WW1 Flashcard Set Review

Triple Alliance

A prewar alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Italy stayed neutral in 1914 and joined the Allies in 1915.

Central Powers

The wartime coalition of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

Triple Entente

A prewar alignment of Britain, France, and Russia.

Allies

Britain and its empire, France, Russia, Belgium, Serbia, and others. Italy joined in 1915, the United States entered on the Allied side in 1917, and Russia formally left in 1918.

Militarism

Building and glorifying military power through recruitment, training, and better weapons. Britain and Germany competed to build stronger navies. Each buildup made rivals feel they had to keep up.

Imperialism

Extending a country’s rule over other places for resources, markets, and power. European competition for colonies in Africa increased rivalry, including between Britain and Germany.

Nationalism

Strong loyalty to a nation and its culture. National pride fuelled rivalry among major powers. In the Balkans, many Slavic nationalists sought independence or unity, challenging Austro-Hungarian rule.

Franz Ferdinand

Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb nationalist, assassinated him in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.

Germany’s “blank cheque”

Germany promised strong support to Austria-Hungary after the assassination, encouraging it to take a hard line against Serbia.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany planned to defeat France in about six weeks by invading through Belgium and advancing toward Paris, then turn east to face Russia. The goal was to avoid fighting a long war on two fronts.

Trench warfare

Fighting from fortified ditches, with no man’s land between enemy lines. The Battle of the Marne stopped Germany’s advance in 1914. Both sides dug in, and machine guns and barbed wire helped create a long stalemate on the Western Front.

Attrition

Wearing down an enemy’s troops, supplies, and ability to fight over time. The Somme is an example of heavy losses for limited gains.

Arthur Currie

Currie led the 1st Canadian Division at Vimy Ridge and became the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Corps after Vimy, in June 1917. He led the corps at Passchendaele and during the Hundred Days.

U-boat

A German submarine. U-boats sank merchant ships carrying supplies across the Atlantic. Germany aimed to cut Britain off from food and ammunition and force it to surrender.

Lusitania

A British liner sunk by a German U-boat in May 1915. Nearly 1,200 people died, including Americans. The sinking intensified U.S. opposition to Germany’s submarine campaign.

Unrestricted submarine warfare

Germany’s policy of attacking ships in designated war zones without warning, including neutral vessels. Its resumption in 1917 helped bring the United States into the war.

Second Battle of Ypres (April 1915)

Near Ypres, Belgium. On April 22, 1915, a major German chlorine gas attack opened a gap in the Allied line. Canadians helped hold the line despite heavy losses. The battle showed both the danger of chemical weapons and the resilience of Canadian troops.

Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916)

Near the Somme River in France. An Allied bombardment failed to destroy many German defences. The offensive brought heavy casualties for limited gains and saw the first use of tanks in battle. Newfoundland suffered devastating losses at Beaumont-Hamel on July 1, and the Canadian Corps joined the offensive in September.

Passchendaele (October-November 1917)

In Belgium, October-November 1917. Currie warned of heavy losses, but the Canadian Corps was ordered to attack. Shell craters and rain turned the ground into deep mud. Canadians captured the ridge at the cost of about 16,000 casualties, showing the high price of a limited gain.

Vimy Ridge (April 1917)

In France, April 9-12, 1917. All four Canadian divisions fought together for the first time. Rehearsals, tunnels built by sappers, and a creeping barrage helped them capture the ridge, including Hill 145 and the Pimple. The victory became a symbol of Canadian achievement.

Canada’s Hundred Days (August-November 1918)

August 8-November 11, 1918. Canadians helped spearhead the Allied advance at Amiens, broke through German defences on the Hindenburg Line, and reached Mons by the armistice. The offensive helped force Germany to seek an armistice and cost the Canadian Corps more than 45,000 casualties.

War Measures Act (1914)

Gave Ottawa broad wartime powers, including censorship and detention. Censorship of soldiers’ letters slowed news of the front, and the government used its powers to restrict and intern people labelled “enemy aliens.”

Robert Borden

Canada’s prime minister during WWI. In 1916 he pledged to raise Canada’s forces to 500,000. He introduced conscription in 1917 and pressed for Canada’s own representation at the Paris Peace Conference.

