WWI

Explain why World War I was truly a world war

World War I is considered a "world" war because it was made up of all the world's greatest nations and affected all those around them. It may have only started out with tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, but eventually other nations got involved and the damage it caused was massive. After Duke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated and Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, that was when nations first began to get involved, as they felt the need to take sides. The conflict eventually turned into Germany's fight with France and Russia and ended once the U.S. was being attacked and had to get involved.

Self-Determination

allowing people to decide for themselves under what government they wished to live Significance - guiding idea behind 14 points

Treaty of Versailles

one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. It was to punish Germany, to make Germany bear full responsibility of the war. Significance - The Treaty of Versailles was one of the results of WWI,

Serbia

the nation between Bulgaria and Bosnia/Herzegovina, taken over by Austria Significance -one of the causes for World War I

Lusitania

British passenger ship containing 128 US citizens Significance - Germans sunk this ship w submarines outraging Americans

Compare a map of Europe before WWI to a map of Europe after WWI and explain how the changes led to long-term bitterness/resentment

Europe before WWI consisted of the Great Powers, which was Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and France. However, after WWI, some of these countries broke up, including the Ottoman Empire. Due to the Western powers signing separate peace treaties with each of the defeated nations which were Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman empire, there were huge land losses for the Central Powers. The Austro-Hungarian Empire became Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. The Ottoman Turks lost nearly all of their former empire. All that is left is modern-day Turkey. The Allies got lands that are Palestine, Iraq, Transjordan ( went to Britain), Syria and Lebanon (went to France). Russia suffered land losses as well. Romania and Poland both gained Russian territory. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, formerly part of Russia, became independent nations.

Powder Keg

Literally a barrel full of gunpowder, but is extremely sensitive. Any spark could make it explode and cause a lot of damage. Significance -This was what Europe exactly was before WWI. Anything could make it explode in a full out war, and it did. The powder keg represented Europe.

1st and 2nd Battles of the Marne

The 1st Battle of Marne was a battle that determined whether the Schlieffen Plan would be a success. It was a battle between the Germans and French at the Western Front. However the 1st Battle was a failure, thus the Schlieffen Plan was also a failure. But the 2nd Battle of Marne gave Germany a bit more leeway. Since Russia withdrew from the war, that meant Germany could send nearly all of its force to the Western Front. But it was not too different from the 1st Battle of Marne. Since the German army was already weakened, the Allies rushed in with the aid of U.S. troops. Allies and Germans clashed at the Second Battle of Marne and soon enough, the Central Powers crumbled. As a result, Ottoman Turks and Bulgarians surrendered, revolution sweeping through Austria-Hungary and Kaiser Wilhelm II stepping down. As a result, the representative of the new German government met with French Commander Marshal Foch in a railway car near Paris. The two signed an armistice, or an agreement to stop fighting. On November 11, World War I came to an end. Significance - The 1st Battle of Marne was an important beginning battle in which the Germans lost, a very important battle that led to their eventual surrender in the 2nd Battle of Marnes. The 2nd Battle of Marnes lead tot he end of WWI.

Big Four

The Big Four were: Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Georges Clemenceau of France, David Lloyd George of Great Britain, and Vittorio Orlando of Italy. They were all attending the Paris Peace Conference. Russia, in the grip of civil war, was not represented. Neither were Germany and its allies. Significance - At the meeting, Germany and Russia was not included in the meeting with the Big Four but the Big Four came together to prevent a war like WWI. That was the whole point of the Paris Peace Conference.

Schlieffen Plan

a plan formed by General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen of Germany, to defeat France in the west and then rush east to fight Russia Significance - this seemed like a pretty solid plan, which relied on speed and efficiency, but it failed. This was because of the First Battle of the Marne, where the Allies attacked the Germans northeast of Paris, in the valley of the Marne River.

Militarism

a policy that glorified militant warfare and urged an army to be prepared for war at all times Significance - one of the causes for World War I; this was an issue primarily on the German's part, as they tried to build up a navy as strong as Great Britain

Fourteen Points

a series of peace proposals drawn up by President of the US Woodrow Wilson Significance - were actually focused on peace, only 14th point was adopted

Reparations

money paid by a defeated nation to compensate for damage or injury during a war. Significance - Germany had to pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies as a result of the War Guilt Clause in the Treaty of Versailles after WWI.

Zimmerman Telegram

telegram written by Germany's foreign minister Arthur Zimmerman that stated that Germany would help Mexico "reconquer" the land it lost to the US if they allied w Germany Significance - spark that cause US to join WWI

Imperialism

the act of nations conquering weaker nations in order to gain power Significance - one of the causes for World War I

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

treaty signed by Germany and Russia ending the war b/t them Significance - allowed Germany to send all troops to Western Front

Eastern and Western Fronts

the two warfare regions in Italy and Russia Significance - The Western Front was a deadlocked northern French region

Trench warfare/trenches

type of warfare where soldiers fought each other from trenches Significance - By early 1915, opposing armies on the Western Front had dug miles of parallel trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire.

