World War I Review Flashcards

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms, definitions, and important figures and concepts from World War I.

Nationalism

The belief that your country is superior, fostering unity but also divisiveness among nations.

Panslavism

The belief that Slavic people should unite and form their own nation, often at the expense of other empires.

Militarism

The belief that a nation must maintain a strong military to promote and defend its interests.

Dreadnought

A class of battleship introduced by Britain that was powerful and technologically advanced, considered unsinkable.

Anglo-German Arms Race

The competition between Great Britain and Germany to build the strongest navy.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or military force.

Moroccan Crisis

A conflict between Germany and France over control of Morocco, which brought France and Great Britain closer together.

Three Emperors League

An alliance created by Bismarck including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia.

Dual Alliance

An alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Triple Alliance

A military alliance formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Dual Entente

The alliance formed between Russia and France after the Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty expired.

Triple Entente

An alliance formed by Great Britain, France, and Russia.

Balance of Power

A system where nations increase their strength to prevent other nations from becoming dominant.

Balkans

The region in Southeast Europe that was a major area of conflict prior to World War I.

Pan-Slavism

The belief held by Slavs, particularly in Serbia, that all Slavic peoples should be united.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination sparked the beginning of World War I.

Gavrilo Princip

The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and a member of the nationalist group known as the Black Hand.

Austria-Hungary's Ultimatum

A series of demands issued to Serbia that, if not accepted, would lead to war.

Russian Mobilization

Russia's deployment of military forces in response to Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's military strategy to first defeat France quickly before turning to fight Russia.

No Man's Land

The area between opposing trenches where soldiers risk severe casualties when crossing.

Trench Warfare

A type of combat where opposing troops fight from trenches; characterized by a stalemate.

Battle of the Somme

One of the deadliest battles of World War I, resulting in over 1 million casualties.

Eastern Front

The theater of war between Germany and Russia during World War I.

Battle of Tannenberg

A significant battle on the Eastern Front where German forces decisively defeated the Russians.

Gallipoli Campaign

An unsuccessful Allied campaign during World War I to secure the Dardanelles Strait.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

The German Emperor during World War I who played a key role in the war's initiation.

German Submarines

Naval vessels utilized by Germany that were capable of launching torpedoes against enemy ships.

Machine Gun

A rapid-fire, automatic weapon that significantly changed the dynamics of warfare during WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

Armistice

An agreement to stop fighting, which marked the end of combat in World War I.

14-Point Peace Plan

A statement of principles for peace negotiations to end World War I proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.

Central Powers

The alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria during World War I.

Allied Powers

The coalition of countries including France, Britain, Russia, Italy, and later the U.S. against the Central Powers.