GREAT WAR

Militarism

belief in building up strong armed forces to prepare for war (MOSTLY GERMANY AND BRITAIN)

Alliances

agreements between countries to support one another in case of conflict

triple alliance

consists of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (ALSO KNOWN AS THE CENTRAL POWERS)

triple entente

consists of France, Russia, and Britain (ALSO KNOWN AS THE ALLIED POWERS)

Imperialism

competition for overseas colonies and resources (MOSTLY EUROPEAN POWERS; BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY in africa and asia)

Nationalism

a strong sense of pride and loyalty (NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS PARTICULARLY IN THE BALKANS)

Assassination of archduke Franz Ferdinand

first event that lead to the war, was an act of Serbian aggression, immediate cause of the war

Gavrilo Princip

the assassin, a Serbian nationalist who wanted Bosnia to be free from Austrian rule and unite with Serbia

The Black Hand

the group behind the assassination, was a nationalist organization aiming to resist Austro-Hungarian control over Slavic people

Austria-Hungary backed up by Germany (TRIPLE ALLIANCE)

who declared war on Serbia?

Serbia, supported by Russia (TRIPLE ENTENTE)

who reacted to the declaration of war, leading to a chain reaction?

Schlieffen Plan

a military strategy designed to quickly defeat France by moving through neutral Belgium

Dardanelles Strait

an area that connected the Mediterranean to the Black sea, and is a key strategic location controlled by the Ottoman Empire

competition between Germany and Britain

key rivalries for naval supremacy

struggle between France and Germany

fight for Alsace-Lorraine

Austria-Hungary and Serbia conflict

tensions in the Balkans

Shifting War Goals

Some nations reassessed their priorities
and found that their alliances no longer served their interests

Military Failures

Major defeats and strategic losses
weakened alliances

Internal Political Changes

Revolutions and political
instability led some countries to withdraw

Economic Hardship

Prolonged war efforts drained
resources, making it difficult for some countries to
continue supporting their allies

Nationalist Movements

Ethnic groups within multi-
ethnic empires, such as Austria-Hungary and the
Ottoman Empire, sought independence, weakening
internal unity and alliances

Diplomatic Maneuvering

Some countries switched
allegiances or negotiated separate peace treaties

U.S. Entry and German Miscalculations

The United
States joined the war in 1917 on the side of the Allies,
tipping the balance

Collapse of the Central Powers

As Germany’s allies
(Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria)
fell apart due to internal and external pressures,
Germany was left isolated, leading to the final
breakdown of alliances

Battle of Tannenberg

Germany vs. Russia

German victory

destroyed much of the Russian Second Army and established German
dominance on the Eastern Front for the rest of the war

Battle of Gallipoli

Allied forces (mainly British, Australian, and New Zealand
forces) vs. Ottoman Empire

Ottoman victory

Gallipoli campaign aimed to open up a new front
against the Central Powers

Battle of Verdun

France vs. German

French victory

longest and bloodiest battles of World
War I

Battle of the Somme

British and French forces vs. Germany

Inconclusive

One of the bloodiest battles in history, with over 1 million casualties, first use of the tank in battle

Battle of Jutland

British Royal Navy vs. Imperial German Navy

Tactical draw, strategic British victory

largest naval battle of WW1

Battle of Passchendaele

British Empire forces vs. Germany

Allied victory

Third battle of Ypres, marked by horrendous conditions

Battle of Cambrai

British Empire vs. Germany

Tactical German victory, strategic Allied success

first large-scale use of tanks in battle

Battle of Amiens

Allied forces (primarily British, Australian, and Canadian
troops) vs. Germany

Decisive Allied victory

marked the beginning of the
"Hundred Days Offensive," which pushed German forces back and
ultimately led to the end of the war

Second Battle of the Marne

Allied forces (French, American, and others) vs. Germany

Allied victory

ast major German offensive of the war, it was
stopped by French and American forces