KEY CONCEPTS AND VOCABULARY – WORD LIST
UNIT 5 World War II
All vocab is important and will be helpful in this unit. This is not an exhaustive list and is subject to
change as we move through the unit and, as with anything, you will come across other terms you may be
unfamiliar with. Be mindful of new terms and work towards improving your vocabulary skills, which will
be helpful beyond this class.
Powers during WWII
Allies: U.S. , Britain. France USSR*-Russia
Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan
Important People
Emperor Hirohito- leader of Japan during WW2 nationalist and militaristic leader fixated on overseas
expansion.
Joseph Stalin- Totalitarian leader of Russia after Vladimir Lenin’s death
Benito Mussolini- Fascist leader of Italy during WWI
Neville Chamberlin- Prime Minister/Leader of Great Britain and associated with appeasing Hitler prior to
WW2
Winston Churchill- Prime Minister/Leader of Britain during WW2, after Chamberlin
Josef Mengele- A physician who conducted inhumane, and often deadly, medical experiments on prisoners at
Auschwitz. He promoted the idea of Eugenics- He like other Nazi’s would escape to south America and never
face trial for his crimes
Leaders in the Nazi Government (not exhaustive):
Adolph Hitler- Fascist leader in Germany, leader of the Nazi party, caused WWII and the Holocaust
Heinrich Himmler: Himmler had joined the Nazi Party in the 1920s, and eventually became the leader of the
Schutzstaffel or SS,
Hermann Goering: In charge of the Economy and responsible for confiscated Jewish businesses and state
control over the economy
Joseph Goebbels: Goebbels was the Nazis’ leading propagandist. A violent antisemite, he encouraged Hitler’s
radical
UNIT 5 World War II
All vocab is important and will be helpful in this unit. This is not an exhaustive list and is subject to
change as we move through the unit and, as with anything, you will come across other terms you may be
unfamiliar with. Be mindful of new terms and work towards improving your vocabulary skills, which will
be helpful beyond this class.
Powers during WWII
Allies: U.S. , Britain. France USSR*-Russia
Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan
Important People
Emperor Hirohito- leader of Japan during WW2 nationalist and militaristic leader fixated on overseas
expansion.
Joseph Stalin- Totalitarian leader of Russia after Vladimir Lenin’s death
Benito Mussolini- Fascist leader of Italy during WWI
Neville Chamberlin- Prime Minister/Leader of Great Britain and associated with appeasing Hitler prior to
WW2
Winston Churchill- Prime Minister/Leader of Britain during WW2, after Chamberlin
Josef Mengele- A physician who conducted inhumane, and often deadly, medical experiments on prisoners at
Auschwitz. He promoted the idea of Eugenics- He like other Nazi’s would escape to south America and never
face trial for his crimes
Leaders in the Nazi Government (not exhaustive):
Adolph Hitler- Fascist leader in Germany, leader of the Nazi party, caused WWII and the Holocaust
Heinrich Himmler: Himmler had joined the Nazi Party in the 1920s, and eventually became the leader of the
Schutzstaffel or SS,
Hermann Goering: In charge of the Economy and responsible for confiscated Jewish businesses and state
control over the economy
Joseph Goebbels: Goebbels was the Nazis’ leading propagandist. A violent antisemite, he encouraged Hitler’s
radical
