Western CIv.: World War I

Secret Alliances

A network of treaties and pacts among European powers that created tension and drew multiple nations into conflict once war began.

Militarism

The buildup of large armies and navies; belief in maintaining strong military power and readiness for war.

Nationalism

Intense pride in one's nation leading to competition rather than cooperation; caused rivalry and tension in Europe.

Imperialism

Competition among nations for colonies and global influence; increased rivalries before WWI.

Press

The media helped spread national pride and sometimes exaggerated stories that fueled hostility between nations.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

German Emperor whose aggressive policies and militarism contributed to tensions before WWI.

Otto von Bismarck

German statesman who originally formed alliances to keep peace, later replaced by Wilhelm II who pursued more aggressive policies.

Conscription

Mandatory military service that helped double the size of European armies before the war.

The Balkan Wars

Pre-1914 conflicts in southeastern Europe that increased instability and tensions among major powers.

Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination sparked WWI.

Sophia Ferdinand

Wife of Archduke Francis Ferdinand; assassinated with him in Sarajevo.

Gavrilo Princip

Serbian nationalist and member of the Black Hand who assassinated Archduke Francis Ferdinand.

Black Hand Society

Serbian nationalist group aiming to free Slavic peoples from Austro-Hungarian rule.

Blank Check Policy

Germany's promise of full support to Austria-Hungary after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.

Ultimatum to Serbia

July 23, 1914 demand from Austria-Hungary that Serbia rejected on July 25, leading to war.

Austria Declares War

July 28, 1914 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, beginning WWI.

The Allies (Triple Entente)

France, Great Britain, Russia (later joined by the U.S. and Italy).

The Central Powers

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

Schlieffen Plan

German military strategy to defeat France quickly by invading through Belgium, then turning to fight Russia.

First Battle of the Marne (Sept 1914)

French and British forces stopped the German advance; ended hopes of a quick war and began trench warfare.

Trench Warfare

Type of warfare characterized by long, deadly stalemates; soldiers lived in trenches separated by 'no man's land.'

Stalemate

A situation in which neither side can advance; common on the Western Front.

Battle of Verdun (1916)

One of the longest and bloodiest battles of WWI; around 700,000 soldiers killed or wounded.

Battle of the Somme (1916)

British offensive known for the heaviest one-day loss in WWI.

Battle of Jutland (1916)

The only major naval battle of WWI; fought between the British and German fleets.

Battle of Tannenberg (Aug 1914)

German victory against Russia on the Eastern Front.

Battle of Masurian Lakes (Sept 1914)

Another major German victory against Russia; stopped Russian advances.

Battle of Gallipoli (1915)

Failed Allied campaign to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles.

Italy Enters the War

Italy joined the Allies in May 1915 against Austria-Hungary.

Bulgaria Enters the War

Bulgaria joined the Central Powers in September 1915.

Ottoman Empire Enters the War

Joined the Central Powers, expanding the conflict to the Middle East.

Lawrence of Arabia

British officer who led Arab revolts against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East.

Sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915)

German submarine sank a British passenger ship, killing Americans and angering the U.S.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

German naval policy of sinking any ship around Britain without warning.

Zimmerman Note

Secret message from Germany to Mexico encouraging war against the U.S.; intercepted by Britain.

U.S. Enters the War (April 6, 1917)

U.S. declared war on Germany, providing resources and morale to the Allies.

Bolshevik Revolution (Nov 1917)

Russian Revolution led by Lenin and the Bolsheviks; overthrew the provisional government.

Total War

A war requiring the mobilization of all national resources—economic, industrial, and human.

Defense of the Realm Act (DORA)

British law allowing government censorship and control of the public during wartime.

Propaganda

Government campaigns to maintain morale, encourage enlistment, and suppress dissent.

Labor Benefits

Workers gained better wages and conditions due to labor shortages.

Women's Roles

During WWI women worked in factories, nursing, and other jobs; later gained voting rights in several countries.

Social Impact of Total War

Women's rights advanced; societies became more state-controlled; economic hardship increased.

Nicholas II

Last Tsar of Russia; autocratic ruler during WWI who failed to manage war and domestic unrest.

Rasputin

Mystic who influenced the Russian royal family; symbolized corruption in the monarchy.

March Revolution (March 1917)

Workers and soldiers in Petrograd revolted; Nicholas II abdicated; Provisional Government formed.

Alexander Kerensky

Leader of Russia's Provisional Government who tried to continue the war effort.

Soviets

Local workers' councils formed during the Russian Revolution; later dominated by the Bolsheviks.

Vladimir Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks; promised 'Peace, Land, and Bread.'

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 3, 1918)

Peace treaty between Russia and Germany; ended Russia's participation in WWI.

Red Army

Bolshevik military forces during the Russian Civil War.

White Army

Anti-Bolshevik forces during the Russian Civil War.

Cheka

Secret police created by the Bolsheviks to eliminate opposition ('Red Terror').

War Communism

Policy in Russia during civil war: government took control of industry and food distribution.

Allied Intervention

Foreign troops (including British, French, U.S.) unsuccessfully intervened in Russia's civil war.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

November 9, 1918 - German emperor abdicated and fled to the Netherlands.

Armistice (Nov 11, 1918)

Agreement ending fighting in WWI; now commemorated as Veterans Day.

Paris Peace Conference (1919)

Meeting of Allied powers to set postwar terms; 27 nations participated.

The Big Three

Woodrow Wilson (U.S.), Georges Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd George (Britain).

Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points

Plan for peace promoting self-determination, free trade, and a League of Nations.

Lloyd George's Goal

Make Germany pay for the war.

Georges Clemenceau's Goal

Secure France's safety by weakening Germany.

"Peace without Victory"

Wilson's ideal of a fair peace that didn't punish any nation harshly.

League of Nations

International organization formed to promote peace; U.S. refused to join.

Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919)

Main treaty ending WWI between Allies and Germany; imposed harsh reparations.

War Guilt Clause (Article 231)

Clause blaming Germany for the war and requiring reparations.

German Army Limits

Restricted to 100,000 men; no tanks or heavy artillery allowed.

Territorial Losses

Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine to France and land to Poland; Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empires broken up.

New Nations Created

Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia.

Mandate System

Former Ottoman lands given to Britain and France to administer.

British Mandates

Iraq and Palestine.

French Mandates

Lebanon and Syria.

U.S. Senate Rejects Treaty

The U.S. refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and did not join the League of Nations.

Consequences of WWI

Huge loss of life, political upheaval, economic ruin, and unresolved tensions that led to WWII.