germany's invasion of Poland) and ended on 2 September 1945 (Japan's formal surrender).
tap to flip
Question
What were the main causes of World War II?
tap to flip
Answer
The Treaty of Versailles, rise of fascism and Nazism, the Great Depression, failure of appeasement, and German aggression in the 1930s.
tap to flip
Question
What was the Treaty of Versailles (1919)?
tap to flip
Answer
The peace settlement ending WW1 that imposed heavy reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions on Germany — causing widespread resentment.
tap to flip
Question
Who were the Allied Powers in WW2?
tap to flip
Answer
Primarily the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, France, and China — along with many other nations.
tap to flip
Question
Who were the Axis Powers in WW2?
tap to flip
Answer
Germany, Italy, and Japan — bound by the Tripartite Pact of 1940.
tap to flip
Question
What was the policy of appeasement?
tap to flip
Answer
Britain and France's strategy of making concessions to Hitler's demands (e.g. allowing annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland) to avoid war.
tap to flip
Question
What was the Blitzkrieg?
tap to flip
Answer
"Lightning war" — Germany's military strategy of fast, overwhelming attacks combining tanks, motorised infantry, and air support to quickly defeat enemies.
tap to flip
Question
What was the Dunkirk evacuation (1940)?
tap to flip
Answer
Operation Dynamo — the rescue of around 338,000 Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, France, as German forces closed in.
tap to flip
Question
What was the Battle of Britain (1940)?
tap to flip
Answer
An air campaign in which the RAF successfully defended Britain against the German Luftwaffe, preventing a German invasion of Britain.
tap to flip
Question
What was Operation Barbarossa (1941)?
tap to flip
Answer
Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 — the largest military operation in history, ultimately a catastrophic failure for Germany.
tap to flip
🔒
See all 30 cards for free
Create a free account to unlock the full deck — no payment needed.