World War I and the Remaking of Europe (1914–1919)

MAIN (causes of World War I)

A mnemonic for four major long-term causes of WWI: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.

Nationalism

The belief that people sharing language, culture, or history should have political unity and loyalty, often in a nation-state; in pre-1914 Europe it fueled rivalries and made compromise risky.

Imperialism

A policy of extending national power through colonies or spheres of influence; intensified distrust and “zero-sum” competition among European powers before 1914.

Militarism

The glorification of military power and the belief force is a normal tool of policy; encouraged arms races, large standing armies, and reliance on rapid war plans.

Alliance System

A network of diplomatic/military agreements linking states; intended to deter aggression but could turn a local conflict into a wider war through expectations of support.

Triple Alliance

Prewar alignment of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, based on mutual support (with Germany strongly backing Austria-Hungary).

Triple Entente

Prewar alignment of France, Russia, and Britain; initially less formal than an alliance but increasingly involved military and diplomatic coordination.

Balkan “powder keg”

The volatile situation in southeastern Europe caused by Ottoman decline, great-power competition (especially Austria-Hungary vs. Russia), and intense local nationalist movements (notably Serbia).

Conscription

Compulsory military service used to build mass armies; a key feature of pre-1914 militarism and of WWI’s mass mobilization.

Mobilization Plans

Detailed military timetables (often rail-based) for calling up and moving armies quickly; treated as hard to stop once begun, escalating the July 1914 crisis.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany’s strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France first before fully turning to Russia; encouraged speed and risk-taking once war seemed likely.

July Crisis

The chain of decisions and escalating mobilizations after the June 1914 assassination that transformed a Balkan conflict into a general European war.

“Blank check”

Germany’s strong diplomatic backing of Austria-Hungary in 1914, which encouraged Austria-Hungary to act more aggressively toward Serbia.

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The June 28, 1914 killing of the Austro-Hungarian heir in Sarajevo, which Austria-Hungary used as an opportunity to confront Serbia forcefully.

Total War

A form of war in which states mobilize entire societies and economies—not just armies—expanding state control and blurring the line between front and home front.

Trench Warfare

A defensive system of fortified trenches, especially on the Western Front, that developed because modern firepower made attacks across open ground extremely costly.

Attrition

A strategy of wearing down the enemy through sustained losses in manpower and morale; associated with WWI stalemate and battles like Verdun and the Somme.

Propaganda

State messaging that framed the war as a moral struggle to boost enlistment, work discipline, and support for sacrifice on the home front.

Rationing

Government control of scarce consumer goods (especially food) during WWI to support the war effort and manage shortages at home.

Provisional Government

The liberal-leaning government formed after Nicholas II abdicated in February/March 1917; weakened by the dilemma of whether to continue WWI and by competing authority at the grassroots level.

Soviets

Workers’ and soldiers’ councils that exercised local/grassroots authority in 1917 Russia, contributing to “dual power” with the Provisional Government.

Bolsheviks

The revolutionary socialist party led by Vladimir Lenin that seized power in October/November 1917, arguing the Provisional Government could not solve war, land, and hunger.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The March 1918 agreement in which Bolshevik Russia exited WWI by accepting major territorial losses to Germany, allowing focus on the civil war but fueling opposition.

Treaty of Versailles

The June 28, 1919 peace treaty with Germany that imposed territorial losses, military restrictions, and reparations; it aimed at security and a new order but fueled resentment and instability.

League of Nations

An international organization created after WWI to promote collective security and prevent future wars; limited because enforcement depended on member states’ willingness to act.