Expanded Modern World History Review Guide (copy)

Flashcards from the Expanded Modern World History Review Guide, covering key vocabulary terms and definitions.

Triple Alliance

Pre-WWI alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy for mutual defense.

Triple Entente

Alliance of France, Russia, and Britain opposing the Triple Alliance.

Alsace-Lorraine

Territory contested by France and Germany; France lost it as a result of the Franco-Prussian War. France sought to take the territory back and recover their national pride. France got it back following the treaty of Versaille.

Militarism

Glorification of military power; major cause of WWI.

Imperialism

Competition for overseas colonies intensified tensions among European powers.

Nationalism

Strong patriotic feelings; contributed to tensions and independence movements.

Neutrality

Policy of not taking sides in conflicts; e.g., Belgium in WWI.

The Black Hand/Gavrilo Princip

Serbian nationalist group; Princip assassinated Franz Ferdinand, sparking WWI.

Franz Ferdinand

Archduke of Austria-Hungary; his assassination led to WWI.

Conscription

Mandatory military service; used widely during WWI.

Total War

War involving all of a nation's resources and people.

Machine Guns

New weapon causing massive casualties in trench warfare.

U-boats

German submarines that disrupted Allied shipping.

Aircraft

Used for reconnaissance and bombing in WWI.

Poison Gas

Chemical weapon causing horrific injuries and deaths.

Trench Warfare

WWI fighting style with defensive trenches and stalemates.

Surplus Women

Post-WWI term for women who outnumbered men due to war deaths.

Women's Suffrage

Women's right to vote gained momentum post-WWI due to war contributions.

Armenian Genocide

Ottoman mass killing of Armenians during WWI. Motivated by nationalism, fear of Armenian collaboration with enemies, and desire to homogenize population.

Ottoman Empire

Collapsed post-WWI; partitioned by Allies.

Arab Revolt

Arab uprising against Ottoman rule during WWI.

Arabs suffered from less power, less job opportunity, language restrictions, religious restrictions.

T.E. Lawrence

British officer who supported Arab Revolt.

Hejaz Railway

Ottoman supply line targeted during Arab Revolt.

Saudis

Led unification of Arabian Peninsula post-WWI.

Sykes-Picot Agreement

The secret 1916 deal to divide Ottoman lands between Britain and France. (Promised Arabs that if they helped them fight, they would grant them independence). The problem was that it was done on Telegram and was intercepted by the Bolsheviks (Russia).

Self-determination

Right of people to choose their own government; promoted by Wilson.

Fourteen Points

Wilson's plan for postwar peace and self-determination.

Armistice

Ceasefire ending WWI on November 11, 1918.

The Treaty of Versailles

1919 treaty that ended WWI; blamed and punished Germany. German reparations. Redrew European borders and established the League of Nations.

The Treaty of London

1915 promise of territory to Italy for joining Allies.

League of Nations

International peace organization formed after WWI; failed to prevent WWII.

Reparations

Payments Germany had to make for WWI damages.

Tsar Nicholas II

Last Russian tsar; overthrown during 1917 Russian revolution.

Alexandra Romanov

Tsarina; influenced by Rasputin; unpopular during war.

Alexei Romanov

Heir to Russian throne; had hemophilia.

Abdication

Nicholas II withdrew from the throne, ending Romanov rule.

Grigori Rasputin

Mystic who influenced the Russian royal family.

Aleksandr Kerensky

Led provisional government after tsar's abdication.

Vladimir Lenin

Led Bolsheviks; founded Soviet Union.

Joseph Stalin

Soviet leader; part of Allied powers.

Leon Trotsky

Revolutionary leader; lost power struggle to Stalin.

Communism

Classless society theory; practiced in USSR.

Revolution of 1905

Early Russian revolt; led to limited reforms.

Overthrew tsar; led to provisional gov.

October/November Revolution of 1917

Bolsheviks seized power from provisional gov.

