WWI Terms Flashcards
Triple Alliance / Central Powers
Alliance between Germany + Austria-Hungary + Italy + Ottoman (later); Italian motivation: Fear of France; Enemy of Allies; Italy later joined Allies
Triple Entente / Allied Powers
Alliance between Russia + Britain + France; Began with discussions + agreements to resolve colonial disputes → Signed military pact; US joined later
Causes of War
Nationalist aspiration + International rivalries + Alliance system + Mobilization plans; Intense nationalism (national ambitions + ethnic resentment) + Economic interests + Colonial rivalries + Power balance + Foreign policies + Alignment
Causes of War in France
Napoleonic wars spread nationalism → Idea of self-determination; Opposed by multinational empires: + Ottoman + Hapsburg + Russia
Causes of War in East Asia + Pacific
Expansions; European government brought conflict to their colonies (specifically Africa); High European casualties → Recruited men from colonies; Millions of Africans + Asians
Japan + US + Ottomans saw opportunities from war
Schlieffen Plan
Germany’s military plan: Attack France from the rear → Defend against Russia; Cause: Fear of entrapment by France + Russia; Goal = Win a war on 2 fronts / both borders; West: France + East: Russia; Strategy: If Russia start to mobilized army → Schlieffen plan is in motion; Defeat France quickly before Russia can mobilize; Russia take long time to mobilize army → Allow German military to concentrate on defeating France; Problems: Large transportation of troops + supplies into France + Belgium; Can’t keep peace; Declaration of war → WWI
Rape of Belgium
Atrocities made by the Germans toward Belgian civilians; Germany had 3 armies marching through Belgium + killed thousands of Belgians + Burned cities; British used this as propaganda to encourage public to think of Germans as “inexcusable evil”
1st Battle of Marne
Battle at Marne river between French + British vs Germans; Allied forces halted the German advance into Paris, preventing Schlieffen Plan of quick victory; Mark beginning of trench warfare; Tried to outflank each other → Movements that led them to North Sea = “Race to the sea”; Western front to sea (wars of attrition)
Race to the Sea
A series of battles where Allies + Germans tried to outflank each other in northern France + Belgium; Ended with both sides reaching the North Sea; Led to establishment of trench warfare on the Western Front
Battle of Verdun
Battle at French fortress between French vs Germans; Heavy casualties on both sides; Longest battle in history;
French rallying cry: “They shall not pass”; France won
Battle of Somme
Battle at Somme River between British + French vs Germans; British counterattack + attempt to relieve pressure at Verdun; Known for high casualties + first use of tanks + limited territorial gains (gained only a few yards despite massive casualties); British concerned about French’s fighting ability + French concerned about British commitment; Started with creeping barrage; Trench warfare; Goal = Divert German troops from Verdun; Stalemate
Western Front
Location where the First Battle of Marne + Battle of Verdun + Battle of Somme took place; War of Attrition; Germany’s battlefront against Franco-British; Battle line stayed stationary for 3 years; Trench warfare (both sides dug trenches)
Battle of Gallipoli
Battle at Gallipoli Peninsula between Ottomans vs. Allies; Allies wanted to capture Dardanelles straits + Constantinople to remove Ottoman Turkey from war + open a supply route to Russia; British imported troops from Britain + their colonies (Canada; NZ; Australia) to Gallipoli Peninsula; Turkish defenders on cliffs pinned Allies on beaches (stuck between ocean + hills) → Trench warfare; Ottoman victory
Total War
A war that involves mobilization of all resources of a society, including civilians; Whole societies fight in the war; Victory = Only acceptable outcome due to mass casualties; Created military + home fronts
Propaganda
Government efforts to influence public opinions though biased / misleading information; Sponsored media created to make citizens support war; Goals: Maintain spirit of home front + prevent threats to national unity; People who criticize war = traitors; Convince public military defeat = Destruction of everything; Dehumanized enemies (depicted as savages); Propaganda officers’ lies → Public skepticism + cynicism
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Peace treaty between Bolshevik Russia under Lenin + Central Powers to end Russia’s participation in WWI; After Lenin took power; Force Russia to give up 1/3 of their land to Germany + population; Russia must stay out of affairs in Germany + acknowledge Ukrainian government as its own country
