AP World History: Unit 7

World War I Long-Term Causes

Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism combined to increase tensions among European powers before WWI.

Militarism

The belief in building up strong armed forces and being prepared for war; led to arms races in Europe.

Arms Race

A competition between nations to build more and stronger military weapons.

Schlieffen Plan

German military strategy to quickly defeat France by invading through Belgium before Russia could mobilize.

Alliances

Formal agreements between countries to support each other in war, increasing the likelihood of a wider conflict.

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (though Italy later switched sides in WWI).

Triple Entente

France, Russia, and Great Britain formed an opposing alliance to counter German power.

Imperialism

Competition among European powers for colonies and global influence, increasing international tensions.

Nationalism

Strong pride in one’s nation or ethnicity, often leading to competition and conflict with other groups.

Balkan Nationalism

Ethnic groups in the Balkans seeking independence from empires like Austria-Hungary, creating instability.

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

The killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, which triggered World War I.

Gavrilo Princip

Serbian nationalist who assassinated Franz Ferdinand.

Chain Reaction Alliances

The system where one country’s declaration of war caused allies to also enter the war.

Total War

War in which governments mobilize all resources, including civilians, industry, and economy.

Trench Warfare

WWI combat style where soldiers fought from long fortified ditches, causing stalemates and massive casualties.

Western Front

Main battlefield in Western Europe characterized by trench warfare and stalemate.

Machine Gun

Weapon that dramatically increased casualty rates in WWI.

Poison Gas

Chemical weapon used in WWI causing severe injury and death.

Tanks

Armored vehicles introduced in WWI to break trench stalemates.

Airplanes (WWI)

Used for reconnaissance and later combat during World War I.

Submarines (U-boats)

German naval weapon used to attack Allied ships, including civilian vessels.

Lusitania

Sinking of British passenger ship by Germany in 1915, contributing to U.S. entry into WWI.

Zimmermann Telegram

Secret German message proposing Mexico ally with Germany against the U.S.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

German policy of sinking all ships near Britain, including civilian vessels.

Armistice of 1918

Agreement that ended fighting in World War I on November 11, 1918.

WWI Casualties

Millions of soldiers and civilians killed or injured due to industrialized warfare.

Women in WWI

Women entered factories and jobs during the war, leading to increased demands for suffrage.

Collapse of Empires

End of Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and German empires after WWI.

Economic Debt After WWI

European countries heavily indebted due to war expenses and reconstruction.

Treaty of Versailles

1919 peace treaty that officially ended WWI and punished Germany.

War Guilt Clause

Part of Versailles blaming Germany for WWI.

Reparations

Payments Germany was forced to make for war damages.

Military Restrictions (Germany)

Limitations placed on German army size and weapons after WWI.

Territorial Losses (Germany)

Germany lost land under Treaty of Versailles.

League of Nations

International organization created after WWI to prevent future wars.

League Weakness

Organization lacked enforcement power and the U.S. did not join.

Russian Revolution

Series of revolutions in 1917 that overthrew the Russian monarchy and created a communist state.

Czar Nicholas II

Last Russian emperor, overthrown due to unrest and military failures.

Bloody Sunday (1905)

Peaceful protest in Russia that was violently suppressed, leading to unrest.

Duma

Russian parliament created after 1905 revolution but had limited power.

February Revolution (1917)

Revolution that forced Czar Nicholas II to abdicate.

Provisional Government

Temporary Russian government after the czar was overthrown.

October Revolution (1917)

Bolshevik revolution led by Lenin that seized control of Russia.

Bolsheviks

Communist revolutionary group led by Vladimir Lenin.

Lenin

Leader of the Bolsheviks and first head of Soviet Russia.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Treaty where Russia exited WWI by giving up territory to Germany.

Russian Civil War

Conflict between Red Army (communists) and White Army (anti-communists).

Red Army

Bolshevik military force that won the Russian Civil War.

USSR (Soviet Union)

Communist state formed after Bolshevik victory in Russia.

Communism

Economic system with no private property and government control of production.

Ottoman Empire Collapse

Empire dissolved after WWI due to defeat and internal weakness.

Armenian Genocide

Systematic killing of Armenians by Ottoman authorities during WWI.

Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk)

Leader who created modern Turkey after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

Secularization in Turkey

Separation of religion from government under Atatürk reforms.

Great Depression

Global economic crisis beginning in 1929 causing unemployment and instability.

Stock Market Crash of 1929

Event that triggered the Great Depression in the United States.

Unemployment Crisis

Massive job losses worldwide during the Great Depression.

Economic Instability

Weak economies made governments more vulnerable to extremism.

Totalitarianism

System where government controls all aspects of life including politics, economy, and society.

Stalin

Joseph Stalin ruled the USSR and implemented authoritarian communist policies.

Five-Year Plans

Economic plans to rapidly industrialize the Soviet Union.

Collectivization

Forced consolidation of farms into state-controlled agriculture in USSR.

Great Purge

Stalin’s campaign of political repression and execution of opponents.

Fascism

Political ideology emphasizing nationalism, dictatorship, and suppression of opposition.

Benito Mussolini

Leader of fascist Italy.

March on Rome (1922)

Event that brought Mussolini to power in Italy.

Nazi Party

German fascist political party led by Adolf Hitler.

Adolf Hitler

Leader of Nazi Germany and dictator from 1933–1945.

Weimar Republic

Democratic German government after WWI that faced instability.

Aryan Supremacy

Nazi belief that Germans were a superior racial group.

Anti-Semitism

Hatred and discrimination against Jewish people.

Nazism

Form of fascism with extreme nationalism and racial ideology.

Appeasement

Policy of giving in to aggressor demands to avoid war, used by Britain and France.

Nazi-Soviet Pact

Agreement between Germany and USSR to not attack each other before WWII.

Invasion of Poland (1939)

Event that triggered the start of World War II.

Axis Powers

Germany, Italy, and Japan during WWII.

Allied Powers

Britain, USSR, United States, and France during WWII.

Blitzkrieg

“Lightning war” strategy using fast-moving tanks and air power.

Fall of France (1940)

Germany quickly defeated France early in WWII.

Battle of Britain

Air battle where Britain defended against German air attacks.

Operation Barbarossa

German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on U.S. naval base that brought the U.S. into WWII.

Stalingrad

Major turning point where Soviet forces defeated Germany.

D-Day (1944)

Allied invasion of Normandy, France, marking turning point in Europe.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

U.S. atomic bombings that led to Japan’s surrender.

The Holocaust

Nazi genocide of Jews and other groups during WWII.

6 Million Jews Approximately number of Jewish victims killed in the Holocaust.

Genocide

Systematic attempt to destroy an entire ethnic or religious group.

Romani Victims

Minority group persecuted and killed by Nazis.

Final Solution

Nazi plan for extermination of Jews.

United Nations

International organization formed in 1945 to promote peace.

Cold War

Tension between United States and Soviet Union after WWII.

Capitalism

Economic system based on private ownership and free markets.

Communism (Cold War Context)

Ideology of Soviet Union opposing capitalism.

Superpowers

United States and Soviet Union after WWII due to global dominance.

Marshall Plan

U.S. program to rebuild Europe after WWII.

Decolonization

Process of colonies gaining independence after WWII.

India Independence

Example of decolonization after WWII from British rule.

Women in WWII

Expanded roles in workforce and military support during war.

WWI → WWII Connection

WWI unresolved issues (Versailles, economic instability, nationalism) directly contributed to WWII.