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WWI Flashcards

1
Q

German Empire proclaimed

A

1871 - German Empire absorbed Prussia. The newly formed “Kaiser Reich” was Prussia on steroids. Instantly the most powerful land power in Europe.

  • began to demand some priviledges of being a superpower.
  • were encircled (fretted about its strategic position in a war)
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2
Q

WWI began/ended

A

1914 (28 July ) - 1918 (November)

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3
Q

How many people mobilized during war?

A

70 million (60 million Europeans)

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4
Q

Who were the combatants?

A

Russia, France, UK (“The Allies”)
v.
Germany, Austria- Hungary (“Central Powers”)
(+ Ottoman Empire) Italy had a treaty with Germany (used German first aggression as a reason not to come to its aid).

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5
Q

Death Toll

A

9 million soldiers + 7 million civilians

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6
Q

War characterized by

A

Complex alliances (set-up by Otto von Bismarck)
Technical sophistication
Stalemate (trench warfare)

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7
Q

Gavrilo Princip

A

Yugoslavian who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne) in Sarajevo
(June 28, 1914)

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8
Q

Who started the war?

A
  1. Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia (with permission from Germany? Kaiser said do it quickly before Russia mobilizes to defend Serbia)
  2. Next day Russia mobilized
  3. Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia to demobilize
  4. Russia implored France to mobilize against Germany and it did (angry over loss of Alsace Lorain to Germany during Franco-Prussian War (1870) on August 1.
  5. Germany declared war on France on August 3, invaded Belgium to get to France.
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9
Q

Schlieffen Plan

A

Franco-Russian alliance and shared foreign policy interests.

Germany had to be prepared to fight a 2-front war for its defense. Schlieffen Plan relied on Russia’s mobilization time (950 hours) to arrive at Germany’s Eastern front.

Plan: Germany would rapidly mobilize and throw its military weight against France to neutralize its military potential. Then turn East to meet the Russian forces.

In 1914 …
Once Russians pull the mobilization switch, Germany had to pull the switch on the Schlieffen plan.

Border between France and Germany was heavily fortified forts with interlocking covering fire (will eventually become the Maginaux Line after the war).

Germany invaded neutral Belgium to get to France. August 1. It assumed the Belgians would not put up a fight. Germany assured them they would not occupy Belgium but warned them not to destroy bridges, railroads, or otherwise impede its military advance. (Belgium did all of the above).

UK had alliance to protect the neutrality of Belgium and entered the war in response to Germany’s invasion on August 4. Just 2 days before it entered the war, the British were leaning toward neutrality. The German violation of Belgium (and some attrocities) turned public opinion in UK and throughout Europe on a dime. Destroys Germany’s reputation.

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10
Q

Battle of the Marne

A

Stopped the German march on Paris and created the Western Front (stalemate that led to trench line that stayed in place through 1917)

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11
Q

Ottoman Empire

A

Joined to support Germany and Austria-Hungary in November 1914.

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12
Q

Russian government collapse

A

March 1917 (“surrendered” with terms with the Central Powers)

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13
Q

Spring of 1918

A

Stunning German offensive along Western Front. Allies rallied and drove the Germans back with a series of offensives.

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14
Q

Armistices (1918)

A

4th of November 1918 - Austria-Hungary armistice

11th of November - German armistice

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15
Q

Kaiser

A

means “Ceasar”. Kaiser Wilhelm fired Bizmark (wanted to be his own man).

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16
Q

Kaiser

A

literally means “Caeser” (“German Emperor”) Kaiser Wilhelm fired Bismarck (wanted to be his own man) but was much less of a leader.

17
Q

Otto Von Bismarck

A

Germany should always maintain a position of being in an alliance of at least 3 of 5 superpowers and should include Russia.

Fired by Kaiser Wilhelm. Kaiser then pushed Russia out of its alliance.

18
Q

Doomsday Device

A

Russian mobilization would trigger German mobilization would trigger France and eventually UK … a general European war.

19
Q

Napoleon

French Revolution (leftist Republic overthrew a monarchy) - alarmed and destabilized monarchies all over Europe and attacked France).

Creation of “nation in arms”

A

1789 - 1815 awful destruction in Europe.
War no longer limited (warfare among gentlemen).

Warfare became all-out (entire society and economy drafted to participate and win the war). Enlist population, mfr munitions, feed troops, etc. Enabled Napoleon to expend lives as had never been seen before (sustained losses of 30,000 men a month!)

Nations could “take a punch”. Staying power.

20
Q

Technology

mobilization: “get there first with the most”

A 
machine guns
helmets 
gas
tanks
barbed wire
mortars (large caliber)
21
Q

Germany Rising (getting stronger)

Russia Rising (getting stronger)

A

If war was coming …
Germany preferred to fight Russia sooner rather than later.
France preferred to fight Germany sooner rather than later.

22
Q

Battles

A

Marne (1914) - Joseph Joffre (France) turned tide for allies.

Somme (British and French fighting Germany) at the River Somme - 1 July to 18 November 1916 ( 1 M killed)

Verdun - French defense of Verdun “They shall not pass.” (21 Feb - 18 December 1916)
(approx 1 M killed)

Battle of Jerusalem (1917) - British artillery on Mt. Scopus

23
Q

1917

A

US President Wilson breaks relations with GEermany.
Battle of Verdun
Battle of Jerusalem

24
Q

1919 (June 28)

A

Versailles Peace Treaty - signed in Hall of Mirrors

25
Q

New countries formed post WWI

A 
Finland - Russia
Estonia 
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland - Russia and Austria-Hungary

Czechoslovakia - Austria-Hungary
Hungary 
Romania 
Austria 
Yugoslavia
26
Q

1918 (Spanish Flu)

A

Spanish Flu (H1N1) pandemic
Infected - 500 million worldwide
killed - 50 - 100 million (3-5% of world population)
USA - Flu originated in Kansas (military base). killed 675,000 Americans.

27
Q

Joseph Joffre

A

French Marshall - Commander in Chief of French forces

Regrouped retreating allied armies to defeat Germans at Marne.

28
Q

Franz Joseph

A

Supreme Commander of Austria-Hungarian military

29
Q

Helmut Von Moltke

A

De factor field commander of Germany

Kaiser Wilhelm technically leader). Downsized the Schlieffen Plan (doomed it?

30
Q

Nicholas Nikolaevich

A

Led for first year. When Czar Nicholas II was overthrown, Vladimir Lenin took over.

31
Q

Mustafa Kamel Ataturk

A

Ottoman Empire General

32
Q

Erich Ludendorff

A

Hindenburg’s second in command

33
Q

Paul Von Hindenberg

A

Commander of German forces (Prussian)

34
Q

Gen John Pershing

A

best known US commander during WWI

Warfare (2 decks)

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