13 The Great War, 1914-1918 Flashcards
militarism
a policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war
Triple Alliance
a military alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy in the years preceding World War I
Kaiser Wilhelm II
emperor of Germany from 1888-1918
Triple Entente
a military alliance between Great Britain, France, and Russia in the years preceding World War I
nationalism
the belief that people should be loyal main- ly to their nation—that is, to the people with whom they share a culture and history—rather than to a king or empire
imperialism
a policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, economically, or socially
Franz Ferdinand
archduke of Austria-Hungary and heir to the throne
1914
the year WWI started
1918
the year WWI ended
1917
the year the US joined WWI
1919
the year the Treaty of Versailles (WWI) was signed
Central Powers
in World War I, the nations of Germany and Austria-Hungary, along with the other nations that fought on their side
Allies
in World War I, the nations of Great Britain, France, and Russia, along with the other nations that fought on their side
Western Front
in World War I, the region of northern France where the forces of the Allies and the Central Powers battled each other
Schlieffen Plan
Germany’s military plan at the outbreak of World War I, according to which German troops would rapidly defeat France and then move east to attack Russia
trench warfare
a form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield
Eastern Front
in World War I, the region along the German-Russian border where Russians and Serbs battled Germans, Austrians, and Turks
No Man’s Land
the area between trench lines that meant almost certain death for those fighting there
unrestricted submarine warfare
the use of submarines to sink without warning any ship (including neutral ships and unarmed passenger liners) found in an enemy’s waters
total war
a conflict in which the participating countries devote all their resources to the war effort
rationing
the limiting of the amounts of goods people can buy—often imposed by governments during wartime, when goods are in short supply
propaganda
information or material spread to advance a cause or to damage an opponent’s cause
armistice
an agreement to stop fighting
Arthur Zimmermann
German foreign secretary who sent a telegram to Mexico to persuade them to join the Central Powers