Unrestricted submarine warfare

using submarines to sink other ships without warning Significance - Germans used this against Brits but got Americans mad

Otto von Bismarck

Bismarck was the chancellor of Prussia and used war to unify Germany, declaring Germany as a satisfied power. He then returned to maintaining peace in Europe and saw France as the greatest threat to peace. He believed that France still wanted revenge for its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. Bismarck's first goal, therefore, was to isolate France. As a result, he signed a Dual Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, Italy soon joining to create Triple Alliance. Significance - This was the beginning, another cause of WWI which were secret alliances.

Describe the conditions of trench warfare

Conditions were terrible. The air, which was already difficult to breathe in from all the dirty fog, reeked because people had to use the bathroom in the trench and because bodies were rotting all around them, the entire trench was super muddy, there were barely any places to sleep, huge rats were all over the place, and no fresh food was available, Leaving the trench meant almost certain death and entering "no man's land", the landscape between the trenches where men were at a high risk of being shot my machine guns. Staying in the area was also quite boring, as the only pastime available was to look at the sky and birds, since they were the only living things to be seen, besides rats, lice, or other soldiers.

Identify major countries involved in the war and explain significant battles/war tactics

Major countries involved in World War I include Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, France, Great Britain, and eventually the United States. The Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) would later be joined by Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire who hoped to regain lost territory. The Allies (Great Britain, France, and Russia) were later joined by Italy, Japan, and as mentioned earlier the Unites States. One significant war tactic would include the Schlieffen Plan by General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen of Germany. This plan was created to help Germany avoid a war on two front. Germany is sandwiched between two of its enemies, France and Germany. The plan was to quickly defeat France on the Western Front, then rush all its troops to the Eastern Front to meet Russia. It was vital that Germany had speed and a quick victory over France. Germany believed that this plan would work because Russia's railroad was not as advanced as other countries, therefore it would take longer for them to supply the front lines with troops. When Germany put this plan into action on the Western Front at the First Battle of the Marne, Germany seemed like they would win. However, the Allies reinforced their troops and the Germans were forced to retreat. Therefore the Schlieffen Plan did not succeed.

Compare people's expectations of the war to its realities.

Many young men of the countries participating in World War I thought that the war would be quick and easy. Many others also thought WWI would be a quick war because of the new weaponry and technology of the time. This included poison gas, such as mustard gas, phosgene gas, and chlorine gas, machine guns, tanks, submarines, and larger artillery. All this new technology did was enable countries to kill more people. All people also expected that their country would win. No one thought that they would lose. In reality, the war was long, many lives were killed, and all countries lost billions of money and lives. The happy men who volunteered to be soldiers did not know that they were volunteering to live a life of hell in the trenches.

Woodrow Wilson

Pres of US during WWI Significance - wrote 14 points, failed to get support from US citizens on League of Nations

Explain how and why colonies participated in WWI

The colonies participated in WWI because countries, such as Germany, would say that if the colonies helped them, then they could let them become independent and also gain back their lost land. For example, Germany asked Mexico to become their ally. If they did, then they would help them "reconquer" the lands they had lost to the United States. For example, the British and French recruited people in their colonies. They gathered fighting troops and laborers that came from India, South Africa, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and Indochina. While many fought, others worked to keep the front lines supplies. Other colonial subjects wanted nothing to do with their conflicts while some volunteered in order to gain their independence.

League of Nations

The league was to be an international association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations. Significance - The League of Nations was the result in trying to ensure a world war would never occur again.

Explain the major causes and effects of World War I.

The major causes of World War I were nationalism, militarism, imperialism and alliances. Nationalism was the deep devotion to one's nation. Nationalism made nations want to overpower other nations, thus a rivalry between different countries. Different countries competed to gain colonies, a competition for materials and market was another thing countries could fight fight over and territorial disputes were another. Secondly was imperialism-- which was nations competing over colonies. Then there was militarism which was the policy for glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war. Lastly were the secret alliances amongst different nations. When one country allies itself to another, then that country must help it's allies during peace and during war. Since Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia rushed in to help and puts troops along Germany's borders. Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy were allies and Russia, Great Britain, and France. Due to these alliances, Germany declared war on Russia and then also declared on France, and following Germany's declaration of war, Great Britain declares war on Germany. This spiral of declaring war on each other caused the great war. The effects of World War I exhausted Europe and eventually dragged other countries such as Japan and the United States into a European large-scale war. The war was long and as a result, 8.5 million soldiers were dead, 21 million wounded and there were millions of deaths. Because of this tragic war, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in order to punish Germany. Additionally, countries broke up. For example, Austria Hungary became Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. These are the major causes and effects of World War I.

