World War 1

abdicate: to give up power, usually a monarch abdicates power.

alliances:

a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations

armistice: a truce agreement

balance of power when nations of the world have roughly equal power; this balance of

power often causes countries to avoid war

bonds

A government bond is a debt obligation issued by a national government to support government spending. People pay the government money for bonds which they can cash in later for a profit.

civilian:

a person not in the armed services or the police force. [In total war, civilians are impacted greatly by the war as well as soldiers]

conscription: the military draft; being made to fight in the war as a soldier

militarism

the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests. [Western European powers’ militarism led to a build up of armies, weapons and military plans before WWI]

mobilization

readying troops and supplies for war [Russia’s belief that its early mobilization was necessary for it to win the war set off the alliance system at the start of WWI]

munitions: military weapons and equipment

nationalism

identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations. [Support for nationalism led to Europeans believing fighting for their countries was valid; ultimately it resulted in the slaughter of millions in WWI]

propaganda

information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

rationing

allowing each person to have a fixed amount of something

realpolitik

a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations [In WWI, Germany and France went to war to achieve their goals based on their acceptance of realpolitik]

reparations

compensation in money or materials payable by a defeated nation for damages to or expenditures sustained by another nation as a result of hostilities with the defeated nation (this can also be payment for a wrong - such as reparations for slavery)

self-determination

the process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own allegiances and government. [American President Wilson argued that European countries should be created after WWI based on the idea of self-determination]

stalemate

a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible. [There was a stalemate on the Western Front during WWI, with neither side being able to advance beyond no man’s land]

total war: complete use of a country’s resources and people for war. [In total war, civilians are

impacted greatly by the war as well as soldiers]

trench warfare

warfare in which when opposing armed forces attack, counterattack, and defend from relatively permanent systems of trenches dug into the ground.

ultimatum

a final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations. [Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum to Serbia left few options for Serbia to avoid war]

war of attrition

a prolonged war or period of conflict during which each side seeks to gradually wear out the other by a series of small-scale actions. [With neither side winning, WWI devolved into a war of attrition that was finally broken by the entry of the US into the war]