World War 1

Question 1

What were the causes of WW1?

Answer 1

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand signalled the rapid slide into world war 1. The other causes were, Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism and Alliances.

Question 2

Explain Nationalism.

Answer 2

Nationalism is the belief that your country is better than others. This made nations assertive and aggressive.

Question 3

Explain Imperialism.

Answer 3

Imperialism is the desire to conquer colonies, especially in Africa. This brought the powers into conflict - Germany wanted an empire. France and Britain already had empires.

Question 4

Explain Militarism (Arms Race).

Answer 4

Militarism (Arms Race) is the attempt to build up a strong army and navy giving nations the means and will to make war.

Question 5

Explain Alliances.

Answer 5

Alliances - in 1882, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. This alarmed, France, Britain and Russia and by 1907, they had all joined the Triple Entente. Europe was divided into two armed camps, to help each other if there was a war.

Question 6

What is the name given to the land separating the Germans from the Allies?

Answer 6

The name given to the land separating the Germans from the Allies was called No-man’s land?

Question 7

What was No-man’s land like?

Answer 7

No-man’s land was in between the two trenches, not owned by either side. It was full of deep mud and shell craters and large numbers of infantry were killed there.

Question 8

What defences was there in front of the trenches?

Answer 8

In front of the trenches, Barbed wire was placed to slow down the enemy and make it easier to shoot them.

Question 9

How were the front line of trenches laid out?

Answer 9

The front line of trenches were zig-zagged meaning the enemy could only shoot a certain distance before they had to go round a corner, which would slow them down. It also stopped the defence from being hit by grenades.

Question 10

What were the trenches further back called?

Answer 10

The trenches further back called Reserve trenches, which were safer than the front line.

Question 11

Sandbags?

Answer 11

Bags filled with Sand used to structure the trenches and they also absorbed bullets.

Question 12

Duckboard?

Answer 12

Duckboards were planks of wood placed on the trench floor like a ladder to keep the soldiers feet out of the rainwater and so they did not get trench foot.

Question 13

Parapet?

Answer 13

The parapet formed the side of the trench directly facing the enemy line to protect the heads and shoulders of men manning the fire-step. The parapet was lined with sandbags.

Question 14

When did WW1 begin and end?

Answer 14

1914 - 1918.

Question 15

Where did most of the fighting take place?

Answer 15

France and Belgium.

Question 16

Firestep?

Answer 16

This was a large piece of rock used to help the soldiers get to the parapet as it was built so high up.

Question 17

Elbow rest?

Answer 17

The elbow rest was a piece of flattened mud next to the parapet to make soldiers comfortable while watching the enemy.

Question 18

Dug-out?

Answer 18

The dug-out was an area on the side of the trench where soldiers would go to rest and sleep out of the way of the other men.

Question 19

What were the main weapons used in WW1?

Answer 19

The main weapons used in WW1 were: Rifles, Machine Gun, Flame-thrower, Poison Gas, Artillery, Tanks, Airships and Aircrafts.

Question 20

What were the aims of the war at sea?

Answer 20

The aims of the war at sea were to blockade each other.

Question 21

What is a Blockade?

Answer 21

Blockades were used to starve each other out of the war and prevent the other side from waging war by cutting off supplies.

Question 22

The Battle of Jutland?

Answer 22

The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle fought by the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, against the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer. The battle was fought from 31 May to 1 June 1916 in the North Sea, near the coast of Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula.

Question 23

What did the Allies use to attempt to defeat the U-boat threat?

Answer 23

The Allies used Horned Mine, Depth Charge and Hydrophone.

Question 24

What was a Horned Mine?

Answer 24

A Horned Mine was a round metal container full of explosives. They had spikes sticking out of them called horns. If a U-boat touched a horn the whole thing would blow up.

Question 25

What was a Depth Charge?

Answer 25

A Depth Charge was an explosive device that could be dropped in the sea above a U-boat and set off at a certain depth.

Question 26

What was a Hydrophone?

Answer 26

A Hydrophone was a listening device that was fitted to the bottom of our ships so that operators could here a nearby Submarine engine.

Question 27

WW1 in the air?

Answer 27

Planes were used for Reconnaissance and fighting.

Question 28

Reconnaissance?

Answer 28

Reconnaissance means the pilots watched out for signs of enemy troop movement and took photographs.

Question 29

Air fighting?

Answer 29

Air fighting was also know as dog-fighting.

Question 30

Why was air fighting difficult?

Answer 30

Air fighting difficult because at first there was a risk of shooting the propeller blades to bits. It was also hard to fire a machine gun and fly a plane at the same time.

Question 31

Who solved the problem of firing at the propeller?

Answer 31

Anthony Fokker solved the problem by synchronising the machine gun with the propeller blades.

Question 32

Why was recruitment needed?

Answer 32

Britain’s army was not big enough for the needs of WW1, so it was important to recruit more soldiers.

Question 33

Volunteers and Conscription?

Answer 33

The difference between Volunteers and Conscription is that volunteers wanted to join up and when people were told to join up by the government it was called conscription.

Question 34

Why did so many men join up?

Answer 34

Men wanted to join up so they could fight with their pals, and fight for King and Country.

Question 35

Why was Rationing necessary?

Answer 35

Rationing was needed because Food was in short supply. A lot of our food came from the Empire and it was difficult to import during the war.

Question 36

How did Rationing work?

Answer 36

People received Ration Books for foods like sugar and meat. The shopkeeper stamped these each week to show that their week’s supply had beeb bought.

Question 37

What campaign did the Government start to help people with food?

Answer 37

Dig for Victory. It was about getting people to grow their own food because our farms couldn’t cope with the demand and the Germans kept sinking our supply ships.

Question 38

What campaign did the Government start to help people with Clothes?

Answer 38

Make do and Mend. This was about looking after your clothes and fixing them when needed, as everything was in short supply.

Question 39

What was the role of women before WW1?

Answer 39

As well as looking after their family, most working-class women worked too, in factories or in service to middle or upper class families.

Question 40

What was the role of women during WW1?

Answer 40

Many women volunteered for Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) run partly by the Red Cross. Many women also joined the WRENS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) and the WAACs ( Women’s Armed Auxiliary Corp). They were not allowed to fight.