WW1 Flashcards
Which countries were in The Triple Alliance?
Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary
Which countries were in The Triple Entente?
Britain, France and Russia
Why did World War One start?
1) Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Siberian so Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia
2) Russia backed up Siberia and Germany backed up Austria-Hungary
3) Germany declared war on Russia and France (Russia and France were allies
Why was Germany foolish to declare war?
Half of its army had to attack Russia and the other had to defend Germany from France
What was the Schlieffen plan?
Germany was going to invade Belgium on the way to France
Why did Britain declare war on Germany?
Because Germany invaded Belgium and Britain had signed a treaty to protect Belgium
Why was the Battle of Marne significant?
Because of Germany’s use of the trenches
Why were the trenches a risk?
1) People often got stuck in the barbed wire
2) No-Man’s-Land often got churned up so soldiers drowned in the water
3) Soldiers who were unarmed whilst using the toilet were often shot
How many bullets per minute could machine guns fire?
500
What did snipers do?
At night, they would crawl and hide in No-Man’s-Land and shoot careless enemy soldiers (particularly those smoking)
What were Trench Mortars?
Short-range weapons which would lob explosive shells into enemy trenches.
What was the firestep?
A raised platform at the front of the trench used by soldiers on watch or to get out of the trench
What were periscopes used for?
To avoid exposing soldiers to enemy fire
What were duckboards used for?
To help drain the trench of water and mud
What were sandbags used for?
To support the walls of the trench which often caved in
