WWI Flashcards
long term causes of WWI
- nationalism
- imperialism
- militarism
- alliances
what is nationalism
believing your country is superior and wanting to expand; think you deserve other things
long term causes of WWI: nationalism
- conflict between Russia & Germany (they connect) (fighting over land)
- same conflict between Austria-Hungary & Serbia
- Germany & France (Alsace-Lorraine(territory)) (fluctuates between control)
what is imperialism
military, economic, and political control/determination of a stronger country over a weaker one
long term causes of WWI: imperialism
expanding empires
what is militarism
strengthening your military beyond what is necessary for defense
what are the 3 different types of alliances
economic
friendship
military
WWI alliances
- Austra-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman Empire, Italy 🠚 eventually turns into a military alliance
- Germany and France don’t like each other
- France, Russia 🠚 military alliance
- Russia, Serbia 🠚 promising to help Serbia if they were ever attacked
- UK, Belgium
immediate causes of WWI
- assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- activating alliances
who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand
heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne
when and where was Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
- June 14, 1914, & wife Sophia
-Sarajeno, Bosnia & Herzegovina 🠚 was in Austria-Hungary
who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Gavrilo Princip (Serbia nationalist) (Black Hand) (started WWI)
activating alliances
- Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
- Russia declares war on Austria-Hungary
- Austraia-Hungary declares war on Russia
- France declares war on Austria- Hungary (Russia and France help each other)
- Germany declares war on France and Russia
what countries were part of the central powers side
Austria-Hungary and Germany
what countries were part of the allies side
France and Russia
Germany’s military strategy
- 2 front war
- western front (France and Germany)
- eastern front (Germany and Russia)
who does Germany attack first
France (bc they think France is a bigger threat and ready quicker)e
what was the Von Schlieffen Plan for
it is what to do if we ever go to war with France
Von Schlieffen Plan
- invade France through Belgium
1. possibly fewer soldiers
2. give Germany better direction to attack Paris - Belgium alliance with Great Britain activated (GB
Von Schlieffen Plan
- invade France through Belgium
1. possibly fewer soldiers
2. give Germany better direction to attack Paris - Belgium alliance with Great Britain activated
(GB 🠚 G)
Russia’s military strategy
- they’re ready
- invade Germany from Europe earlier than Germany expected
First Battle of the Marne
- September 1914
- France pushed Germany back
Trench Warfare
- Germany and France built trenches on the western front
- “no man’s land”
- so the French wouldn’t be able to push them out of the territory
what was British propaganda
- misleading information to try to get people to have a certain opinion about a political issue
- majority of America’s news source for WWI because they spoke English
-very exaggerated central power perspective
President Woodrow Wilson
- 1912
- one of the first presidents labeled as liberal
- so smart it was difficult to approach/relate to
- had lots of creative ideas
when does President Wilson issue a proclamation of neutrality and what did it say
- 1914
- be neutral “in words and actions”
- make it look like we’re not picking one side over another
what were the responses to neutrality
- Britain: would like help
- immigrants in the US: want US to pick a side
economic concerns during neutrality
that the war is going to affect our trade and economy
British blockade of the North Sea
made it difficult for Germany to get out by ship
German uboat
- first submarine
- were able to go underwater to get around naval blockade or shoot
- unrestricted submarine warfare
- anything that isn’t German or central powers, they are gonna shoot
Lusitania
- British passenger ship
- May 1915
- NY 🠚 Britain
- 1300 people
- sunk by uboat
- 1998 people died (128 Americans)
Wilson’s response to Lusitania sinking
US is going to hold Germany accountable for sinking unarmed ships
Arabic
- August 1915
- Germans sank British passenger ship
- 2 Americans killed
Wilson’s response to Arabic sinking
US is going to hold Germany accountable for sinking unarmed ships
Sussex
- March 1916
- French Merchant ship also sunk by German uboat
Wilson’s response to Sussex sinking
if Germany doesn’t stop unrestricted submarine warfare the US is going severe diplomatic relations (it would hurt their trade)
