Study Guide for World War I and II

World War I

A global conflict fought from 1914 to 1918, often referred to as the Great War.

Triple Alliance

A military alliance formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy prior to World War I.

Triple Entente

A military alliance between France, Russia, and the United Kingdom before World War I.

Nationalism

The belief in the superiority and interests of one's nation, which contributed to tensions leading to World War I.

Militarism

The buildup of armed forces and the belief that a country should maintain strong military capabilities.

The Vienna Conference

A meeting of European powers in 1815 aimed at restoring order and stability in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's military strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France before turning to Russia.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A policy of the German Navy to sink any ships in a war zone without warning, contributing to U.S. entry into WWI.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret communication from Germany to Mexico proposing a military alliance against the U.S., intercepted by British intelligence.

Lusitania

A British ocean liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, contributing to growing anti-German sentiment in the U.S.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

Fourteen Points

A statement of principles for post-war peace proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, advocating for self-determination and the League of Nations.

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States from the end of WWII until the early 1990s.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed in 1949 composed of Western nations.

Warsaw Pact

A military alliance established in 1955 between the Soviet Union and its Eastern European satellite states.

Blitzkrieg

A military strategy employed by Germany during WWII that emphasizes rapid, surprise attacks.

Iron Curtain

A metaphorical division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe during the Cold War.

Proxy War

A conflict where two powers support opposing sides in a third country's war, seen during the Korean War.

Bretton Woods System

An international financial system established in 1944, aimed at fostering global economic stability.

Totalitarianism

A political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and seeks to regulate every aspect of public and private life.