World War I Flashcards
when was world war 1
July 28, 1914 - November 11, 1918
what is total war?
military conflict where nations dedicate entire resources and energy to the war effort.
who became unified nations in the 19th century?
Italy (in 1861) and Germany (in 1871)
who were the great European powers in 1910?
Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire
what was the policy that Britain preferred to maintain and what did this lead to?
they preferred ‘splendid isolation’, meaning they remained away from European affairs yet maintained power and continental peace - this consequently left them without European allies
why was Britain’s ‘splendid isolation’ abandoned?
pressure to maintain balance of power due to German naval expansion.
what is nationalism?
a feeling of pride and loyalty towards one’s nation
what is imperialism?
extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force
what is militarism?
the belief that a country should use military force, to gain power and defend/promote national interests.
what and when was ‘the arms race’?
the build-up of military technology & personnel in Europe, between 1871-1914
what did the arms race strengthen, and what type of environment did this create?
strengthened alliances and the formation of defensive war plans, creating a militaristic environment
what was the size of armies and navies seen as a reflection/indication of?
a reflection of national pride, and an indication of power & domination
what were the German aims pre-World War 1?
peace to consolidate new power; French isolation
what was Bismarck’s policy and did this work?
maintain a 3:2 balance of power in Germany’s favour to isolate France - backfired; the creation of the Triple Entente meant Germany was essentially surrounded
who was Bismarck and what did he do?
he was a Prussian politician who united Germany
who was a part of the Triple Alliance, and when was this alliance formed?
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy joined together to form the Triple Alliance in 1882
when was the Triple Entente formed, and between whom?
(what differences were resolved)
1907, Britain, Russia, France – Britain & Russia resolved differences due to fear of German attack
what were Britain’s aims pre-WW1?
peace in the continents
what were the French aims pre-WW1?
regain Alsace Lorrain (lost to Germany in 1871), and gain allies against Germans
what were the Russian aims pre-WW1?
enlarge Balkan interests and stop Austria-Hungary from gaining influence
what were the underlying purposes of these alliances?
originally defensive, but then offensive
what fears did the formation of these alliances bring?
brought the danger that a minor clash could result in a war between the major powers
who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne
when was Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife assassinated, and where?
Sarajevo, Bosnia on 28 June 1914
who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and what group was he a member of?
Gavrilo Princip, member of the anti-Austria-Hungary organisation, the Black Hand
what did the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand allow Austria to surpress and then declare based on guaranteed support?
suppress Serbian nationalism → Austria assured of German support and declared war on Serbia.
however, as an ally of Serbia, what did Russia do, what was the German reaction to this, and what did this result in?
Russia mobilised her forces in support of Serbia. Germany demanded that Russia demobilise. this was refused and Germany declared war on Russia.
when did Germany declare war on France?
(date, month, year)
3 August 1914
when and why did Britain declare war on Germany?
August 4, 1914, due to its alliances with Russia and France
how does this relate to World War I becoming the first global war?
the alliance system and imperialism came into play.
where and when did the Battle of Beersheba occur, and between who?
Negev Desert, Egypt (Middle Eastern Battle), October 1917, between British Empire and Egyptian Expeditionary Force versus the Ottomans
what were the conditions in the Battle of Beersheba?
(environment/climate, supplies, ground contitions for battle, etc.)
harsh desert environment led to intensely hot a dusty combat conditions → in favour of AUS. limited supplies for the Ottomans. stable ground for British cavalry → morale boost.
what were the allied aims during the Battle of Beersheba?
capture Beersheba, secure water source, and disrupt Ottoman defence
what was the outcome of the Battle of Beersheba?
British victory which saw the end of Ottoman control in Palestine
where and when did the Battle of Tannenberg occur, and between whom?
