Ch 25
What was the immediate cause of British entry into the First World War?
German invasion of neutral Belgium
What part of Otto von Bismarck's alliance system did William II abandon?
Germany's non-aggression pact with Russia.
What did the Schlieffen Plan call for in 1914?
A lighting attack through neutral Belgium and a quick defeat of France before turning on Russia.
Who was Alexander Kerensky?
An important liberal political leader of the Provisional Government in Russia.
What was the February Revolution in Russia in 1917?
An unplanned uprising of hungry and angry people in the capital.
What nations joined the war on the side of the Central Powers?
Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
What did the "war guilt clause" in the Treaty of Versailles declare?
Germany (with Austria) was solely responsible for the war and had to pay reparations.
What was French premier Georges Clemenceau's opinion at the Paris Peace Conference?
He wanted to create a buffer state between Germany and France.
What was the result of Allied support of the White armies in the Russian civil war?
It helped the Bolsheviks, who could appeal to patriotic nationalism against the Allies.
Why did Austria-Hungary deliberately choose war in July 1914?
It hoped to stem the tide of hostile nationalism within its borders.
Why did Italy, after declaring neutrality in 1914, decide to join the Triple Entente in 1915?
It was promised Austrian territory in return.
What did the Petrograd Soviet Army Order No.1 state?
Military officers were stripped of their authority and power was placed in the hands of elected committees of soldiers.
Who assassinated Grigori Rasputin in 1916?
Nationalist aristocrats
What was the principle of national self-determination promoted by Woodrow Wilson?
People should be able to choose a national government through a democratic process and live free from outside interference.
What did Germany's Auxiliary Service Law require?
That all men between seventeen and sixty work at jobs considered critical to the war effort.
How did Lenin and the Bolsheviks' view of the Marxist party in Russia from the Mensheviks' view of the party?
The Bolsheviks wanted a small, disciplined party, while the Mensheviks wanted a democratic party with mass membership.
Why were the Balkans considered the "powder keg of Europe"?
The Ottoman Empire had been forced to give up its territory in the region, leading to growing ethnic nationalism.
What was the fatal turning point in the Russian prosecution of the war?
The tsar's decision to assume command of Russia's armies, leaving the government in the hands of the strong-willed, autocratic tsarina.
Throughout the First World War, what mistake did military commanders repeatedly make?
They attempted to mount massive offensives designed to break through entrenched lines.
What was the common effect of western-front offensives during the First World War?
They caused the slaughter of massed infantry units.
What was the primary political weakness of the White forces as they fought against the Bolsheviks?
They had a poorly defined political program that failed to unite the enemies of the Bolsheviks.
Why did the Germans accept the Treaty of Versailles?
They had little alternative, especially as the naval blockade was still in place and the German people were starving.
How did the Western powers react to the declarations of independence by Syria and Iraq shortly following the First World War?
They invaded the two regions and defeated the independence movements.
Bismarck's alliance system was designed to isolate France and to
maintain peace between Russia and Austria-Hungary.
Following the First World War, what was one of the most difficult domestic problems faced by governments.
providing care for the large number of injured veterans.