History - WWI 🔫 Flashcards
When did WWI start?
1914
When did WWI end?
1918
What were the two main military alliances involved in 1914?
Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
What 3 countries were a part of the Triple Entente?
France, United Kingdom and Russia
What 3 countries were a part of the Triple Alliance?
German, Italy and Austria-Hungary
What is an alliance?
An alliance is an understanding, usually between two countries, to help each other in a time of need
What are the four main causes of WWI?
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
What happened in 1871 to disturb the political balance of power in Europe?
In 1871, unified Germany disturbed the “old balance of power”
What was Germany’s goal after becoming independent?
They wanted to become a great power like Britain.
Why was Germany worried that France would attack them in 1870?
They had won a war to get Alsace-Lorraine, and were worried that France would try to win it back.
In 1870, which country was struggling to keep their empire?
Austria-Hungary.
What did France do to protect themselves from Germany after losing the Alsace-Lorraine?`
In 1871, as a result of losing the Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, France feared more attacks and so it started building its forces.
When was the Dual Alliance formed? Between which countries was it formed?
In 1879, the Dual alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary was formed.
What did the Dual Alliance mean for Germany and Austria-Hungary?
This gave each other support if one was invaded by Russia, and Guaranteed Neutrality if invaded by another major European power.
When and why was the Triple Alliance formed?
Italy thought it would benefit from a secret alliance with Germany and the Austria-Hungarian empire. The triple alliance was formed (1882)
What was the Reinsurance treaty?
A treaty between Russia and Germany in 1887. It was secret, and would guarantee they stay neutral if attacked. However, it expired in 1890.
What was the alliance formed because France was isolated and Russia was vulnerable?
The Franco Russian alliance.
Why did France and Russia form an alliance? When was this?
In 1894, the fear of Germany encouraged Russia and France to form alliance.
What were the terms of the Franco-Russian Alliance?
It was to remain in place as long as the Triple Alliance existed. If one of the Triple alliance members attacked France or Russia, the ally would attack the aggressor in question.
What did the alliance between France and Russia cause?
The alliance between Russia and France pushed Germany closer into alliance with their neighbor Austria-Hungary.
What was the Entente Cordiale?
The alliance between Britain and France., even though they were enemies for a very long time. It was in 1904.
What was the alliance between Britain, France, and Russia?
The Triple Entente. There wasn’t actually a 3 way alliance.
How did Rival power blocs maintain armies?
Members of rival power blocs maintained mass armies through compulsory military service (Basically making it required to be in the military)
Why did power blocs have to spend a lot of money on their armies?
Rapid developments in military technology forced them to spend huge sums on these armies
What was the geographical advantage that the Triple Entente had?
They surrounded the Triple Alliance.
What is militarism?
The belief that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.
Is militarism usually promoted as something for defense, or offence?
Usually, governments promote militarism as for defense, though it is often used for offence.
Before the war in 1914, who had more soldiers? The Triple alliance or Triple Entente? How many?
The Triple Alliance had 6,000,000 soldiers
The Triple Entente had 5,900,000 soldiers
The Triple Alliance had the upper hand by 100,000 soldiers.
How did countries get their people to join their armies?
They used propaganda such as posters to try and get people to join the war. It often used manipulative techniques and kept quiet the risks of joining the army.
What was some evidence that most soldiers who joined the British army were dying?
The height requirements kept reducing! In August 1914, a volunteer for the British army had to be 5 feet 8 inches to enlist. By October, the requirement was lowered to 5 feet 5 inches. That month there were thirty thousand casualties, and then one could be 5 feet 3.
How did governments stop the public from knowing the amount of people dying in the war?
More propaganda was used. Civilians were told things such as “Be cheerful… Write encouragingly to friends at the front… Don’t repeat foolish gossip. Don’t listen to idle rumors.” Basically, they were told that everything is good.
The Triple Alliance may have had more soldiers in their military, but which side had spent more money on it?
The Triple Alliance Spent £133,000,000.
The Triple Entente Spent £158,000,000
The Triple Entente Spent £25M more.
What were some new weapons used in WW1?
- Popularized use of machine gun
- First use of tanks (1915-16)
- Guns mounted on ships
- Use of aircraft carriers (first use 1912)
- Stealth and speed of submarines
- Airplanes and psychological advantages
- Use of poisonous gases (chemical warfare)
What is Nationalism?
Nationalism is believing that your country is always right, no matter what. It is a feeling that people and the government are united, and a strong sense of belonging to one’s country.
What are the two kinds of Nationalism?
- For Independence
- For Power
Was Austria-Hungary imperialistic?
yes.