Bolshevik

Radical socialist party led by Lenin.

Menshevik

Moderate socialist faction in Russia.

Provisional Government

Temporary government after tsar's fall.

Treaty of Brest Litovsk

Peace treaty between USSR and Germany in 1918.

Russian Civil War

Reds (Bolsheviks) vs. Whites (anti-Bolsheviks); Reds won.

"Reds"/"Whites"

Reds = Communists; Whites = Anti-communists.

New Economic Policy

Lenin's plan to revive Soviet Unions economy with some capitalism.

Cheka

Soviet secret police.

Commissar

Political officer ensuring loyalty in Red Army.

Hyperinflation

Extremely rapid and out-of-control inflation, notably in Weimar Germany during the early 1920s. Caused economic instability and contributed to public discontent, paving the way for extremist parties like the Nazis.

Totalitarian state/government

Centralized, dictatorial control over all aspects of life.

Propaganda

Information used to promote or publicize a political cause or POV.

Fascism

Authoritarian, nationalist system led by dictatorial power.

Italian Fascist Party

Political party founded by Mussolini promoting fascism.

Benito Mussolini

Italian dictator; founded fascism; allied with Hitler.

March on Rome

1922 event that brought Mussolini to power.

Black Shirts

Mussolini's paramilitary supporters.

Command economy

Economy controlled by government (e.g., USSR).

Five Year Plan

Stalin's plan to industrialize USSR rapidly.

Collectivization

Stalin's policy to consolidate farms; led to famine.

Great Purge

Stalin's campaign to eliminate dissent and threats.

Gulag

Forced labor camps in the USSR.

Socialist Realism

Art promoting Soviet ideals and glorifying communism.

Russification

Promoting Russian culture/language across USSR.

Adolf Hitler

Nazi dictator of Germany; led during WWII and Holocaust.

Third Reich

Hitler's Nazi regime in Germany (1933-1945).

German Workers' Party/National Socialist Party

Hitler's Nazi Party.

Hitler Youth

Nazi youth organization to indoctrinate German children.

Gestapo

Nazi secret police.

Great Depression

Global economic downturn starting in 1929, leading to mass unemployment and poverty. Weakened democratic governments and contributed to the rise of totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and elsewhere.

Weimar Government

Democratic German gov post-WWI; seen as weak.

Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

1939 agreement to not attack each other; divided Poland.

Emperor Hirohito

Japanese emperor during WWII.

Manchurian incident of 1931

Japan invaded Manchuria for resources.

Tripartite Pact

WWII alliance of Germany, Italy, Japan.

Rhineland

Demilitarized zone remilitarized by Hitler in 1936.

Annexation of Austria

Germany annexed Austria in 1938 (Anschluss).

Sudetenland

Czech region with Germans; given to Hitler at Munich.

Appeasement

British and French policy of conceding to Hitler's demands (e.g., Munich Agreement 1938) to avoid war.

Munich Conference

1938 meeting allowing Hitler to take Sudetenland.

Blitzkrieg

Lightning war; quick, powerful attacks used by Nazis.

Invasion of Poland

1939 event that started WWII.

New Order

Nazi plan for racial hierarchy in conquered territories.

Invasion of France

Germany defeated France quickly in 1940.

Maginot Line

French defense line bypassed by German forces.

Dunkirk

Mass Allied evacuation from France in 1940.

Invasion of Normandy/D-Day

1944 Allied landing in France; turning point in West.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Supreme Allied commander in Europe.

Battle of Midway

1942 U.S. naval victory; turning point in Pacific.

Battle of Britain

German air attacks repelled by UK in 1940.

Luftwaffe

German air force.

Royal Air Force

British air force.

Aircraft Carriers

Key naval ships used in Pacific WWII battles.

Pearl Harbor

Japanese attack on U.S. in 1941; led to U.S. entry.

Bataan Death March

Forced march of U.S./Filipino POWs by Japan.