World History - World War 1 Review Guide

A set of vocabulary flashcards reviewing the causes, battles, technologies, Russian Revolutions, and peace settlements of World War 1 based on the lecture guide.

Militarism

The glorification of warfare and an arms race among countries driven by new forms of weaponry.

Alliances

Agreements between countries to support each other, meaning that if an ally went to war, their partner joined to support them.

Imperialism

extension of a country’s power over other lands and people, competition for colonies, recourses, trade, and influence led to tensions among European powers

Nationalism

a strong loyalty to one’s nation or people. Encouraged unity but also fueled rivalries, competition, & demands for independence

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The event where Princip was tortured and a chain reaction began, leading Austria-Hungary, with German support, to declare war on siberia.

Schlieffen Plan

A German strategy for fighting a two-front war, requiring rapid mobilization to eliminate France before returning to confront Russia.

First Battle of the Marne

A crucial Allied victory that halted the German advance toward Paris and brought an end to the Schlieffen Plan's goal of a quick war.

Jutland

The largest naval battle of the war, where the British sought to maintain their naval blockade while the Germans attempted to break it, ending with no clear-cut victory for either side.

Verdun

One of the longest and deadliest battles of the war near the French-German border; a brutal war of attrition that symbolized the industrial, mechanized nature of modern warfare, ending with neither side gaining significant territory.

The Somme

An infamous battle in northern France marked by an initial 7-day British artillery bombardment on fortified German lines; it became the deadliest battle in British military history with 1 million combined casualties across all sides.

Battle of Amiens

A surprise attack on German positions by British, Canadian, French, and Australian forces that marked the start of the Hundred Days Offensive and Germany's military collapse, making Germany realize they could not win the war.

Hundred Days Offensive

The final major phase of the war in which British, French, American, and Canadian forces forced Germany into a steady retreat using new combined-arms tactics, resulting in Germany's armistice request and the end of the war.

Machine Guns

Weapons capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute that defended trenches, made charging across open fields disastrously costly, and prolonged battles.

Chlorine Gas

One of the first poison gases utilized in the war, which caused severe lung damage and led to suffocation.

Phosgene

A colorless and hard-to-detect poison gas, which made it exceptionally hazardous.

Mustard Gas

A chemical agent that produced skin blisters and inflicted severe damage on the eyes and lungs.

Gas Masks

Protective equipment that evolved from water- or urine-soaked rags to full-face coverings equipped with goggles and a mouthpiece for breathing.

Hypo Helmet

A British-designed protective device featuring a chemical-treated fabric hood intended to neutralize poison gas.

Tanks

Armored combat vehicles built to cross difficult terrain, trenches, and barbed wire while mounting guns, though cramped, hot, and noisy inside.

Airplanes

Aircraft initially flown over enemy lines to observe troop positions and movements that later carried weapons and engaged in dogfights.

Submarines

Stealth naval vessels used to disrupt enemy supply lines, ambush military and merchant ships, and enforce naval blockades against the Allies.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A naval strategy in which U-boats attacked any ship, including those belonging to neutral nations, without prior warning.

Artillery

Long-range weaponry designed to fire large shells to pulverize enemy trenches, barbed wire, and bunkers, opening paths for infantry assaults.

Telegraphs

Communication systems transmitting Morse code across long distances to speed up commanders' message exchanges and enhance army-wide coordination.

Radio

A faster communication medium that improved coordination across military branches and allowed the interception of enemy communications.

Zeppelins

Airships capable of traveling long distances past the front lines to observe troop movements and drop heavy payloads of bombs.

Czar Nicholas II

The last emperor of Russia who held a firm belief in the divine right of monarchs until his forced abdication brought an end to the Romanov dynasty.

Vladimir Lenin

The founder of the Bolshevik party and the first leader of the Soviet Union.

Leon Trotsky

A Soviet politician and political theorist who joined the Bolsheviks.

February Revolution

women's march and others against Tsar, he gives up his throne, power transitions to the provisional government 

October Revolution

An uprising led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks that successfully toppled Russia's provisional government.

Communism

A political and economic system in which large factories, land, and resources are owned by the community or government rather than private individuals or companies.

Bolsheviks

A radical political faction in Russia led by Vladimir Lenin.

Russian Civil War

An internal conflict fought between the Bolsheviks, known as the Reds, and their opponents, known as the Whites.

Armistice Day

The day marking the end of World War 1, which is now observed as Veterans Day.

Treaty of Versailles

The primary peace treaty formally concluding World War 1 between Germany and the Allied powers, negotiated over six months at the Paris Peace Conference.

The Big Four

The key leaders who negotiated the Treaty of Versailles at the Paris Peace Conference.

Woodrow Wilson

The U.S. President who advocated for idealistic post-war reforms, including his Fourteen Points, at the Paris Peace Conference - suggested the league of nations

David Llyod George

The British Prime Minister during the Paris Peace Conference who sought a balanced yet punitive settlement.

Georges Clemenceau

The French Premier who demanded severe retribution for the destruction inflicted upon France.

Article 231

The 'war guilt clause' of the Treaty of Versailles that forced Germany to accept full responsibility for starting the war.

Reparations

Mandated financial compensation payments made by Germany to cover war damages.

Disarmament (Treaty of Versailles)

Treaty terms capping Germany's army at 100,000 volunteers, restricting its navy to a few ships, and prohibiting tanks, submarines, aircraft, and heavy artillery.

The League of Nations

The international organization that redistributed overseas colonies as mandates to Allied nations and oversaw international control of the Daar region.

Triple Entente

France, Russia, Great Britain

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy