Unit 5: The World Wars Flashcards
Berlin Conference of 1848 Definition
the conference that formalized the scramble for African colonies by various European nations in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and led to the partition of Africa between these imperial powers
Imperialism Definition
the practice of one group of people establishing control over another in a foreign land
Militarism Definition
the policy of building large armies and navies; the glorification of the military
Nation-state Definition
a self-governing region
Nationalism Definition
an ideology that promotes loyalty to a specific nation or power’s interests at the exclusion of other nations or powers’ interests
World War I Definition
a global conflict from 1914 to 1918 that started in Europe
Alliance Definition
a group of countries working together for a common purpose
Balance of Power Definition
the idea that a country or group of countries should be equal in power
Front Definition
a line that divides opposing armies
Munitions Definition
the weapons and ammunition used by the military
Triple Alliance Definition
at the start of World War I, an alliance consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Triple Entente Definition
at the start of World War I, an alliance consisting of France, Russia, and Great Britain
U-boat Definition
a German submarine
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare Definition
a military strategy in which submarines target merchant and passenger ships without warning
Mobilize Definition
to get troops ready for war; to activate a variety of parts of a government or society to support a war effort
Schlieffen Plan Definition
a German military plan that if war broke out called for Germany to deliver a quick defeat of France before turning to Russia
Ultimatum Definition
a demand, or list of demands, which if rejected leads to war
Kaiser Definition
the German title for an emperor
Delineation Definition
separation of soldiers by tasks or jobs; differentiation by occupational specialties
Limited War Definition
a war with a limited scope of involvement and a specific political goal
Total War Definition
a war with the focus of destroying an enemy that encompasses a whole nation or society in the war effort; a type of war in which all parts of a society are used to fight; a country uses all possible resources and people in order to achieve success, often blurring the lines between home front and battle front
No-man’s Land Definition
the area between two trenches, often covered in unexploded ordnance and land mines that make it difficult to cross
Reconnaissance Definition
one party in a military conflict checking out the terrain and situation of the opposing side
Allied Forces Definition
another term used to describe the Triple Entente of France, Britain, and Russia as more nations and colonies joined in the conflict
Flanking Maneuver Definition
a military tactic that involves a force moving around the side of its enemy to surround them or cut off their supply lines
Guerilla Warfare Definition
an irregular warfare tactic using small groups of fighters who ambush, sabotage, raid, and do hit-and-runs
Offensive Definition
a military operation intended to gain an objective, typically used to describe an attack or invasion
Trench Warfare Definition
a type of warfare in which forces dig large trenches to provide protection from enemy attacks
Two-Front War Definition
when a nation or military opposes enemies on two geographically separate fronts at the same time
Armistice Definition
a joint decision by combatants to cease hostilities under certain defined conditions
Central Powers Definition
a term used to describe the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, as well as Bulgaria
Isolationist Definition
a policy of avoiding foreign political involvement in order to focus on domestic issues
Offensive Definition
a military operation intended to gain an objective, typically used to describe an attack or invasion
Bolsheviks Definition
the Russian socialists who supported Marx’s ideas and wanted to see the country embrace them
March Revolution Definition
the first stage of the Russian Revolution in 1917, begun when Tsar Nicholas II gave up his throne and the Russian people began establishing a new government
Marxism Definition
the theory that class conflict would lead to a revolution and ultimately a classless society in which everyone would own the means of production and have an equal share
Marxism-Leninism Definition
the adaptation of Marxist ideas by Lenin; unlike Marx’s vision of a classless society, Lenin believed that it was important to have a small group of elites in power to help guide the country toward communism
Mensheviks Definition
the Russian socialists who supported Marx’s ideas but did not advocate revolution; this group was more moderate in their beliefs than Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks
New Economic Policy Definition
a policy created by Lenin after the Russian Civil War that undid War Communism policies and allowed Russians some measure of capitalist features, like private business ownership and some private property; in a sense, it rolled back elements of communism in the new Soviet economy
October Revolution Definition
the third and final revolution in Russia led by Lenin in 1917, when the Bolsheviks overthrew the current government
Red Terror Definition
a name used for the Bolsheviks’ efforts to eliminate political opposition during the Russian Civil War
Revolution of 1905 Definition
a short-lived uprising in Russia that occurred because of general dissatisfaction with the government; it led to only limited political change