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
A German naval strategy where German submarines (U-boats) sank ships without warning, including civilian vessels; Reason / cause for the sinking of Lusitania → American entry into war;
Blockade of supplies to Britain → Starve them until defeat; Aimed to cripple Allied supply lines + force Britain out of the war; One of the reasons US joined WWI
Lusitania
British passenger ship sunk by German submarines; Killed American passengers → US + German tension;
Brought civilians into military conflict; Germans took pride in the sinking (nationalism); Enraged American public → Declare war on Germany; One of the reasons US joined WWI
Zimmerman Telegram
Secret diplomatic proposal from Germany asking Mexico to join Central Powers if US joined Allies; Promised Mexico territories; Rejected by Mexico; Enraged American public → Fight against Germany
Weimar Republic
German democratic party took control of government that faced political and economic instability after WWI + replaced Kaiser; Later replaced with Nazi party; Sign armistice because of Wilson’s 14 points; Faced opposition from both communists + nationalists; Forced to accept Treaty of Versailles; Ended when Hitler established dictatorship
Treaty of Versailles
Peace treaty that imposed harsh reparations + territorial losses on Germany (between Germany + Allies) that ended WWI; Germany doesn’t have a say about what’s in the treaty → Allies forced Germany to sign a guilt document that stated they started the war; Germany had pay the entire cost of the war; Failed to satisfy the need of citizens + nationalist issues; Didn’t follow Wilson’s 14 points; Demilitarization (Germany can only have small military) + no alliances; CP must pay war reparations; Territorial losses; Outcome of Paris Peace Conference; Lead to WWII (German justification of starting WWII)
Clemenceau
Leader of France at Paris Peace Conference during Treaty of Versailles negotiations
Lloyd George
Leader of Britain at Paris Peace Conference during Treaty of Versailles negotiations
Woodrow Wilson
US president during WWI; Proposed 14 points for peace; Created the League of Nations to prevent future conflicts; Focused on neutrality at the start of WWI but eventually led the US into war;
Advocated for a more idealistic foreign policy + emphasized democracy + self-determination
WW’s 14 Points
A 14 point proposal to congress by Wilson for peace after WWI; Advocated for open diplomacy + removal of economic barriers + free / equal trade between all nations + sea travel + self-determination + creation of League of Nations; Removal of barriers; Hope to settle colonial claims; Points all address problems + causes due to WWI; idealism / moral; Central Powers supported open agreements of peace (easier punishment for CP); Warfare based on morality rather than land conquers → Wants a league of nations where countries can discuss their problems without resorting to war; Allies opposed many points + thought it was Idealism + Skepticism; Distribution of territories+possessions of Central Powers
National Self-determination
Idea that people with same ethnic origins + language + political ideals had the right to form sovereign states / create their own states; Opposed by multinational empires (Ottoman + Hapsburg + Russia); Supported by
Wilson’s 14 points
Reparations
Financial payments Germany was forced to pay after WWI to compensate for war damages → Resentment among Germans
War Guilt Clause
Article that placed full responsibility of WWI on Germany → Resentment + instability in post-war Germany; Justify reparations on Germany
Erich Maria Remarque
German novelist + Author of All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front
Novel about WWI’s brutality; Shows horrors of WWI from a German soldier’s perspective (trench warfare + battles of attrition) → Anti-war message
Wilfred Owen
English poet + soldier + Author of Dulce et Decorum Est
Dulce et Decorum Est
Anti-war poem criticizing the glorification of war; Shows grim reality of war (gas! gas!! gas!!)
War of Attrition
War fought over a long period and only ends when one side has neither the soldiers and equipment nor the determination left to continue fighting; Try to break enemy defense → high casualties
2nd Battle of Marne
Last major German offensive of WWI; Aimed to break through Allied lines in France; Allies (France + Britain + US + Italy) successfully counterattacked with fresh American troops + forced German retreat; Marked turning point in WWI; Led to continuous Allied advances + Germany’s eventual defeat
