Isthmus, annexation, collide, ultimatum, crucial, negotiate, armistice, consumerism, disparity, subsidy

1.Territorial disputes are sometimes resolved by of parts of other

countries.

2.Wilson's evidence proved to that legal case.

3. is a state when too much attention is given to buying and

owning many things.

4. Today many farms would have been closed without government

5. is a narrow piece of land that joins two larger areas and has

water on both sides.

6. They issued as the last action to prevent the war.

7. Two cars at the crossroads.

8. After severe fighting a two week was declared.

9. During the strike manager refused with the unions.

10.There is a great in the standards of living between the rich

and the poor.

World war II and its aftermath

For the USA World War II began in 1941 with the Japanese attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Though more than 300,000 Americans were killed and at least twice as many were wounded, many Americans considered it "the good war".

Unlike Asian and European nations, Americans escaped physical devastation, and for the USA World War II gave new hopes. The war lifted the country out of depression, giving new opportunities to women and ethnic minorities. It reshaped American economy and increases the power of the government. Also, World War II ended American isolationism and pushed the USA to the forefront of world affairs.

Beginning of World War II

The 1930s saw a second attempt of Germany to establish a German empire all over the world, and the growth of totalitarian expansionist regimes in Italy and Japan. In Italy Benito Mussolini made plans to revive the glory of the Roman Empire. In Japan a military group wanted to take control over other countries in Asia and islands in the Pacific Ocean. These three countries formed the alliance called the Axis. The Axis was opposed by the alliance of European countries – the Allies.

In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria – a part of China, in 1935, Italy attacked Ethiopia, in 1938, Germany seized Austria and part of Czechoslovakia. On September 1, 1939, the German army crossed the Polish border. Two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany. This date – September 3, 1939 marked the beginning of World War II.

The German army conquered Poland in less than three weeks using a tactics of blitz-krieg – a lightning war. In 1940, Germany invaded Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg; France had to sign an armistice. In September 1940, German planes began night bombing of British cities, railways and factories.

Americans witnessed the events in Europe with sadness and anxiety. President Roosevelt tried to prevent the involvement of the United States in a non-American war. In 1935, Neutrality Acts prohibited trade with any of the warring nations. However, Roosevelt was deeply troubled by the "three bandit nations" – Germany, Italy, and Japan, he worried that the USA was ill-prepared to confront the aggressors.

Though neutrality was declared, in 1937, Congress approved cash-and-carry exports – the warring nations had to pay cash for their purchases and carry the goods away in their own ships.

In 1940, the plans of the US government changed – Roosevelt started to aid the Allies. He also signed the Selective Training and Service Act that called for the registration of all men between 18 and 35.

In March 1941, the USA instituted Lend-Lease allowing Britain almost unlimited access to American war materials. In August 1941, the leaders of both countries – Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to state their common aims for future world peace. They wrote the Atlantic Charter, which set war aims: collective security, disarmament, self-determination, economic co-operation, and freedom of the seas. The Atlantic Charter made the basis for the declaration of the United Nations signed by twenty-six other nations on January 1, 1942.