War Guilt Clause/Article 231

This clause was in the Treaty of Versailles. Sole responsibility for the war was placed on Germany's shoulders. Germany forced to pay the Allies $33 billion in reparations over 30 years Significance - This was another result of the Treaty of Versailles which was the result of WWI.

Explain what civilian life was like during WWI.

When World War I became a total war, or a war where countries devoted all their resources to the war effort, the war suddenly impacted all aspects of the citizens' daily lives. The wartime government took control of the economy, telling factories what to produce and how much. Numerous facilities were converted to factories to increase supply production. Unemployment in many European countries all but disappeared. When goods were low in supply (which happened a lot), governments turned to rationing, This meant that people could only buy small amounts of items needed for the war effort (which was a lot). Governments also suppressed anti-war activity by censoring new about the war and using propaganda. This was because governments feared that people would turn against the war or their country. The total war also greatly impacted the lives of women. With the decreased presence of men, there were many new responsibilities. Women replaced men in factories, offices, and shops. Women built tanks and munitions, paved streets, and ran hospitals. They also kept troops supplied with food, clothing, and weapons. This changed the way people thought of women.

Kaiser Wilhelm

Wilhelm forced Bismarck to resign. He let the treaty with Russia lapse and as a result, Russia formed an alliance with France. If Bismarck waged war against either it meant he was an enemy of both. Therefore, Wilhelm began to build a strong navy that could possibly rival Great Britain's, and in turn Great Britain formed an entente or alliance with France, later Russia. As a result, two rival camps existed in Europe-- the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. Significance - Wilhelm's actions made other nations react and contributed to causing WWI.

Compare Wilson's Fourteen Points to the Treaty of Versailles

Wilson's Fourteen Points focused on long lasting peace while the Treaty of Versailles focused on punishment on the one held responsible or Germany. Wilson's Fourteen Points had fourteen parts to it. The first four points talked about the end to secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade and the reduction of national armies and navies. The fifth goal was an adjustment of colonial claims with fairness toward the colonial peoples. The sixth through thirteenth points were specific suggestions about changing borders and creating new nations. Self-determination was the guiding idea behind these points. This meant they were to allow the people to decide for themselves what government they wanted to live under. Lastly, the fourteenth point proposed a "general association of nations" that would protect "great and small states alike." The Fourteen Points were a hope for an organization that could peacefully negotiate solutions to world conflicts. In comparison, the Treaty of Versailles focused on punishment. Germany was to bear the entire burden and responsibility for WWI. Germany had territorial losses and military losses. Germany had to return Alsace-Lorraine to France and surrender all of it's overseas colonies in Africa and the Pacific. In addition, Germany had to limit the size of the German army and was also forbidden from importing or manufacturing weapons or war material and also prohibited to build or buy submarines or have an air force. Lastly, Germany had a debt of $33 billion, having to pay the Allies for the next 30 years.

Total war

a war where countries devoted all their resources to the war effort Significance - WWI impacted the lives of civilians bc it was a total war

Allied Powers

also known as the "Allies" and was an alliance between Great Britain, Russia, and France. Japan and Italy later joined as well. Significance - This was the alliance made between the nations against the Central Powers and they eventually won the war.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

an Austro-Hungarian duke, who was assassinated with his wife, Sophie, when he was on his way to Sarajevo Significance - he was assassinated by Gavarilo Princip, who was from a Serbian secret society known as "The Black Hand". This was the spark to World War I, and led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia.

Alliances

an agreement between nations, making them allies Significance -one of the causes for World War I

Central Powers

an alliance between Austria-Hungary and Germany, which included Italy at one point, until switched to the allies, feeling that the war was started unnecessarily. They were also joined by the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria with the goal of regaining lost lands Significance - It has its name because the first two nations sat in the heart of Europe, and it marked the first lines drawn for the war.

Stalemate

deadlock along battle fields Significance - stalemates occurred along both the Western Front and Eastern Front

No man's land

land between trenches, if you walked through it you were immediately killed Significance - shows how bad the trenches were

Nationalism

lso referred to as patriotism, this is an extremely patriotic feeling toward one's own nation, which sometimes leads to a person feeling superiority over other nations Significance - this feeling is what caused the spark to World War I, since the Serbian who assassinated Franz Ferdinand, an Austro-Hungarian arch duke, did this to show Serbia's superiority over Austria-Hungary.

Name and explain what new weapons existed in WWI that hadn't previously existed

poison gas- introduced by German; soldiers had gas masks to avoid being poisoned; they could cause blindness, severe blisters, and choking (which could kill you...) machine gun- fires automatic ammunition; kept forces from advancing and killed waves of people at once tank- armored combat vehicle that moved on train train tracks and was able to various terrains; introduced during Battle of the Somme by British in 1916 submarine- (1914) submarine was an effective warship introduced by the Germans; main weapon was a torpedo, an underwater missile

Rationing

when government limits the amt of items needed for the war a civilian can buy Significance - effect of total war