World War 1

Vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture on the early 20th Century crises leading to World War I.

Militarism

The belief in building up strong armed forces to prepare for war.

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization.

Stalemate

A situation in a contest in which neither side can make progress.

Trench warfare

A type of combat in which opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other.

Total war

A war that requires the mobilization of a nation's entire resources, including its civilian population.

The League of Nations

An intergovernmental organization founded after World War I to maintain world peace.

Treaty of Versailles

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

Bolsheviks

A faction of the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party led by Lenin that seized control during the Russian Revolution.

War communism

The economic system used by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, which involved the nationalization of industry and forced requisition of agricultural products.

Genocide

The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.

Self-determination

The right of people to determine their own political status.

War Guilt Clause

Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles that declared Germany responsible for the war.

Reparations

Compensation imposed during the Treaty of Versailles to be paid by Germany for the war damages.

Mandates

Territories administered on behalf of the League of Nations after World War I.

The Schlieffen Plan

Germany's military plan at the outbreak of WWI that aimed for a quick defeat of France before turning to Russia.

The Russian Revolution

The revolution in 1917 that led to the overthrow of the tsar and the establishment of a Bolshevik government.