WW1 20th century

Ypres

Series of battles in Belgium; first time poison gas was used.

Somme

One of the deadliest battles; lots of soldiers died, little land gained.

Jutland

Huge naval battle between Britain and Germany; no clear winner.

Marne

Battle near Paris where Allies stopped Germany from winning early.

Verdun

Longest battle of WWI; France vs. Germany, many casualties.

Tannenberg

Germany crushed Russia in this early battle.

Gallipoli

Failed Allied attempt to control a sea route; many soldiers died.

Meuse-Argonne

Big U.S.-led offensive that helped end the war. Biggest battle in US history.

Race to the Sea

Both sides tried to outflank each other, ending in trench warfare along the coast.

Otto Von Bismarck

German leader who united Germany before WWI but was gone by the time the war started.

Tsar Nicholas II

Russian king during WWI; overthrown in the Russian Revolution.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

German emperor during WWI; aggressive policies helped cause the war.

Queen Victoria

British queen before WWI; many leaders in WWI were her grandchildren.

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. president during WWI; wanted peace with his 14 Points.

David Lloyd George

British prime minister during WWI; wanted to punish Germany after the war.

Georges Clemenceau

French leader who wanted revenge on Germany after WWI.

MAIN

Acronym for the causes of WWI: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism.

Zimmerman Note

Secret message from Germany to Mexico, asking them to fight the U.S. if the U.S. entered WWI.

American Expeditionary Force (AEF)

The name for U.S. troops sent to fight in Europe during WWI, led by General John J. Pershing.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's plan to quickly defeat France and then fight Russia; it failed, leading to trench warfare.

Trench Warfare

Fighting from long, dug-out trenches; soldiers faced mud, rats, and constant danger from enemy fire.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended WWI, punishing Germany by taking land and limiting military.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany’s policy of sinking any ship (even civilian ones) without warning.

Causes of WW1

Countries built big armies (Militarism), made secret pacts (Alliances), fought over colonies (Imperialism), and had extreme pride (Nationalism).

The big 4

The four leaders who decided the peace terms after WWI:

Woodrow Wilson (USA)

David Lloyd George (UK)

Georges Clemenceau (France)

Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

Assassination of Franz-Ferdinand

The event that started WWI—Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was killed by a Serbian, leading to a chain reaction of alliances declaring war.

US involvement in WW1 (arguments)

For: German attacks on ships, Zimmerman Note (Germany asked Mexico to attack the U.S.), and to make the world “safe for democracy.”

Against: Many Americans wanted to stay neutral and avoid foreign wars.

The communist revolution

In 1917, Russians overthrew Tsar Nicholas II. The new Communist government, led by Vladimir Lenin, pulled Russia out of WWI.

Weapons/ tactics of WW1

Machine guns, poison gas, tanks, submarines (U-boats), and airplanes were new.

Battles were slow and deadly because of trenches and new tech.

Central Powers

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire (Turkey), and Bulgaria.

Allied powers

France, Britain, Russia (until 1917), Italy (switched sides), USA (joined in 1917), and others.

Condition of the key players before war

Germany: Powerful and growing fast, wanted more colonies.

Austria-Hungary: Weak, dealing with many ethnic groups wanting independence.

Russia: Big but poorly organized and struggling.

Britain & France: Old powers trying to keep control of their empires.

Propaganda posters

Used to convince people to support the war. Common themes:

Patriotism, demonizing the enemy, recruiting soldiers, and saving resources.