War Communism Definition
a policy implemented during the Russian Civil War by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, which involved converting some elements of the Russian economy, such as taking over private business, nationalizing industry, and collectivizing agriculture
Bloody Sunday Definition
the name for the date that began the Revolution of 1905 in Russia as a result of the massacre of more than one hundred protestors in St. Petersburg
Cheka Definition
the secret police force created by the Bolsheviks in late 1917
Gregorian Calendar Definition
the calendar that uses the vernal equinox each spring to decide the date for the Christian Easter holiday; European countries began adopting this calendar in 1582
Julian Calendar Definition
the calendar that used a fixed date for the Easter holiday; it was used by most Christian countries from 45 BCE to 1582 CE
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Definition
the treaty that ended Russia’s involvement in World War I
Vladamir Lenin Definition
the leader of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution
Armistice Definition
a joint decision by combatants to cease hostilities under certain defined conditions
Clergy Definition
the individuals who are ordained, or authorized, by a church to perform particular functions
Communist Definition
a system of government where the government controls property (land, factories, companies) and wealth to create a classless society where each person enjoys the benefit of labor
Federation Definition
a group of individual organizations, such as nations, that have a central governing structure that connects them
Russian Civil War Definition
the war fought between the Reds (the socialist Bolsheviks led by Lenin) and the Whites who opposed them; the conflict ended in 1921 with the Bolsheviks being victorious.
Socialist Definition
a person or group whose political ideology advocates the working class should be in control of wealth
Arable Land Definition
a land that is suitable for growing food or other crops
Belligerent Definition
the military term for a country or group fighting a war
Great Depression Definition
a global economic crisis that began in late 1929 and lasted for a decade
London Tube Definition
the name for London’s mass transportation system, which is largely an underground subway network
Munitions Definition
military weapons, including ammunition and related equipment
Nazi Party Definition
a political party in Germany associated with Adolf Hitler, which gained influence in the 1920s and brought Hitler to power in Germany in the 1930s
Rehabilitate Definition
to return to an original state
Treaty of Versailles Definition
the peace agreement that ended World War I in 1918
Weimar Republic Definition
the German state that existed from the end of World War I in 1918 through 1933, when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany
Autonomy Definition
the ability to rule or govern independently, without oversight from another
Sanction Definition
a punishment put onto a country for breaking a law or rule
Self-determination Definition
the idea that each ethnic group should have its own country and government
Sovereignty Definition
independent, autonomous authority
Citizen Definition
an individual who owes allegiance to, and receives rights from, a political state
Nineteenth Amendment Definition
the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that granted women the right to vote
Supply Chain definition
a sequence of processes and interchanges that brings a good to a certain location
Disillusioned Definition
disappointed in something that was not as glorious as one originally thought it would be
Generation Definition
a group of people born and living at the same time, referred to as a group
Jazz Age Definition
a nickname of the 1920s, coined by writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, referencing the improvisational musical style popular in the era
Lost Generation Definition
a term used to describe a group of American writers who came of age during the First World War, as well as the generation that grew up around that war
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Definition
a psychological medical condition that sometimes arises when people have been through physical or mental trauma
Psychological Effects Definition
the mental results of an event or action on a person
Anti-Semitism Definition
hatred toward people who are Jewish
Fascism Definition
a far-right, authoritarian political belief that places the worth of some lives above others through violence; a political ideology that focuses on one political party, one leader, and the concept of nationalism above individualism
League of Nations Definition
an international organization proposed by President Wilson to prevent war from breaking out again; the U.S. did not join, and the largely ineffectual organization was gone within a few decades
Protectionism Definition
the use of economic measures, such as tariffs or quotas, to protect a nation’s domestic industry from foreign competition
Regulatory Force Definition
a person or organization with the power to make rules and make sure they are followed by others
Tariff Definition
a charge or tax paid on exports or imports; a tax imposed by a nation on goods imported from another nation
United Nations Definition
an international organization developed to help maintain peace and security throughout the world
Currency Exchange Rate Definition
the rate at which one country’s money can be exchanged for another country’s money
Debt Definition
something that is owed by one person or institution to another, usually money
