HWH 9 Unit 7 World War 1 IHS Sacacian (draft)

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; a policy of glorifying military power and values

Mobilization

The action of a country or its government preparing and organizing troops and resources for active service

Disillusion

Disappointment resulting from the discovery or realization that a belief, ideal, or expectation is false

Marxism

idk

Alliance

A union or association formed for mutual benefit

Propaganda

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

Armistice

An agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time

Nationalism

later

Total War

Warfare that includes any and all civilian-associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets, mobilizes all of the resources of society to fight the war, and gives priority to warfare over non-combatant needs

Conscription

Compulsory enlistment for state service, typically into the armed forces

Partisan

A firm adherent (supporter) to a party, faction, cause, or person

MAIN causes of WWI

Militarism

• Industrialization leads to modernizing of European militaries and development of new weapons

Alliances

• Europe was connected through a system of alliances; required members to come to one another’s aid in case of attack

Imperialism

• Primary motivator is economics; competition for trade and colonies further strained relations

Nationalism

• Many European nations had developed strong nationalist sentiments; Serbia wanted to unify all of south-east Europe’s

  Slavic people as part of one country

Balkan Wars (1912-1913)

The Balkan League aimed to seize territories from the Ottoman Empire and promote national unity among Slavic peoples in the Balkans

• Balkan League consists of Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro

Central Powers

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire

Triple Entente

Great Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Italy

What event started the fighting of WWI

Assassination of the Astro-Hungarian Archduke and Duchess on June 28th, 1914 by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip

Beginning of WWI

• July 1914: Austria declares war on Serbia after Serbia does not meet all the demands issued by Austria after the assassination

• Germany supported Austria, Russia & France supported Serbia → Germany declares war on Russia and Serbia

Which country joined WWI later

USA

Schlieffen Plan

• Strategy created by General Alfred Schlieffen to avoid a two-front battle (France in the west and Russia in the east)

• Germany planned to quickly defeat France first by invading through Belgium (which was a neutral country)

• After defeating France, Germany would move troops east to fight Russia, which was expected to mobilize more slowly

Why were Germany and other European countries optimistic about joining WWI

idk war bad

How was WWI different from previous wars

• New technology (e.g. machine guns, tanks, poison gas, etc.) made fighting more destructive/deadly → mass casualties of soldiers and civilians

• Trench warfare caused long stalemates and harsh conditions

• Many countries around the world became involved (global war)

How did alliances impact the events of WWI

Due to the alliance system, many countries had a obligation to back up their respective allied nations → small regional war turned into a major world war

Why was WWI often referred to as a total war

Governments used all their resources (people, industry, money, and supplies) to support the war effort

How did industrialization impact WWI

idk

How were civilians (including women, children, minority groups, and colonial subjects) impacted by WWI

• Women worked in factories, farms, and hospitals (filling in the jobs men left to go to war) while many men fought

• Children faced food shortages, loss of family members, and often had to work or help at home

• Minority groups served in the military or labor jobs (still faced discrimination)

• Colonial subjects were recruited as soldiers and workers for the European colonizer nations

Many civilians experienced rationing, propaganda, economic hardship, and attacks

What was trench warfare and how did it impact soldiers

• Style of fighting in WWI where soldiers lived and fought from long, deep ditches called trenches

• Opposing armies faced each other across “No Man’s Land” with little movement/long stalemates

• Impact on soldiers:

  • Harsh living conditions: muddy, cold, poor hygiene, rats & lice

  • Constant danger: gas attacks, machine guns, bombs

  • High casualties: attacks often failed and caused many deaths

  • Mental stress: fear, exhaustion, PTSD (“shell shock”)

  • Disease/injury: infections were very common

Why did governments need to use propaganda

• Encourage enlistment and military service

• Increase patriotism and loyalty to the country

• Promote rationing and factory work

• Keep morale high during heavy losses

• Create hatred or fear of the enemy