Untitled Flashcard Set

When did World War I (WWI) begin and end?

  • World War I began on July 28, 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918.

MANIA:

  • Long-term causes of WWI: Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination (of Franz Ferdinand).

  • Short-term cause of WWI: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Gavrilo Princip sparked the war.

  • Describe WWI as Total War: WWI involved the mobilization of entire nations, and resources, affecting civilians and economies extensively.

  • Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (though Italy switched sides later).

  • Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

  • Triple Entente: France, Britain, Russia.

  • Allied Powers: France, Britain, Russia, later joined by Italy and the United States.

  • Balkans as the “powder keg” of Europe: The region was characterized by nationalistic tensions and rivalries, contributing to the outbreak of war.

    • lots of ethnicities are fighting in the Balkans: inevitable conflict

  • Slavic nationalism's role: It fueled desires for independence among Slavic nations, particularly in the Balkans, leading to conflicts with Austro-Hungarian interests. They felt discriminated against under the current monarchy; when Franz Ferdinand’s tour around the South was announced, Slavics saw it as an opportunity for change.

  • Serbia’s role: Serbia was pivotal in supporting the Black Hand and national liberation movements against Austro-Hungarian rule, influencing the conflict's origins.

  • Belgium’s role: Belgium’s neutrality was violated when Germany invaded it, prompting British involvement in the war.

  • Military rivalry between Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Germany and Great Britain: Germany and Britain competed for naval supremacy, escalating tensions.

  • Gavrilo Princip (and the Black Hand): He was a Bosnian Serb nationalist and member of the secret society responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

    • first couple assassins failed to kill the archduke and Gavrilo merely happened to be at the right place at the right time, which ultimately led to the successful assassination that ignited the spark for World War I when he shot him + his pregnant wife..

  • Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination: His death was both a trigger and a culmination of underlying nationalist and imperial tensions leading to WWI.

  • Modern weaponry in WWI: Introduced tanks, machine guns, and poison gas, favoring defense due to trench warfare.

  • Trench warfare: A military strategy where opposing armies fight from fortified positions, leading to a stalemate.

  • “No-man’s land”: The dangerous, barren space between opposing trenches, fraught with obstacles and attacks.

  • Schlieffen plan: Germany's strategy for a quick victory in a two-front war against France and Russia ultimately failed due to stronger than expected resistance and logistics.

  • Two-front war: Germany faced this dilemma against France in the west and Russia in the east.

  • Propaganda: Used to boost morale, demonize the enemy, and encourage enlistment and public support for the war effort.

  • Women's roles in the war effort: Women worked in factories, joined the workforce, and served in auxiliary military roles, significantly contributing to the war effort.

Define the following:

  • Nationalism: A strong sense of pride and loyalty to one’s nation, leading to independence movements.

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

  • Neutrality: The policy of not supporting either side in a conflict.

  • Ultimatum: A demand or statement of terms that, if not met, leads to consequences.

  • Mobilize: To prepare and organize troops for active service.

  • Stalemate: A situation in which neither side can gain an advantage.

  • Western Front: The frontline zone of fighting in Western Europe.

  • Eastern Front: The region of conflict between Central Powers and Russia.

  • Ottoman Empire: Fought on the side of the Central Powers.

  • Russia withdrawal: Left WWI in 1917 due to internal turmoil, leading to the Treaty of Brest Litovsk which ceded significant territory to Germany.

  • U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s position: Initially neutral, he favored diplomacy until factors like attacks on U.S. ships drew the U.S. into the conflict.

  • German U-boats: Submarines that targeted Allied ships, significantly impacting trade and military resources.

  • Importance of the Lusitania sinking: The event swayed public opinion against Germany and influenced U.S. entry into the war.

  • Zimmerman note: A secret proposal from Germany to Mexico for an alliance against the U.S., which provoked U.S. involvement in the war.

Define the following:

  • Armistice: An agreement to stop fighting temporarily to negotiate a peace.

  • Anschluss: The union of Austria and Germany.

  • Reparations: Payments made by a defeated nation to compensate for war damages.

  • “Big Three”: Leaders of the U.S. (Wilson), Britain (Lloyd George), and France (Clemenceau) at the Paris Peace Conference.

  • League of Nations: Created to promote peace and prevent future conflicts following WWI.

  • Wilson’s Fourteen Points: Proposed principles for peace negotiations to end WWI, including self-determination and free trade.

  • Germany after the war: Germany faced significant territorial losses, disarmament, and reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles.

  • Treaty of Versailles: The peace treaty that ended WWI, establishing harsh terms for Germany and redrawing European borders, contributing to future conflicts.