WW1 Flashcards
What were the main causes of World War I?
Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism.
How did militarism contribute to World War I?
It led to an arms race and heightened tensions as nations competed to build military power.
What role did alliances play in escalating conflicts into World War I?
Defensive alliances created a complex web of commitments, pulling multiple nations into conflict.
Define imperialism in the context of World War I.
The competition for colonies and resources that led to territorial disputes among European powers.
What is nationalism in the context of World War One?
Nationalism is an idea or movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people) and involved strong patriotic feelings, especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation’s sovereignty over its homeland.
What economic impacts did WWI have on nations?
Inflation, unemployment (returning soldiers), and significant debt burdens, leading to post-war economic struggles.
What marked the end of World War I in 1918?
The collapse of empires, redrawing of national borders, and the creation of the League of Nations.
Describe the July Crisis.
A diplomatic crisis in July 1914 triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, escalating tensions among European powers through a series of ultimatums and declarations of war.
4 main political changes after WW1
- Russian Revolution resulted in the formation of the Soviet Union
- Imperial powers weakened, paving the way for decolonization movements
- Treaty of Versailles redefined borders
- New independent nations rose
Examples of new independent nations after WW1
Austria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Turkey
What is propaganda used for?
It was used by governments to shape public opinion and influence their beliefs, emotions and actions with the aim to boost morale among civilians and soldiers and mobilise support for the war effort, typically also exaggerated or distorted to portray the enemy negatively.
What were the social changes due to WWI?
Women entering the workforce, more movements for social reform and workers’ rights, the idea of martial masculinity and technological advancements
What were the major technological advancements in WWI?
Introduction of poison gas, tanks, airplanes, and machine guns, which transformed warfare.
Explain trench warfare in WWI.
Troops dug trenches for defense, leading to prolonged, static battles with unsanitary conditions and high casualties where soldiers experienced constant shelling, sniper fire and occasional gas attacks.
What was U-boat warfare?
German submarines targeted enemy ships and merchant ships to disrupt supply lines to disrupt naval operations and cut off the Allies’ supply lines, creating shortages of essential goods.
What led to the U.S. entering WWI?
German unrestricted submarine warfare leading to the sinking of Lusitania in 1915 and the Zimmermann Telegram threatened American interests.
What was the original political notion of the USA?
The USA had an isolationist foreign policy and pursued neutrality and peace.
What happened after the US joined the Allies?
Boosted their resources and manpower like tanks that made trenches useless and a large army, tipping the balance in their favor.
Who were the main members of the Allied Powers in WWI?
France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy (joined in 1915), and later the United States (joined in 1917)
What motivated Italy to join the Allied Powers?
Italy left the Central Powers in 1915 due to promises of territorial gains in Austria and the Ottoman Empire.
What was the trigger event of WW1?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Why was the assassination carried out?
The assassination was carried out because Franz suggested once he becomes king, Bosnia would gain a bit of independence by having its own parliment etc., so the Black Hands were afraid that that would make less people want Bosnia to gain full independence.
When and where did the assassination take place and by who?
June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip
What did Churchill intend to achieve when he was in favour of attacking Gallipoli?
to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war; and secure a sea route to Russia so they could send help through the Dardanelles and allieviate the pressure on the Russians by having an army based in Turkey so it could be used to attack the Austrians
3 reasons why the attack on Gallipoli failed
- poor British planning/ leadership
- strong Ottoman skills and tactics
- unfamiliar and disadvantageous nature and the environment of Gallipoli for the Allies
Expand on poor British planning and leadership
communication problems within the army and the central forces in the UK and the commander’s little prior knowledge of the other army and landscape of the battlefield
Expand on strong Ottoman skills and tactics
Germanisation of Turkish tactics and leading like attack formations, discipline and scientifically posted machine guns and trenches
Expand on unfamiliar and disadvantageous nature and environment for the Allies
landing place for Brits was a high, narrow beach backed by a very high intricate mass of hills only fifty yards beyond the beach, so the Turks could surround them easily; hot and full of flies
What happened to the colonies of Australia and New Zealand after the attack on Gallipoli?
soldiers fought and died bravely, demonstrating the values of determination, initiative, endurance and “mateship” (comradeship), and Gallipoli was the moment they showed enough courage to believe they deserved independence and to be free of the British
How did the attack on Gallipoli shape Turkey?
Revelation for the Turks (courage), and Mustafa Kemal, the commander at Canakkale aka Gallipoli, becomes a war hero, then the president of Turkey from 1923-38, was extremely influencial and shaped Turkey
Who fought in the attack of Gallipoli?
Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Turks
Where and when was the attack of Gallipoli?
Gallipoli Peninsula in present-day Turkey
April 1915 to January 1916.
Who was involved in the Battle of Somme?
British, French, Germans
When and where was the battle of somme held?
July to November in 1916
along the river Somme in northern France
Purpose of the Battle of Somme
to relieve pressure on French forces at Verdun by distracting the Germans
What was the initial plan by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig for the Battle of Somme?
- shelling/ bombs 2. foot soldiers to secure access 3. cavalry (to push through the enemy lines so they retreat)
Why did the initial plan for the Battle of Somme fail?
Out of the 1.5 million shells, 2/3 were shrapnel and 1/4 were duds, hardly doing any damage
What was the conclusion of the Battle of Somme?
It ended with massive casualties and minimal territorial gains
What was significant about the first day of the Battle of the Somme?
It became the bloodiest day in British military history, with over 57,000 casualties.
Who were the Central Powers in WWI?
An alliance consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
What was the alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary known as?
Dual Alliance
What led to the Central Powers’ defeat in WWI?
A combination of military exhaustion, economic strain, and the entry of fresh U.S. troops on the Allied side.
Who was David Lloyd George?
The realist British Prime Minister during WWI in the liberal party, with the campaign pledge of making Germany pay
What was Lloyd George’s approach to the Treaty of Versailles?
He sought justice rather than revenge, aiming to prevent future conflicts, speed up the economic recovery of Europe and prevent extremist movements (because of social unrest) through reasonable terms for Germany
Describe the Eastern Front in WWI.
Characterized by vast distances and harsh conditions, with significant troop movements and battles, unlike the static, fortified lines of
the Western Front.
What were the notable battles on the Eastern Front?
The Battle of Tannenberg (German victory) and the Battle of Brusilov (Russian victory), both Russia looses hundreds of thousands/ a million people
Was Russia successful or not in the war?
It loses a lot of men and its population is suffering badly with many problems and rising revolutions, so it ends up having to sign the harsh treaty of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
