WW1: Intro, technological development, and extent of mobilisation of human and economic resources

Central Powers

The alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria during WW1.

Allied Powers

The alliance of the British Empire, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and later, the USA during WW1.

Triple Entente

An alliance formed by France, Russia, and the United Kingdom before WW1.

Triple Alliance

An alliance formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy before WW1.

Blank cheque

Germany's offer of unconditional support to Austria-Hungary before the war with Serbia.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's military strategy to avoid a two-front war by invading France through Belgium.

Stalemate

A situation in which further action or progress by opposing parties seems impossible, common in trench warfare.

Trench warfare

A type of combat in which opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other, prominent on the Western Front.

Lusitania

An ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, leading to increased tensions between the USA and Germany.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret communication from Germany to Mexico proposing a military alliance against the USA; its interception helped sway US opinion to enter the war.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The 1918 treaty between Russia and Germany ending Russia's involvement in WW1, resulting in significant territorial losses for Russia.

Armistice

A formal agreement to stop fighting; the Armistice of November 11, 1918 ended the fighting in WW1.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty signed on June 28, 1919, that ended WW1, imposing harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

War guilt clause

A provision in the Treaty of Versailles that made Germany accept full responsibility for causing WW1.

Total war

A war in which all members of society, including civilians, are mobilized for the effort.

Battle of Verdun

A significant WW1 battle characterized by heavy casualties, with around 800,000 total losses.

Battle of the Somme

One of the largest battles of WW1, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties with no decisive victory.

Battle of Jutland

A major naval battle during WW1 between Britain and Germany, resulting in no clear victor but maintaining British naval supremacy.

Russian withdrawal

The exiting of Russian troops from WW1 after the Bolshevik Revolution and signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

Nivelle Offensive

A failed French offensive in April 1917 that led to widespread mutinies in the French Army.

Peace Offensive (Friedenstrum)

Germany's final push for victory in 1918, which ultimately failed due to overstretched resources and high casualties.

League of Nations

An international organization proposed by Woodrow Wilson aimed at preventing future wars, established by the Treaty of Versailles.