Who were Slavs?
A number of ethnic groups of people in eastern and south-eastern Europe. They and their languages (Russian, Polish, Czech, Serbian) are related and many (though not all) of them belong historically to the Orthodox Christian churches.
What was France’s main goal before WW1?
Wanted Alsace Lorraine back from Germany who was lost in 1871 Franco-Prussian war.
What was Austria-Hungary scared of before WW1?
Very worried over Serbia’s gains in Balkans and did not want to lose power in the region.
What did Serbia want to do before WW1?
Wanted to expand and contain all Slavs but many Slavs lived within Austria-Hungary; Austria-Hungary had taken over Bosnia which angered Serbia because Bosnians were Slavs; so Serbia causing trouble for Austria-Hungary.
What was happening to the Ottoman empire before WW1?
Weakening and losing their hold over the Balkans.
Shortly before WW1, what happened to the conflicts between Serbia and the Ottoman empire.
1912-1913: two Balkan Wars mainly between Ottoman Empire and Serbia; Serbia wins and doubles in size
What did Russia want before WW1?
Wanted a naval port in the Mediterranean
In 1871, what was the strongest economic and military power in Europe?
After unification in 1871 Germany became strongest economic and military power in Europe.
After Germany unified, how did they originally try to preserve their power?
From 1871 to 1890, wanted to preserve power in Europe by forming a series of peaceful alliances with other powers.
What changed about Germany’s strategy after 1890?
After 1890, became more aggressive.
Came into serious conflicts with all other major powers of Europe (except Austria-Hungary) from 1890 to 1914.
What was the Dual Monarchy?
The Dual Monarchy was a Monarchy system in Austria-Hungary established in 1867.
In the Dual Monarchy, who was allowed to rule?
The Dual Monarchy ruled over a large empire consisting of many nationalities, but only the Austrians (racially they were German) and the Hungarians had the right to rule.
What was the issue of rights in the Dual Monarchy before WW1?
The other nationalities Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, Rumanians and Poles resented their loss of political freedom.
They desired for political independence. This shows not much Nationalism as many people did not agree with their country.
What was the Largest and most populous country in Europe, before WW1?
Russia.
What fraction of people in Russia were Slavs before WW1?
Two thirds of people were Slavs.
What was Russia’s Territorial ambitions before WW1?
They wanted to expand in all directions.
In 1870, what area were aggressions with Russia renewed?
The Balkans.
What in Russia clashed with the interests of Austria-Hungary and Britain?
Their territorial ambitions to expand in all directions.
Who were France defeated by in 1871?
In 1871, France was defeated by Germany: lost Alsace and Lorraine and had to pay a lot of money.
What was France’s Greatest ambition after being defeated by Germany?
From 1871 on, France’s greatest ambition was to recover Alsace Lorraine.
What was France’s secondary ambition after being defeated by Germany?
They also wanted to prevent another defeat by Germany, to recover national prestige by acquiring overseas colonies (e.g. Morocco) and make diplomatic alliances with other important powers in Europe.
What was the most industrialized country before WW1?
In 1870, Britain was the most industrially advanced country in Europe and had the largest overseas empire and the largest navy in the world.
Before 1890, who were Britain’s main enemies?
Before 1890, chief enemies were France and Russia.
Why was Britain enemies with France before 1890?
The colonial interests of France often clashed with those of Britain . (Britain and France had colonial rivalries in Asia and Africa–India, Burma, Thailand, Egypt)
Why was Britain enemies with Russia before 1890?
Russia’s interest in the Balkan area also alarmed Britain, as British naval interests in the Mediterranean Sea would be threatened.
Who became Britain’s chief single enemy after 1890? Why?
After 1890, as Germany went on increasing her naval strength and threatened British naval supremacy and the British overseas interests, became chief enemy.
What is Imperialism?
A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means. It’s when countries try to take over other countries in order to expand for different reasons.
When and why were Britain imperialist?
Britain were imperialists in the 19thand early 20th century (especially after the industrial revolution as they needed materials and newmarkets)
What was old imperialism?
Between the 1500s and the early 1800s, to find trade routes, establish colonies, and set up trade posts as a source of wealth.
What was new imperialism?
From the late 1800s through the early 1900s, Industrializing nations pursued new colonies in order to build vast empires based on economic, military, political, humanitarian, and religious reasons. Ideas of Social Darwinism, scientific racism, and eugenics also contributed
`What is imperialism?
Imperialism is the policy of extending a country’s power and influence beyond its own borders by acquiring partial or total control over another region.
