World War II 1: almanac

241 Pages·2000·10.7 MB·English

by  George Feldman

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Almanac
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Almanac E1
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George Feldman
Edited by Christine Slovey
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George Feldman
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a Staff
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Christine Slovey, U•X•L Editor
a
Carol DeKane Nagel, U•X•L Managing Editor
m
Tom Romig, U•X•L Publisher
l Rita Wimberley, Senior Buyer
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Dorothy Maki, Manufacturing Manager

: Evi Seoud, Assistant Production Manager
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Mary Beth Trimper, Production Director
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r Margaret A. Chamberlain, Permissions Specialist
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W Eric Johnson and Martha Schiebold, Cover Art Directors
Pamela A. E. Galbreath, Page Art Director
Cynthia Baldwin, Product Design Manager
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r Linda Mahoney, LM Design, Typesetting
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W Laura Exner, XNR Productions, Inc., Cartographer
Front cover photographs reproduced by permission of the National Archives
and Records Administration.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
World War II: Almanac / George Feldman
cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7876-3830-7 (set), — ISBN 0-7876-3831-5 (v. 1). — ISBN 0-
7876-3832-3 (v. 2)
1. World War, 1939-1945 Juvenile literature. I. Feldman, George II.
Title: World War two. III. Title: World War 2.
D743. 7.W673 1999
940.53—dc21 99-36179
CIP
This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable copyright
laws, as well as by misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and
other applicable laws. The author and editors of this work have added value
to the underlying factual material herein through one or more of the fol-
lowing: unique and original selection, coordination, expression, arrange-
ment, and classification of the information. All rights to this publication will
be vigorously defended.
Copyright © 2000 U•X•L, an imprint of The Gale Group
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in
any form.
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Advisory Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Reader’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Timeline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Words to Know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi
Research and Activity Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxi
Three children sit in front of
their bombed house in
Volume 1
London. (Reproduced by
permission of the National
Chapter 1: Background to War. . . . . . . . . . . . . . l
Archives and Records
Chapter 2: The Beginning of the War in Europe . . . . . 35 Administration)
Chapter 3: The War Expands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Chapter 4: Japan Attacks and America Goes to War . . . 83
Chapter 5: The Home Front. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Chapter 6: Europe Under Occupation . . . . . . . . . 131
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Chapter 7: The Holocaust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Chapter 8: The Impact of Total War . . . . . . . . . . 181
Volume 2
Chapter 9: The Allies and the Axis. . . . . . . . . . . 205
Chapter 10: Turning Points:
The Allies Begin to Win the War . . . . . . . . 227
U.S. Army tank in Aachen, Chapter 11: The Great Invasion:
Germany. (Reproduced Operation Overlord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
by permission of AP/Wide
Chapter 12: The Defeat of Germany. . . . . . . . . . 277
World Photos)
Chapter 13: The War Against Japan . . . . . . . . . . 305
Chapter 14: The Defeat of Japan . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Chapter 15: Spies and Scientists. . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Chapter 16: Art, Entertainment,
and Propaganda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Chapter 17: The World After the War . . . . . . . . . 391
Where to Learn More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxvii
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xlv
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Advisory Board
Special thanks are due to U•X•L’s World War II Reference
Library advisors for their invaluable comments and sug-
gestions:
• Sidney Bolkosky, Professor of History, University of
Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan
• Sara Brooke, Director of Libraries, The Ellis School, Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania
• Jacquelyn Divers, Librarian, Roanoke County Schools,
Roanoke, Virginia
• Elaine Ezell, Library Media Specialist, Bowling Green
Junior High School, Bowling Green, Ohio
• Melvin Small, Department of History, Wayne State
University, Detroit, Michigan
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Reader’s Guide
Between 1939 and 1945 a war was fought among all the
major powers of the world. By the end of it, more than fifty
countries were involved. It was a war in which more people died
than had died in any previous war and it changed the political,
social, and economic face of the entire world. World War II:
Almanacprovides a comprehensive range of historical informa-
tion and current commentary on World War II. The set explores
how events after World War I (1914–18) led to World War II; the
impact of the rise of dictatorial governments in Europe and of
militarism in Japan; how world leaders attempted to avoid war;
the relationships among the Allied countries and among the
Axis countries; major battles and turning points; life on the
home fronts and the nature of German occupations in Europe;
scientific developments; art and entertainment during the war;
and finally, how the world was changed by the war.
Other Features
World War II: Almanacis divided into seventeen subject
chapters, each focusing on a particular topic, such as The
Beginning of the War in Europe, Europe Under Occupation,
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The War Against Japan, and Spies and Scientists. The chapters
contain numerous sidebar boxes, some focusing on people
associated with the war, others taking a closer look at pivotal
events. More than 150 black-and-white photos and maps illus-
trate the text. Each volume begins with a timeline of events, a
“Words to Know” section, and a “Research and Activity Ideas”
section. The volumes conclude with a list of sources students
can go to for more information and a subject index so students
can easily find the people, places, and events discussed
throughout World War II: Almanac.
Comments and Suggestions
We welcome your comments on World War II:
Almanac and suggestions for other topics in history to con-
sider. Please write: Editors, World War II: Almanac, U•X•L,
27500 Drake Rd., Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331-3535;
call toll-free: 1-800-877-4253; fax to [phone]; or send e-
mail via http://www.galegroup.com.
x World War II:Almanac
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Timeline
1917: The czar (emperor) is overthrown in Russia and a Com-
munist government comes to power. The Russian
empire is eventually renamed the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR), known as the Soviet Union.
1919: Germany signs the Treaty of Versailles, officially end-
ing World War I. Extreme nationalist groups in Ger-
many blame socialists, communists, and Jews for Ger-
many’s defeat.
1919: Communist revolutions in various parts of Germany
are put down with great bloodshed.
1919: Adolf Hitler joins the tiny German Workers’ Party in
Munich. The party soon changes its name to the
National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP),
called the Nazi Party for short.
1920
1908 1914 1918 The League
The Model T Ford World War I World War I of Nations
is introduced begins ends is formed
1905 1910 1915 1920
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