History Notes (WW2)
Germany -> took most of Europe (with blitzkrieg until 1941)
Enigma -> machine used to encode and decode secret messages
-> used by Germans in World War 2
-> code was changed continuously during the war
-> cracked the code as -> Polish created a replica
-> German accidently sent a message
twice (which was forbidden)
Japan -> attacked US (to get a reason to occupy US colonies)
-> Wanted Natural Resources to support their army from
US colonies in South East-Asia
-> Attacked Peral Harbor to cripple US navy (7th December 1941)
Russia -> could not keep up with Germans (due to blitzkrieg)
-> followed Scorched Earth policy (burned everything)
Germany -> got put on defensive (due to Scorched Earth Policy)
-> Tried to go on offensive again
-> Rapidly made weapons and recruited men
-> Offensive started on 5th July 1943
Kursk -> abandoned by Germans (as Allies landed in Italy)
-> Russians recaptured the city (with high cost)
Allies -> landed in Sicily (1943) but didn’t invade as the terrain was
mountainous
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D-Day (Operation Overlord)-> marked end of German occupation of
Western front
-> Allies landed -> Normandy (fooled Germans
whom concentrated all
forces elsewhere)
-> Germans -> fooled by -> Dummy army
-> Double spies
-> Allies suffered more losses
Atomic Bomb -> 1st successful test (16th July 1945)
-> Oppenheimer -> regarded as Father of the Atomic bomb
-> Intended to hit Germany (but they surrendered)
-> Ordered to be dropped by President Truman
-> Seen as an easy way to the way (without going to
mainland Japan)
The US -> captured Okinawa (21st June 1945)
-> bombed Tokyo with no response (17th July 1945)
-> Sent an ultimatum to Japan to surrender (26th July 1945)
which was ignored
“Little Boy” -> dropped on Hiroshima (6th August 1945)
-> dropped by Enola Gay (ordered to drop if visibility was good)
Hiroshima was targeted as -> Military headquarter, Assembly point for
troops
-> Surrounded by hills
-> Could feel wrath of US
(140,000 people died and the city became rubble)
USSR -> invaded Manchuria (9th August 1945)
-> to help Communists in China
“Fat Man” -> dropped on Nagasaki (9th August 1945)
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Japan -> surrendered on the commands of the emperor (14th August 1945)
During World War 2 -> Planes -> bigger range, better armed
-> got increasingly used in warfare
-> used to spy on enemies, bomb cities,
attack ships
Nuremberg Trials -> Trials for 21 major Nazi leaders (All Germans)
-> Held at Nuremburg as -> Nuremburg was birthplace
of Nazism
-> City had a large prison
-> Palace of Justice was
undamaged by bombings
The Trial was held for -> Crimes against humanity
-> Crimes against peace
-> War Crimes
(In accordance with London Charter)
The trial consisted of -> 2 French Judges
2 Russian Judges
2 US Judges
2 British Judges
(No judges from Germany or neutral countries)
Trial -> criticized for -> Lack of time (to allow generals to defend
themselves)
(Trial was considered fair, set the standard of what was allowed and what wasn’t in
conflict)
Yalta Conference -> conference between -> Stalin (Feb 1945)
-> Truman
-> Churchill
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Discussion -> Soviet participation in the Eastern front
-> invading Japan and also to priorities
-> unconditional surrender of Germany
Gains from Yalta conference
-> USSR -> got sphere of influence in Manchuria
-> Germany got split by 3 countries (UK, US, USSR)
-> Berlin got split by 3 countries
(France also got a slice later on from the UK and US parts)
-> The USSR attacking Japan
-> All countries freed from Nazi rule could hold elections to choose their
own government
Potsdam Conference -> conference between -> Harry Truman (July 1945)
-> Stalin
-> Churchill
-> to finalize post war-settlements
Changes since the Yalta conference
-> New US President
-> Communism expanded
-> The US obtained nukes
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