World War I - Key People/Key Terms/Major Ideas (2025)

Archduke Francis (Franz) Ferdinand

Heir to the throne of Austria Hungary; assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb.; sparked WWI

Black Hand

Serbian nationalist/terrorist group responsible for the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand which resulted in the start of World War I.

Kaiser William II

German King while Germany was being unified with the help of Otto Von Bismark.

Czar Nicholas II

Czar of Russia during WWI, Last Czar of Russia.

Woodrow Wilson

After World War I, this United States president sought to reduce the risk of war by writing the Fourteen Points that influenced the creation of the League of Nations.

David Lloyd George

Britain's prime minister at the end of World War I whose goal was to make the Germans pay for the other countries' staggering war losses.

Vladimir Lenin

Russian founder of the Bolsheviks and leader of the Russian Revolution and first head of the USSR (1870-1924).

Militarism

A policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war

Alliance System

A formal agreement between two or more nations or powers to cooperate and come to one another's defense

Nationalism

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

Imperialism

A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially, and economically.

Assassination

the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was blamed for igniting WWI

Powder Keg of Europe

The Balkan's called this because of the strong nationalism leading up to WWI

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Triple Entente

Great Britain, France, Russia

Central Powers

Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria

Allied Powers

Great Britain, France, Russia

Eastern and Western Fronts

Eastern Front: Russia vs Germany

Western Front: France vs. Belgium

Military Stalemate

A deadlock in which neither side is able to defeat the other. Neither the allies or Germans were gaining any ground

Trench Warefare

A new technique- it defended a position by fighting the from the protection of deep ditches.

Total War

A conflict in which the participating countries devote all their resources to the war effort

Propaganda

Ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause.

Armenian Genocide

Extermination of the Armenian population by the Ottoman Empire during World War I, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1.5 million Armenians.

“Peace, Land, and Bread”

Communist Revolution Slogan in Russia during WWI

Bolshevik Revolution (Communist Revolution in Russia)

The 1917 uprising led by the Bolshevik Party that overthrew the Provisional Government and established a communist regime in Russia.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Treaty in which Russia lost substantial territory to the Germans. This ended Russian participation in the war (1918).

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A policy that the Germans announced on January 1917 which stated that their submarines would sink any ship in the British waters

Zimmerman Telegram

A telegram Germany Sent to Mexico to convince Mexico to attack the U.S.

Wilson's "Fourteen Points"

This is the plan for post-World War I outlined by President Wilson in 1918. This plan called for self-determination.

Treaty of Versailles

the treaty imposed on Germany by the Allied powers in 1920 after the end of World War I which demanded Reparations from the Germans

"War Guilt" Clause

In treaty of Versailles; declared Germany responsible for WWI; ordered Germany to pay reparation to Allied powers

Reparations

Payment for war damages

League of Nations

an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations

Collective Security

A system in which a group of nations acts as one to preserve the peace of all

Self Determination

Concept that ethnicity have the right to govern themselves

Describe the long term causes of WWI (MANIA)

Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism and Assassination

Identify the immediate cause of WWI

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Explain how the Industrial Revolution led to a deadlier war (i.e. technology)

Rifles, machine guns, tanks and planes were manufactured and now used

Explain how technology led to a military stalemate in WWI

Trench warfare emerged due to the failure of the Schliffen Plan. Barbed wire made it impossible for troops to advance.

Discuss the conditions in the trenches

Muddy, uncomfortable, unsanitary, full of diseases

Why was WWI considered a total war?

the nations involved devoted all their resources to it

Describe the costly effects of WWI

Germany was singled out and had to pay reparations and 10 to 13 million people were killed

Explain why Russia withdrew from WWI in 1917

They had low supplies and because they had a political revolt (Russian Revolution)

Explain why the US entered the war in 1917 after three years of neutrality

-Germany was attacking American ships

-Germany violated international law

- The Zimmerman telegram

Discuss the impact of the US entering the war on the side of the Allies

-Fresh troops boosted morale

- 2 million placed in France 1.3 million fighting at the fronts

How did the Treaty of Versailles impact Germany after WWI?

- Germany paid Reparations.

- Demilitarized their Army.

- Had to give colonies to Allies.

Explain the goals of Wilson's "Fourteen Points"

- Wilson wanted PEACE WITHOUT VICTORY.

- He didn't want to punish Germany for the war because he knew one day that could lead to another war.

Why was the League of Nations considered a weak peace keeping organization?

They did not have a military to enforce the laws they created.