Untitled Flashcards Set

Militarism

The aggressive buildup of armed forces, exemplified by European nations expanding their armies before WWI.

Alliances

Agreements between countries to support each other in conflict, such as the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.

Imperialism

Competition for overseas territories that heightened tensions among European nations before WWI.

Nationalism

Pride in one's nation, leading to tensions, especially in areas like the Balkans before WWI.

Kaiser William II

The German leader known for his aggressive foreign policy and militarism before WWI.

Czar Nicholas II

The Russian leader who exhibited weak leadership influenced by Rasputin.

Georges Clemenceau

French leader known for his nationalism and focus on weakening Germany after WWI.

Woodrow Wilson

The U.S. leader who initially advocated for peace and neutrality in WWI.

David Lloyd George

The British leader who prioritized military strength and economic interests during WWI.

June 28, 1914

The date of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a key event leading to WWI.

July 28, 1914

The date Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

August 1, 1914

The date Germany declared war on Russia.

August 3, 1914

The date Germany declared war on France.

The Balkans

The region in Eastern Europe central to many nationalistic revolutions before WWI.

Powder keg

A term used to describe the Balkans due to ethnic tensions and imperial competition.

Gavrilo Princip

The assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, linked to the nationalist group Black Hand.

Blank check

Germany's full support of Austria-Hungary in its declaration of war against Serbia.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's strategy to quickly invade France through Belgium, which ultimately failed.

Germany

The country that declared war on Russia in response to its mobilization.

Britain

The country that declared war on Germany after its invasion of Belgium.

Trench warfare

A type of combat where soldiers lived in trenches, facing harsh conditions and psychological trauma.

Western Front

The battlefront located in France and Belgium, notable for trench warfare and stalemates.

Eastern Front

The battlefront in Russia and Eastern Europe, characterized by more mobile warfare and high casualties.

Shell shock

A psychological condition resembling PTSD, caused by the stresses of trench warfare.

New technologies of WWI

Innovations such as machine guns, poison gas, and tanks that changed combat dynamics.

1st Marne (1914)

Key battle that halted the German advance and marked the beginning of trench warfare.

Verdun (1916)

The longest battle in WWI, symbolizing French resilience with heavy casualties.

Somme (1916)

A major WWI battle resulting in over a million casualties and the first use of tanks.

1st Ypres (1914)

An early battle in WWI notable for the introduction of chemical weapons.

Jutland (1916)

The largest naval battle of WWI, in which Britain maintained naval dominance.

3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) (1917)

Characterized by heavy rain and mud, this battle involved a British offensive.

Amiens (1918)

A critical battle marking the beginning of the Allied counteroffensive.

2nd Marne (1918)

The last major German offensive in WWI, leading to the Allied pushback.

Neutral

The stance of the United States at the beginning of WWI.

Unrestricted submarine warfare

Germany's strategy that led to sinking U.S. ships, a reason for U.S. entry into WWI.

Zimmermann Telegram

A secret communication from Germany to Mexico, urging an invasion of the U.S.

Home fronts during WWI

Notable for rationing, propaganda, women's factory work, and economic strain.

Propaganda in WWI

Used to encourage enlistment, demonize enemy nations, and promote war bonds.

Armenian Genocide

A mass extermination of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, resulting in over 1.5 million deaths.

Czar Nicholas II (Romanov)

The last czar of Russia before the fall of the monarchy.

Duma

The parliament created after the 1905 revolution that Czar Nicholas II later ignored.

Alexander Kerensky

Leader of the provisional government after Czar Nicholas II stepped down.

Provisional government

Temporary government with weak leadership that continued the war.

Bolsheviks

A revolutionary group led by Vladimir Lenin advocating for a communist government.

Vladimir Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks who promised 'Peace, Land, and Bread' to the Russian people.

October 1917

The month and year the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia.

New Economic Policies

Lenin's program that allowed limited capitalism to stabilize the Russian economy.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (March 1918)

Agreement that ended Russia's involvement in WWI, signed by Lenin.

Russian Civil War (1917-1922)

Conflict between Bolshevik Reds and anti-Bolshevik Whites for control of Russia.

Trotsky and Stalin after Lenin’s death

Trotsky wanted world revolution while Stalin took control, ruling as a dictator.

Big Four

The leaders at the Paris Peace Conference: Wilson, Clemenceau, Lloyd George, and Orlando.

1917

The year the United States entered WWI.

Effects of Russia’s withdrawal from WWI

Allied powers lost an ally on the eastern front; Central Powers could focus on the west.

Friedrich Ebert

Leader of the democratic Weimar Republic established in Germany post-WWI.

Armistice

A ceasefire agreement signed on November 11, 1918, to end fighting in WWI.

Fourteen Points

Proposed by Woodrow Wilson to establish principles for lasting peace after WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that officially ended WWI and imposed reparations on Germany.

Article 231 (War Guilt Clause)

Clause in the Treaty of Versailles that blamed Germany for the war.

New nations after WWI

Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia emerged as new nations following the war.