Sam Hughes

Canada’s early wartime minister of militia and defence. He called for 25,000 volunteers and about 32,000 showed up. He organized training at Valcartier and backed the Ross rifle.

Ross rifle

Canadian-made rifle backed by Sam Hughes. It was accurate on the range but prone to jamming in trench conditions. Canadian infantry switched to the British Lee-Enfield.

“Enemy aliens”

A government label for people in Canada who were citizens or former subjects of enemy countries. Many faced registration and restrictions, and thousands were interned, including many Ukrainians from Austria-Hungary.

Halifax Explosion (December 6, 1917)

The Imo collided with the munitions ship Mont-Blanc in Halifax Harbour. The explosion devastated part of the city, killing around 2,000 and injuring thousands. It brought the dangers of wartime shipping directly to Canadian civilians.

Propaganda

Messages designed to influence public opinion. Wartime posters promoted enlistment, Victory Bonds, and food conservation through appeals to patriotism and duty.

Victory Bonds

Canadians lent money to the federal government by buying these bonds. The government used the money to finance the war and promised to repay buyers with interest.

Conscription

Compulsory military service. As volunteer recruitment fell and reinforcements were needed, Borden turned to conscription. It split Canadians over who should have to serve overseas.

Military Service Act (1917)

The 1917 law that introduced conscription. It made eligible men aged 20 to 45 liable for military service, subject to exemptions.

Khaki Election (1917)

The 1917 federal election centred on conscription. Borden’s pro-conscription Union government defeated Wilfrid Laurier’s Liberals. Changes to voting eligibility helped Borden, and opposition remained especially strong in Quebec.

Wartime Elections Act (1917)

Extended the federal vote to certain female relatives of service members and removed it from some naturalized citizens from enemy countries and other groups, including conscientious objectors. The changes favoured Borden’s government.

Military Voters Act (1917)

Extended the federal vote to military personnel, including serving nurses. It let many service members vote from overseas.

Paris Peace Conference (1919)

Allied leaders met to negotiate separate treaties with the defeated powers and reshape borders. Canada, represented by Robert Borden, gained its own seat within the British Empire delegation and signed Versailles separately.

Woodrow Wilson

U.S. president who proposed the Fourteen Points. He favoured international cooperation, national self-determination, changes to disputed territories, and a League of Nations.

David Lloyd George

British prime minister. He faced pressure at home to make Germany pay while also seeking a settlement that would preserve European stability and protect British interests.

Georges Clemenceau

French prime minister. He wanted Germany to pay for French losses and sought security against another German invasion.

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

The 1919 peace treaty with Germany. Its four main parts for this course are territorial restrictions, military restrictions, war guilt and reparations, and creation of the League of Nations.

War Guilt Clause (Article 231)

Article 231 assigned Germany and its allies responsibility for the losses and damages suffered by the Allies. It was the legal basis for reparations. The 132 billion gold mark total was set in 1921.

League of Nations

Created under the Versailles treaty to promote international cooperation and prevent war. It could use measures such as economic sanctions. Canada joined, but the United States stayed out and enforcement depended on members cooperating.

Collective security

Countries agree to act together to protect peace and respond to aggression. The League could use sanctions, such as restrictions on trade, if members agreed to enforce them.

Explain the long-term and short-term causes of World War I.

Long-term causes were MAIN. The Britain-Germany naval race illustrates militarism, rival blocs illustrate alliances, competition for Africa illustrates imperialism, and Balkan independence movements illustrate nationalism. The short-term trigger was Franz Ferdinand’s assassination. Germany’s blank cheque, Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum and declaration of war, Russian mobilization, and Germany’s invasion of Belgium widened the war. Britain and Canada entered on August 4, 1914.

How did Canadians react when war was declared? Which groups supported or opposed Canada’s participation, and why?

Many greeted the war with celebrations, patriotism, and a sense of adventure. Strong ties to Britain and a sense of duty encouraged enlistment. Many French Canadians saw it as Britain’s war, though some volunteered. Disputes over French-language education deepened alienation. Some pacifists opposed military service for religious or moral reasons. Black, Asian, and Indigenous volunteers also tried to enlist, and some faced racial barriers.

