World war One

Militarism

Policy of military buildup and reliance of an armed force, a key cause of WWI.

Secret Alliances

Hidden treaties between nations that increased tensions and led to WWI.

Stalemate

A situation in trench warfare where neither side can gain ground.

Propaganda

Government-controlled messaging to influence public opinion.

Reparations

Payments Germany was forced to make after WWI

Gavrilo Princip

Serbian nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne; his assassination in 1914 triggered WWI

Triple Entente (Allies)

Alliance of France, Britain, and Russia before WWI

Triple Entente (Allies)

Alliance of France, Britain, and Russia before WWI (Italy later switched sides)

Black Hand

Serbian nationalist group that planned Franz Ferdinand’s assassination

Lusitania

British ship sunk by Germany in 1915, killing Americans and escalating tensions

Total War

A war involving entire societies, not just armies

Paris Peace Conference

1919 meeting where WWI peace terms were set

Big four

Leaders of the U.S., Britain, France, and Italy at the Paris Peace Conference.

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. president who proposed the Fourteen Points.

David Lloyd George

British Prime Minister at the Paris Peace Conference.

Georges Clemenceau

French leader demanding harsh terms for Germany.

Vittorio Orlando

Italian leader at the Paris Peace Conference.

Fourteen Points

Wilson's plan for peace and a League of Nations.

League of Nations

International group to prevent future wars after WWI; the U.S. did not join.

Treaty of Versailles

1919 treaty that ended WWI, punished Germany, and redrew borders.

Trench Warfare

Fighting from deep earthen fortifications, leading to heavy casualties.

Poison Gas

Deadly chemical weapon used in WWI.

Machine Guns

Rapid-fire weapons that made attacks deadly.

Submarines

Used, especially by Germany, to attack ships unseen.

Airplanes

Used for reconnaissance and later combat in WWI.

Tanks

Armored vehicles used to cross trenches.

U-boat

German submarines that attacked Allied ships.

Zimmermann Telegram

German message urging Mexico to attack the U.S., pushing the U.S. into WWI.

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

Latin phrase meaning "It is sweet and honorable to die for one's country," famously criticized in WWI poetry