Tannenberg, east Prussia (Eastern Front), August 1914, Russia v Germany
what were the conditions of the Battle of Tannenberg?
difficult terrain, which hampered the Russian mobility, who already had logistical & leadership challenges, and lacked proper equipment. this lead to lots of Russian POWs as the Germans has superior strategy.
what were the Russian aims during the Battle of Tannenberg
capitalise on early mobilisation and invade east Prussia
what was the outcome of the Battle of Tannenberg and why?
(and what did this lead to relating to the Russians)
ended in a German victory over the Russians, leading to the destruction of the Russian 2nd Army, as Russian soldiers seperated and Germans intercepted communications
where and when did the Battle of Passchendaele occur, and between whom?
Passchendaele, northwestern Belgium (Western Front), from July - November 1917. Belgium, France, and Britain vs. Germany
what was the German strategy and what were their aims during the Battle of Passchendaele?
Germans wanted to place pressure on France, and aimed to defend and avoid land/territory loss
what happened during the Battle of Passchendaele?
allied forces break through German lines and capture Passchendaele and Ypres
what were the conditions during the Battle of Passchendaele?
rain for three weeks + shellfire led to heavy mud & flooding. LOTS of death = loss of morale. lots of DISEASE (e.g. trench foot)
what was the outcome of the Battle of Passchendaele?
British technical win but it was practically pointless
where and when did the Battle of The Somme occur, and between whom?
Northern France (Western Front), July - November 1916. British and French Republic vs. Germany
what were the allied aims during the Battle of The Somme?
divert Germans from Verdun to The Somme, and break through German defensive lines
what happened during the Battle of The Somme?
lots of death, which lead to a loss of morale
what key weapon was introduced in the Battle of The Somme?
tanks
what were the conditions in the Battle of The Somme?
summer (July) = rain + heat + humidity; autumn (Aug. to Nov.) = more rain + cold; lack of sleep due to constant bombardment
what was the outcome of the Battle of The Somme?
costly victory for the allies
between whom, and when and where did the Battle of Verdun occur, and what is it often labelled as?
1916, North-East of France, France vs. Germany → often referred to as the longest & bloodiest battle
what was the German aim for the Battle of Verdun, and what was the French trying to defend?
Germany attempted to deplete sources, and the French were defending nationalism
what were the conditions during the Battle of Verdun?
relentless artillery bombardment; reaked of death (lots of casualties); cold winter + rain = LOTS of heavy mud
who was victorious in the Battle of Verdun and why?
the French won as the Germans abandoned the battlefront.
by November 1918, how many women were employed in munitions works, and how many died and from what?
947000 women employed, 300+ died due to TNT poisoning & explosions.
how many women served in Queen Mary’s Auxiliary Army Corps?
40805
how many women were employed in the British Expeditionary Force (as of August 1918)?
17000
what did these women serve as?
nurses, cooks, mechanics, etc.
what did female full-time employment raise from?
5,966,000 in 1914 to 7,311,000 by 1918
was this employment of women new? what is doubtful about the rise in employment rates? why?
employment of women was not new, and it is doubtful whether truly ‘new’ workers were brought into the labour force, as many workers would have entered regardless of the war, returned to work, or were existing working by moved for higher wages
finish the sentence. many employed women were t__________ & would be t_______________ once the war ended.
temporary, terminated
what fraction of employed women left by 1920?
2/3
what did the average wage rate increase by, but what was not established yet?
rose from 13.5 shillings, to 35 shillings per week (159% increase). HOWEVER, equal pay for equal work was not established yet.
what act extended its franchise to women 30+?
The Representation of the People Act (1918)
what did the Sex Discrimination Act of December 1918 open?
jury services, the magistracy, and the legal profession to women
when was nursing granted a full professional status?
1919
what did the National Insurance Acts of 1918, 1920, & 1921 do (regarding wage earners benefits)?
made female wage earners eligible for national insurance benefits
with the rising rates of widows, what did this see?
saw major personal losses & continuing economic hardship
what type of society was/is England?
classist society, not a democracy
what was the average number of casualties per day?
1500 per day
