Terms for WW1

Term	Flashcard Definition
Militarism	The policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war.
Alliances	Formal agreements between nations to cooperate and come to one another's defense.
Imperialism	A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially, or economically.
Nationalism	Intense pride in one’s nation; the belief that people should be loyal to their nation rather than a king or empire.
Congress of Vienna	(1814–1815) Meeting of European leaders to restore the balance of power after the Napoleonic Wars.
Concert of Europe	A system of dispute resolution adopted by major powers to maintain the status quo and peace in Europe.
Klemens von Metternich	Austrian diplomat who led the Congress of Vienna; a staunch conservative against nationalism/democracy.

Term	Flashcard Definition
Meiji Restoration	Period in Japan (late 1800s) marked by rapid modernization, industrialization, and Westernization.
Matthew Perry	U.S. Commodore who "opened" Japan to Western trade in 1853 with a show of naval force.
Treaty of Kanagawa	1854 agreement between the U.S. and Japan opening two Japanese ports to American ships.
Treaty of Cordoba	The 1821 treaty that established Mexican independence from Spain.
Boxer Rebellion	1900 uprising in China aimed at ending foreign influence and Christian missionary presence.

Term	Flashcard Definition
Triple Alliance	Pre-war military alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
Triple Entente	Pre-war military alliance between Great Britain, France, and Russia.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand	Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination sparked WWI.
Gavrilo Princip	Serbian nationalist who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.
Balkans	Region in SE Europe known as the "Powder Keg" due to intense ethnic nationalism and conflict.
Serbs/Slavs	Ethnic groups in the Balkans seeking independence; Russia acted as their "Protector."
The Black Hand	Serbian nationalist secret society responsible for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
Ethnic Group	A community or population made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent.
Ultimatum	A final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or war.
Mobilization	The process of assembling troops and supplies and making them ready for war.

Term	Flashcard Definition
Tsar Nicholas II	The last Emperor of Russia; his poor leadership during WWI led to the fall of the Romanovs.
Rasputin	"Holy man" and advisor to the Tsarina; his influence on the Romanovs discredited the monarchy.
October Manifesto	1905 document issued by Nicholas II promising basic civil liberties and an elected parliament (Duma).
Russian Revolution	The 1917 uprisings that led to the collapse of the Tsarist autocracy and the rise of the Soviet Union.
Alexander Kerensky	Leader of the Provisional Government in Russia after the Tsar’s abdication; kept Russia in WWI.
Lenin	Leader of the Bolsheviks and first head of the Soviet Union; promised "Peace, Land, and Bread."
April Theses	Lenin's program calling for "All Power to the Soviets" and an immediate end to the war.
Bolsheviks	Radical Marxist faction led by Lenin that seized power during the October Revolution.
Mensheviks	The moderate faction of the Russian Socialist party who wanted a broad base of popular support.
Leon Trotsky	Revolutionary leader and commander of the Red Army; key ally to Lenin.
Red Army	The Soviet military forces, established by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War.
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk	1918 peace treaty between Russia and the Central Powers; Russia exited WWI but lost massive territory.

Term	Flashcard Definition
Kaiser Wilhelm II	German Emperor during WWI; known for his aggressive foreign policy and building up the navy.
Neutral/Neutrality	The legal status of a nation that does not participate in a war between other nations.
Isolationism	A policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups or countries (U.S. policy early in WWI).
Front (Eastern & Western)	The main theaters of war: Western (France/Belgium) and Eastern (Russia/Germany/Austria).
Schlieffen Plan	German strategy to quickly defeat France in the West before turning to fight Russia in the East.
Trench Warfare	A form of combat where opposing troops fight from parallel trenches dug into the ground.
No Man’s Land	The dangerous, desolate space between opposing trench lines.
“Over the Top!”	The command for soldiers to leave their trench and charge across No Man's Land toward the enemy.
Artillery	Large-caliber guns used in warfare on land; the primary cause of casualties in WWI.
Lusitania	British passenger ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1915; shifted U.S. public opinion against Germany.
U-Boats	German submarines used to attack merchant ships and disrupt Allied supply lines.
Zimmerman Note	Secret German telegram to Mexico proposing an alliance against the U.S.; a key reason the U.S. entered WWI.
Poison Gas	Chemical weapon (e.g., chlorine, mustard gas) used to incapacitate or kill soldiers in trenches.
Gas Mask	Protective gear worn to prevent the inhalation of toxic gases.

Term	Flashcard Definition
Recruitment	The process of finding and enlisting new people for the military.
Draft	Mandatory enrollment of individuals into the armed forces.
Conscription	A synonym for the draft; compulsory enlistment for state service.
Propaganda	Biased or misleading information used to promote a political cause or point of view.
Blockade	The use of ships or troops to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving a port or region.
Stalemate	A situation in which neither side in a conflict is able to make significant progress or win.
Armistice	An agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time; a truce.
Treaty of Versailles	1919 peace treaty that ended WWI; heavily punished Germany with reparations and "war guilt."