Before WW1, how was Imperialism taking place?
Many European powers were Imperializing Africa and taking over it, For the main purpose of making money, exploiting natives.
What was the Moroccan Crisis?
In 1905-06, the status of Morocco was being discussed by European powers.
What was happening in Morocco before the crisis?
France was taking over most of it. This was challenged by other European powers.
What was France’s stance during the Moroccan crisis?
France wanted to be allowed to take over Morocco.
What was Britain’s stance during the Moroccan crisis?
Britain agreed that France should have Morocco.
What was Germany’s stance during the Moroccan crisis?
The Kaiser of Germany felt that Moroccoshould be left alone.
What was done to settle the fate of Morocco?
There was a conference held in Spain betweenthe Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance. The conference was a disaster for the Germans
In the end, what was the result of the conference to decide what happens to Morocco?
Francewas allowed todo almost as it liked inMorocco.
How did the result of the Morocco conference help lead to the first world war?
It greatly increased tensions between Germany and France, both of who were on opposite sides.
How can Nationalism be linked to Imperialism?
People believed their country was the best due to NATIONALISM and to remain best they needed industry, and so they had to conquer other lands. They did this through IMPERIALISM.
How can Imperialism be linked to Militarism?
Major European powers started building Empires with IMPERIALISM. To build an effective empire and taking over foreign lands they needed MILITARISM.
How can Militarism be linked to the other main causes of WW1?
ALLIANCES could help the power keep their power just incase other people challenged their empire.
What is the most agreed event that made the war break out?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
Born in 1863, as one of Austria’s 70 archdukes, he was a very conservative man.
How did Franz Ferdinand become wealthy?
After his cousin died he inherited a vast estate.
How did Franz Ferdinand become heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary?
After the suicide of his cousin crown prince Rudolph, Ferdinand’s father was made heir to the throne. But he renounced his position and gave it to Franz Ferdinand.
Why did the Austrian aristocracy dislike Franz Ferdinand?
His wife, the Duchess Sophia, was a Bohemian aristocrat, but didn’t actually have royal blood. And so he wasn’t accepted by the aristocracy despite the position as the next emperor.
What did Franz Ferdinand think of Hungarians?
He hated Hungarians (omg alliteration)
What did Franz Ferdinand think of Slavs?
He thought Slavs were less than humans.
What did Franz Ferdinand think of Serbs?
He referred to them as pigs.
What was Franz Ferdinand’s religion?
He was catholic, which at the time held an anti-Jewish, anti-Jesuit baggage.
Who was Franz Ferdinand’s assasain?
Gavrilo Princip
What was Franz Ferdinand’s stance on war?
He was absolutely against war with Russia, and stated repeatedly that he would do anything in his power to prevent it.
How was Franz Ferdinand’s assassination planned for?
He announced his June visit to Bosnia in March 1914. Then in May, Princip and two associates went there and were provided with four pistols and six bombs.
How did the first failed assassination attempt go down?
At least seven young Bosnian hitmen were deployed on the town’s bridges, one of which the archduke had to cross. One of the Bosnians threw a bomb at his car but it bounced off the hood before exploding, wounding two of the Archduke’s men.
Why were plans changed after the failed assassination attempt?
Franz Ferdinand decided to visit the two men hurt by the bomb in the hospital.
How did the route to the hospital lead to confusion?
There was a lot of confusion over the new route and who’d been told what and who hadn’t, so when the Archduke’s driver turned off the route, the general sharing Ferdinand’s car stopped the driver and said to back up and continue on Appel Quay.
How did confusion over the route lead to the successful assassination of Ferdinand?
When told by the general, the driver stopped the car, which had no functioning reverse gear, right next to where Gavrilo Princip was standing. So Princip raised his pistol and fired twice from only a few feet away.
What were Ferdinand’s last words?
Sophie died instantly from a bullet, and Franz Ferdinand’s last words were “Sophie, Sophie, don’t die- stay alive for our children.” He died shortly after.
What were the immediate results of Ferdinand’s assassination?
5000 Serbs were jailed and Princip was imprisoned. Not many people mourned, and most European leaders were not very concerned about its political effects.
Why was Ferdinand’s assassination against the interests of the Serbs?
Franz Ferdinand, for all his backward and outdated beliefs, had strong opinions on two very important things:
1) He was very anti-war with Russia
2) Since he put the empire above his personal beliefs, he was sympathetic to the idea of letting Slavic people be a third part of Austria-Hungary
How did Ferdinand’s assassination spark the war?
The Austrian Empire used it as an excuse to declare war with Serbia. Due to all the allies formed, this sparked a chain reaction that led to many wars being declared, combining to WW1.
