ww1 Flashcards
What is militarism?
when countries race to build up their navies, armies, weapons and strategies to attack others or defend themselves
What is nationalism?
when one country thinks its better than others and feels very patriotic
What is imperialism?
when countries build up empires by conquering other countries
What are alliances?
the agreements countries make to be friends with and support one another
Who made up the triple entente?
1) Great Britain
2) France
3) Russia
Who made up the triple alliance?
1) Germany
2) Austria-Hungary
3) Italy
Why were countries angry with Austria-Hungary?
Austria-Hungary was very powerful and had colonised many balkan countries , who wanted their independence back
Who was the Black-hand gang?
A serbian terrorist organisation who wanted independence for the balkan countries and led the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand ( the heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne )
Explain the assassination of Archduke ferdinand and how it was the catalyst of WW1:
- Archduke ferdinand was the heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne and went on a tour of Bosnia
- he travelled through the streets in an open top car, vulnerable to attack
- the Black hand gang attempt to assassinate him by throwing bombs but they miss
- they finally shoot him on the third attempt and both he and his wife, are killed
- Because of this, the Austria-Hungarians are furious and desperate, so look to their ally, Germany, for help
- Once they’ve ensured Germany will help protect them, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
- Serbia’s ally, Russia, gets involved
- Britain and France get involved a few months later after Germany invades Belgium and commits horrific war crimes
What year did WW1 start?
1914
What year did WW1 end?
1918
What is no mans land?
The uncontrolled land between the two sides
What is trench warfare?
type of warfare involving trenches and more advanced weapons such as machine guns and rifles - focused on defense and strategy rather than offense
What is cavalry warfare?
type of warfare using horses
Why was trench warfare used by both sides?
Both sides realised that sending troops into the face of weapons like rifles, artillery and machine guns was useless and instead built trenches as forms of defense and focused on pushing forward to gain land
What are three negatives of trench warfare:
- Soldiers could get trenchfoot - due to the cold, the wet, muddy floor and the lack of hygiene supplies, soldiers would get infections on their feet that could cause numbness or rashes
- Poisonous gases such as chlorine gas were used - was mainly used by the Germans and could cause burning pains in the throat and chest
- there was very little food in the trenches and soldiers had to eat rations of tinned beef ( often got ill due to it being undercooked or contaminated )
What was the battle of the Somme?
A battle taking place in France, near the river Somme, organised by the British to push back on the Germans after they went months making barely any ground
Was the Battle of the Somme a failure or a success for the British?
A failure- it is known as the bloodiest day in the British military and more than 1 million soldiers from both sides were wounded, killed or captured ( 57000 British men were wounded or killed on just the 1st day )
Why was the Battle of the Somme a failure?
General Haig ( the man who organised the Battle of the Somme ) was receiving delayed information from the soldiers and was unaware of how badly it was going. When he finally realised what was happening, he still refused to back down and sent thousands more troops into battle unprepared
- On top of this, Germany anticipated the attack and was able to defend itself from British bombardment
What is the home front?
Term used to describe activities of people living at home during the war.
What is munition?
Weapons, bullets and bombs
Name 2 jobs that women did in WW1:
- farmers
- fire fighters
What are munitinettes?
Women who worked in factories developing munition
Why did women have to work during WW1?
A majority of men were expected to be away at war, leaving the jobs they usually did, unoccupied + there was a greater need for resources like medicine and weapons so women had to help fulfill that need
What countries aided Britain during WW1?
( Hint: countries that were part of the British empire at the time )
India - provided so much food for the British, they experienced an awful famine after WW1 ended + hundreds of thousands of Indian soldiers fought for Britain
Caribbean - provided many soldiers and resources
Africa - many Africans were forced to do labour jobs for the British, such as acting as porters
Canada - thousands of indigenous Canadians helped fight alongside Britain
Why were these countries forced to get involved?
Soldiers from England, France and Russia were dying rapidly and the armies were desperate + these countries thought they might finally gain their independence if they helped
What is propaganda?
Material that aims to push a particular political point of view or agenda.
What was the armistice?
An agreement signed by the Germans to stop fighting in WW1
Give 2 reasons Germany signed the armistice:
The Americans joined the war - Following unprovoked marine attacks from Germany, America finally got involved in 1917 and brought in new soldiers, resources and strategies. This was detrimental to the Germans, who were becoming fewer in number and were war-weary. In 1918, the US troops attacked the German troops in France, forcing a retreat along the Western front
Mutinies - once it became apparent their money and resources were being wasted on a fight they were clearly losing, the German public became angry and started rebelling against their leaders. There were many mutinees in the army as well, which led to more casualties and a distrust between soldiers and generals. Eventually, the Kaiser was forced to flee, leaving Germany vulnerable
What is the Western front?
A zone of fighting in Western Europe during WW1
When was the armistice signed?
11 November, 1918
What was the treaty of Versailles?
A peace settlement that forced the Germans to accept all responsibility for starting the war and pay reparations
When was the treaty of versailles signed?
1919
Give 2 consequences of the treaty of versailles:
Germany lost a lot of its power: not only did Germany lose many of its colonies, it also lost its navy and army. Conscription was banned, meaning the army could not regrow and Germany’s main factories were monitored by the triple entente
Germany’s economy and population suffered: As reparation for starting the war and for the damage done to many areas of Europe, Germany was forced to pay £6.6, causing a big famine to hit and a high increase in poverty rates. They further suffered when the great depression hit America, as the money they borrowed in order to pay the £6.6 billion had to be returned
Who mainly decided what consequences Germany should face?
The big 3/major powers - Britain, France and the USA
