Fighting the Great War Flashcards
When the war began in _______ ____, Europeans were enthusiastic about fighting
August 1914
Most people thought the war would be over by _________ 1914…….. they were wrong
Christmas
When the war began, Germany’s biggest problem was the potential of fighting on ____ ______
two fronts
Germany’s solution was the _________ ____ which involved quickly defeating France in the West… then sending troops to the East before Russia fully mobilized the war
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working when the _______ ____ marched through Belgium and France
German army
English, Belgian, and French saved _____ at the battle of Marne
Paris
______ mobilized faster than expected
Russia
Because the Schlieffen Plan _______ the Central Powers were forced to fight a two-front war
failed
The fighting between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia was known as the _______ _____
Eastern front
By 1915, the war settled into a _________ as each side fortified their positions with trenches
stalemate
During World War I, ____ million soldiers died and ___ million soldiers were wounded
8.5, 21
During the 10 month battle of ______ in 1916, __ million soldiers were killed or wounded
Verdun, 1
During the battle of ______, 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded
Somme
The _______ army was struggling to hold on against the German military
Russian
Millions of Russians soldiers and civilians _____ during the war
died
Nations committed to _____ ____ to win the World War I
total war
________ were converted to make war equipment
Factories
__________ was used to maintain civilian support for the war
Propaganda
Britain used its navy to _______ Europe
blockade
Germany responded by using unrestricted _______ _______ to attack the British navy and any merchant ships supplying the allies
submarine warfare
German u-boat attacks played a role in bringing the ______ _____ into World War I
United States
the United States remained _______, but was pulled in the war by 1917
neutral
President Woodrow Wilson demanded “_______ ___ ____ _____” but Germany refused
freedom of the seas
Americans were outraged in May 1915 when a German u-boat sank the British ship Lusitania, killing 1200 people (including ____ ________)
128 Americans