What were the events after Ferdinand’s assassination that led to war?
1) Austro-Hungarian leader assassinated by Serb
2) Austrians declare war on Serbia
3) Serbia and Russia have treaty (Russia mobilises)
4) Germany have treaty with Austria-Hungary so declare war on Russia
5) France wanted to stop Germany from beating Russia
6) Germany moves quickly through Belgium and France
7) Belgium asks Britain for help (to protect treaty of neutrality)
8) Britain declares war
Why does Germany invade Belgium?
They did not want to waste time attacking French fortifications along the border
The propaganda used by the Triple Entente against Germany is particularly effective in which country?
The United States.
Why were the Germans able to attack the French army in such large numbers?
Because the French soldiers wore bright colored uniforms.
What was “shell shock”?
A psychological effect of trench warfare. People affected would panic, be unable to reason, talk, walk, and many other things.
During most of the war, who was winning?
Both sides were in a stalemate.
Which new countries joined the triple entente during the war?
Japan joined the Triple Entente to take away German colonies in the Pacific, and after tense relations, Italy switched sides from the Triple Alliance to the Triple Entente. The US also joined later on.
What two big rules of war did Germany violate to break the stalemate?
Use of chemical weapons and killing of civilians
Why did Russia leaving the war help Germany? Why did they leave?
They left because the combination of losing resources from the war and the Russian Revolution was too much. This helped Germany because then Germany would only have to focus on the western front.
What is the order that Triple Alliance side collapsed from earliest to latest?
Bulgaria – Ottoman Empire – Austria-Hungary – Germany
What was trench warfare?
A type of warfare where soldiers stay in dug up trenches.
What were the health problems in trenches?
It was very unhygienic, so many people died of disease.
What made life in trenches boring and uneventful?
A lot of time in trenches was spent sitting, cleaning tools, and being scared that the battle would start soon.
What kind of trenches did Germany build?
Dry, safe, and comfortable trenches with bunkers that had electricity and sometimes running water.
What kind of trenches did the British and French make?
They didn’t spend as much money on their trenches, so they were muddy, wet, and unsafe.
How did technology change throughout the war?
Technology transformed drastically. Some go as far to say that people came into the battle on horses, and left on airplanes.
Before the war, what did the French think the best way to defeat the enemy?
Simply going in with determination and fighting. They underestimated the collision of technology.
What was the weapon made popular in WW1 that no matter the skill of the soldier, it cannot be crossed?
The machine gun. The most determined line of soldiers cannot oppose a machine gun, which fires hundreds of rounds a minute.
Why was WW1 the first “Scientific war”?
It was the first time that societies had taken all their resources of science and technology and developed it further. Although many weapons used in the war had been used before, WW1 developed them to be even more destructive.
How did WW1 speed up the development of new technologies?
Having new technologies stronger than the enemies’ was an absolute priority. So much money was put into developing technologies that the speed at which they were released were even faster, and this was during the industrial revolution, where technology was already skyrocketing in development.
What was the deadly gas used in WW1 that caused lungs to drown in liquid?
Chlorine gas.
What group of people do wars create?
Refugees.
What is a refugee?
A person forced to flee their country to escape war.
Why did the German invasion of 1914 lead to an influx of Belgium refugees?
As soon as it happened, the civilian population felt threatened, there was a lot of terror on civilians. As rumors spread, people took refugee northwards and westwards.
What percentage of Belgians became refugees during WWI?
Up to 25% population of the den Belgian population was a refugee at one time or other during the first world war.
Why do refugees tend to hide their stories?
Unlike war veterans, when you and the world has more appreciation to you, being a refugee isn’t so respected. Many people also forget what happened.
After many people fled from east and south Europe, what was the US afraid of?
US government feared a mass influx of refugees from eastern and southern Europe. This was due to racial ideas, fear of the country filling up, and other reasons.
What did the Immigration act of 1917 introduce?
- A literacy test
- Increased head tax
- Exclusion of some people
- A barred zone called the “Asiatic Barred Zone” that people could not immigrate from.
What was the literacy test passed in the immigration act and how did it make it very hard to flee to the US?
A test where the refugee has to read a short passage in the language of their choice. This was problematic for the refugees because many people came from less privileged positions, or missed out on a lot of education when fleeing.
What was the increased head tax passed in the immigration act? How was this unfair?
It was money to be paid on arrival per person. It meant that the refugees had to have enough money saved to escape.
Who did the literacy test exclude?