How were Canadians and the Canadian Expeditionary Force ill-prepared for WWI?

Canada had a small peacetime force and had to organize and train a large volunteer force quickly at Valcartier. Many recruits lacked combat experience or preparation for trench warfare. Wartime procurement brought problems such as the Ross rifle jamming under field conditions.

How did WWI affect Canadian society?

Women took on new paid jobs and gained wider federal voting rights, though unequal pay persisted. Some Black, Asian, and Indigenous volunteers faced recruitment discrimination, and people labelled “enemy aliens” faced restrictions or internment. Conscientious objectors faced pressure and sometimes punishment. Conscription deepened divisions, and casualties affected families long after the war.

What technological innovations were used in WWI, and how did they change warfare?

Machine guns, wire, and artillery favoured defenders and made frontal attacks costly. Chlorine gas at Ypres created a new danger and led to protective equipment. Tanks could cross trenches and crush wire. Creeping barrages shielded advancing infantry, and aircraft spotted targets. At sea, U-boats threatened supplies, and escorts protected merchant ships in convoys.

What were Canada’s major battles in WWI, and why was each significant?

Ypres showed Canadians could hold the line during a gas attack. The Somme exposed the cost of attrition and saw early tanks. Vimy united all four Canadian divisions in a carefully planned victory. Passchendaele captured a ridge through deep mud at enormous cost. The Hundred Days broke through German defences and helped end the war.

What roles did women play at home and at the front? What was significant about the gains they made?

At home, women worked in factories, banks, and on farms, raised funds, and helped sell Victory Bonds. Overseas, nursing sisters cared for wounded soldiers, sometimes near the front. Wartime work expanded opportunities and supported the push for suffrage. Some women voted federally in 1917, and most eligible women gained the federal vote in 1918. Pay gaps and racial voting exclusions continued.

How did WWI affect the Canadian home front?

The government used propaganda to recruit and sell Victory Bonds, censored news and letters, and interned people labelled “enemy aliens.” Women and teenagers helped fill farm and factory labour shortages. Conscription divided communities. The Halifax Explosion killed about 2,000 people and showed how the war could directly harm civilians at home.

What economic benefits and challenges did WWI bring to Canada?

Demand for wheat, beef, metals, lumber, ships, and munitions increased exports, jobs, and manufacturing. Some businesses made large profits while workers’ wages lagged behind rising prices. The war increased public debt and led to federal income tax in 1917. After the war, falling military orders and returning soldiers added pressure on jobs.

What was the Conscription Crisis, and how did it affect Canada?

Recruitment fell as many early volunteers had already enlisted, casualties became known, and factories and farms needed workers. Borden passed the Military Service Act in 1917. Many English Canadians supported conscription, while many French Canadians, farmers, and pacifists opposed it for different reasons. The two voting laws helped Borden win the Khaki Election. The crisis deepened divisions and led to deadly protests in Quebec City in 1918.

How did the map of Europe change after WWI?

Austria-Hungary broke apart, leaving separate Austria and Hungary and helping form Czechoslovakia and the state later called Yugoslavia. Poland regained independence. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania emerged from the former Russian Empire. France recovered Alsace-Lorraine, and the Polish Corridor separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany. The Ottoman Empire broke up, and Turkey emerged.

What happened at the Paris Peace Conference, and what did the Treaty of Versailles do?

At Paris in 1919, Clemenceau sought security and compensation, Lloyd George balanced pressure to punish Germany with concerns about stability, and Wilson pushed for self-determination and a League. Versailles set Germany’s borders and military limits, made it liable for reparations, and created the League of Nations. Canada earned its own seat and signature, reflecting greater international standing.

How did WWI affect Canada during and after the war?

During the war, Canada expanded its munitions industry, women took on new roles, Ottawa gained emergency powers, and conscription divided the country. Afterward, families and veterans faced deaths, injuries, and trauma, while the country faced debt and job pressures. Canada’s separate Versailles signature and membership in the League reflected growing international autonomy.