World War I - Study Guide

Key Terms

1. Causes of WWI

• Militarism: Building and expanding military strength.
  • Stockpiling weapons, increasing troops.
  • Domino effect: One nation builds up, others follow.

• Alliances: Formal agreements between nations.

Triple Entente: France, Britain, Russia.

Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy.

• Alliances could drag nations into war (e.g., Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Russia).
• Nationalism: Pride in one's nation led to desires for independence.
• Imperialism: Extension of power through diplomacy or military force.
• Assassination: Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination by the Black Hand triggered the war.

2. Archduke Franz Ferdinand

• Heir to Austro-Hungarian throne.
• Assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, sparking the war.

3. Black Hand

• Secret Serbian organization aiming for Slavic unity.
• Responsible for the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand.

4. Powder Keg of Europe

• Balkans region with high political tension.

5. Triple Entente

• Alliance between France, Great Britain, and Russia.

6. Triple Alliance

• Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

7. Central Powers

• Included Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.

8. Allies

• Included France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, USA, Japan, and others.

9. Schlieffen Plan

• Germany's plan to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France.
• Failed due to Britain's intervention and Russia's faster mobilization.

10. Western Front

• France and Britain’s war efforts against Germany.

11. Eastern Front

• Germany's eastern battles against Russia.

12. Stalemate

• Neither side in the war could gain advantage.

13. WWI Weapons and Technologies

• Tanks: Slow, often broke down, psychological impact.
• Airplanes: Used for reconnaissance, bombing, and dogfights.
• Machine Guns: Rapid fire, deadly.
• Chemical weapons: Chlorine and mustard gas used.
• Zeppelins: Used for reconnaissance and bombing, easily shot down.

14. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

• Germany's strategy of attacking ships without warning.

15. Trench Warfare

• Trench system with front line, support, reserve, and communication trenches.
• Poor living conditions led to trench foot, disease.

16. Propaganda

• Used by governments to influence public opinion.

17. Women and the War Effort

• Took on jobs traditionally held by men, served as nurses.
• Helped change perceptions of women's capabilities.

18. Government Actions Using Propaganda

• Controlled production, rationing, censorship.

19. War Front

• Direct combat areas.

20. Home Front

• Support and supply for the war effort.

21. Total War

• All national resources are devoted to the war effort.

22. Rationing

• Conserving resources to aid military efforts.

23. Important Battles of WWI

• Battle of Verdun: Symbolic French victory, German failure.
• Battle of Somme: British and French victory; diverted German resources.
• Third Battle of Ypres: Introduction of chemical warfare.

24. Armenian Genocide

• Ottoman Empire's systematic extermination of Armenians during WWI.

25. Lusitania

• British ship sunk by Germany, provoked US anger.

26. Zimmerman Note

• German proposal to Mexico for an alliance against the US, intercepted by Britain.

27. Russia’s Involvement

• Struggled with industrialization, exited the war via the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

28. Russian Revolution

• Bolshevik revolution led to Russia's withdrawal from WWI.

29. American Expeditionary Force

• US troops sent to Europe.

30. Armistice

• Agreement to stop fighting, not the official end of the war.

31. Big Four

• Leaders of the US, UK, France, and Italy during the Paris Peace Conference.

32. Fourteen Points

• Woodrow Wilson's proposals for post-war peace.

33. League of Nations

• International organization aimed at maintaining peace.

34. Treaty of Versailles

• Treaty imposed on Germany, seen as harsh and unjust, leading to WWII.

35. Paris Peace Conference

• Meeting of Allied powers to determine post-war conditions and reparations.