WWI Test Flashcards
“the war to end all wars”
WWI or The Great War
causes of the war
MAIN
1) Militerism (glorification of war): created an “arms race” or a build-up of forces and weapons
2) Alliance System (military allies): created a world conflict out of a minor incident. Its purpose was to create a “balance of power” and to prevent war, but it failed!
3) Imperialism (colonial conquest): created rivalries between empires for power
4) Nationalism (deep devotion to one’s country): created a desire for self-rule
- a system created by Otto Von Bismark (German Prime Minister) to prevent war.
Alliance System
Triple Alliance was with what countries
1) Germany
2) Austria-Hungary
3) Italy
Triple Entante
1) Great Britain
2) France
3) Russia
what was Europe like before the war?
there were six major empires: British, German, French, Austria-Hungary, Russian, and Ottoman.
- most of the rulers were relatives!
the “powder keg” of Europe
Balkan Peninsula
- the Slavics wanted independence from the Ottoman Turks
- Austria-Hungary drove out the Turks and promised the Slavics their freedom but they did not deliver
a nationalist movement created to bring independence to the Slavic people
- created a Slavic state called Yugoslavia
Pan-Slavism
what was the incident that caused WWI
The Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, Sophie were assassinated on a “goodwill” tour.
- they were killed by a Serbian terrorist group called the “Black Hand”
- Austria-Hungary gives Serbia an ultimatum (do this or war), and Serbia refuses. But they have a powerful ally, Russia
- alliance system kicks in and a small incident becomes WWI
countries begin preparing for war
mobilization
info used to influence public opinion
- for the recruitment of men
- and to promote patriotism at home
- to make the enemy look evil
propaganda
The Belligerents (warring sides)
1) Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Turks
2) Allied Forces: Russia, France, Great Britain, and later the USA
Germany’s plan to catch France off guard that led to the first battle of the war
- attempt to capture Paris
Schlieffen Plan (Alfred Von Schlieffen)
first battle of WWI
Battle of the Marne
two major fronts of the war
1) Western Front - extended from North Sea to Switzerland (500 miles) - between borders of France and Germany
2) Eastern Front - extended from Baltic Sea to the Black Sea (1000 miles) - between the borders of Russia and Germany/Austria-Hungary
trench warfare
- hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies
trench warfare
- hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies
trench warfare
- hundreds of miles of parallel trenches between the opposing armies
- “No Man’s Land” - area between the trenches known as the terrain of death
trench warfare
- hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies
two battles that show the horrors of trench warfare
1) Battle of the Somme (1.2 million killed for 7 miles of turf)
2) Battle of Verdun (largest battle of WWI over 1.25 million casualties )
why was WWI known as the “War of Attrition”
the goal was the wear the other side out
why were there so many casualties?
the Industrial Revolution created many modern, deadly weapons
- machine gun: most deadly
- artillery: launches exploding shells over 10 miles
- poison gas: “mustard gas”
- tanks: crosses trenches and breakdown barbed wire
- flame throwers: designed to get men out of trenches
- zeppelins (blimps): used for reconnaissance
- airplanes
- submarines - “U-Boats” mainly used by Germans to sink supply ships
airplanes - use during the war and famous pilots
known as “knights of the sky”
- “Flying Ace” (5 or more kills) - greatest of the aces was Manfred Von Richthofen (The “Red Baron”) - 80 kills
- top American ace - Eddie Rickenbacker (26 kills)
- very dangerous job (“suicide club”). life expectancy of 14 days, 75% death rate
- poster boys of the war!
soldiers nicknames
Germans = Huns
British = Tommies
French = Frogs
Americans = Doughboys