“idiots, imbeciles, epileptics, alcoholics, poor, criminals, beggars, suffering from attacks of insanity”
Which countries were banned in the “Asiatic barred zone” ban?
Much of south Asia, such as India, and a lot of Saudi Arabia.
Which countries were not formally banned in the “Asiatic barred zone” ban, but still had restrictions?
- Japan, who had already agreed to limit immigrants to US under the Gentlemen’s Agreement in 1907
- Most Chinese people already were banned under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
Which country didn’t count in the “Asiatic barred zone” ban?
The Philippines, which was made a U.S. Colony in 1889.
Till when did the “Asiatic barred zone” ban last?
Till 1952
What were some of the racial ideas prevalent at the beginning of the 20th century that led to many of the immigration laws in the US?
Scientific racism, negative eugenics, Social Darwinism… etc.
What was the quota system law?
A system from the 1920s to 1965 limiting by nationality the number of immigrants who may enter the U.S. each year.
Which areas of the world had the highest quotas? (quota system)
Richer, and whiter places in general.
What connections to race and Eugenics did the quota system have?
Since many minorities had a lower quota, a fear of who the US thought “less fit” for society may have contributed to the law.
Who were the Harlem Hellfighters?
The Harlem Hellfighters (aka 369th Infantry Regiment) were an African-American infantry unit in WWI who spent more time in combat than any other American unit.
Why were the Harlem Hellfighters given to the French?
The French wanted reinforcement and the US was not willing to help them with their forces, but not the Hellfighters as they were black.
Who was Henry Johnson?
A fighter in the Harlem Hellfighters who, when put in a very tense situation where his private Needham Roberts was knocked out, he defended his position when without a working gun. All the Germans fled from just his courage.
Why did the US government take very long to give Henry the legion of merit after his acts?
He was black.
How was Henry Johnson treated when he returned to the US?
He was not awarded anything, there was no notation of his injury, was not given assistance, And died in 1929 pennyless.
Who was Sergeant Bhagat Singh Thind?
The First U.S. serviceman to be allowed to wear a turban as part of military uniform for religious reasons.
Why was citizenship for Sergeant Bhagat Singh Thind taken away?
He applied for U.S. citizenship and received it; but then it was taken away because he was not a “white man”. He applied and received it again, but immigration officials appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to try and take it away from him
Who won WW1?
The Triple Entente + USA and Italy, in a sudden sweep.
What was the Paris Peace conference?
An international meeting between 1919 and 1920 after WW1, heads of state of Britain, US, and France would take the lead.
Who were the “Big Three”?
Britain, US, and France
Who represented Britain in the Paris Peace conference?
David Lloyd George.
Who represented France in the Paris Peace conference?
Georges Clemenceau
Who represented the US in the Paris Peace conference?
Woodrow Wilson
Who represented Germany in the Paris Peace conference……………?
THEY WERENT INVITED!
Why did the Big Three want to punish Germany in different ways?
They had been affected on different levels by Germany.
How did Wilson want to punish Germany?
He was opposed to harsh punishment as the USA hadn’t been involved in the war for as long as Britain and France, and so less harshly affected. He did not blame Germany for the war. He wanted to prevent further war with a “League of nations”
How did Clemenceau want to punish Germany?
The harshest of the three. He wanted revenge and to punish Germany, by making them return Alsace-Lorraine back, no League of nations, for Germany to pay huge reperations for damage caused, and the disbandment of the German army.
How did David Lloyd George want to punish Germany?
He was in the middle, reflecting how much war losses but little land damage Britain had received. He wanted a punishment tough enough to please those who wanted Germany to pay but leave them strong enough to trade (things they traded were important for Britain)
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
The final conclusion, the international settlement for “peace” that was signed after WWI in 1919 and put into effect in 1920.
Was Germany allowed to negotiate with the treaty’s terms?
No. Their rebuttal was ignored and they were forced to sign it.
What was the League of Nations in the Treaty of Versailles?
An international peace organization where enemies, Germany, and Russia were excluded.
What territorial losses did Germany face from the treaty of Versailles?
They returned Alsace-Lorraine, the French border was expanded, and Germany surrendered all its overseas colonies.
What military restrictions were put on Germany after the treaty of Versailles?
Limits were set on their army size, they were forbidden from building submarines or having an air force, and were prohibited from importing or manufacturing weapons.
What was the war guilt put on Germans?
The war was entirely blamed on them.
How much did Germany have to pay in reparations to the allies?
$33,000,000,000 (billion)
How could WW1 have led to WW2?
The Treaty of Versailles made a huge imbalance for Germany that helped Hitler rise up.
