Militarism
a political orientation of a people or a government to maintain a strong military force and to be prepared to use it aggresively to defend or promote national interests
Triple alliance
An alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy in the years before WWI.
Kaiser Wilhelm II
was the Kaiser of Germany at the time of the First World War reigning from 1888-1918. He pushed for a more aggressive foreign policy by means of colonies and a strong navy to compete with Britain. His actions added to the growing tensions in pre-1914 Europe.
Triple entente
An alliance between Great Britain, France and Russia in the years before WWI.
Central powers
in World War I the alliance of Germany and Austria-Hungary and other nations allied with them in opposing the Allies
Allies
in World War I the alliance of Great Britain and France and Russia and all the other nations that became allied with them in opposing the Central Powers
Western front
In WWI, the region of Northern France where the forces of the Allies and the Central Powers battled each other.
Schlieffen plan
Attack plan by Germans, proposed by Schliffen, lightning quick attack against France. Proposed to go through Belgium then attack France, Belgium resisted, other countries took up their aid, long fight, used trench warfare.
Trench warfare
war from inside trenches enemies would try killing eachother with machine guns and tanks, and poison gas
Eastern front
In WWI, the region along the German-Russian Border where Russians and Serbs battled Germans, Austrians, and Turks.
Unrestricted submarine warfare
A policy that the Germans announced on January 1917 which stated that their submarines would sink any ship in the British waters
Total war
the channeling of a nation's entire resources into a war effort
Rationing
a limited portion or allowance of food or goods; limitation of use
Propaganda
information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause
Armistance
an agreement to stop fighting, truce
Woodrow Wilson
28th president of the United States, known for World War I leadership, created Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, Clayton Antitrust Act, progressive income tax, lower tariffs, women's suffrage (reluctantly), Treaty of Versailles, sought 14 points post-war plan, League of Nations (but failed to win U.S. ratification), won Nobel Peace Prize
Georges Clemenceau
He was the French representative at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. He pushed for a revenge-based treaty at Versailles, hampering the 14 points.
Fourteen points
the war aims outlined by President Wilson in 1918, which he believed would promote lasting peace; called for self-determination, freedom of the seas, free trade, end to secret agreements, reduction of arms and a league of nations
Self determination
the ability of a government to determine their own course of their own free will
Treaty of versallies
between the Allies and the Germans to end war, Germans not allowed to read (just sign), the Big 3 (not the USA) sign and rejoice 1) Germany gives land back + give the French the Saar (German coal property) 2) new countries made out of Russian land that Germany claimed (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania = Baltic countries, Poland is back) 3) Germany gets all their colonies taken away (Japan gets Asian colonies, African colonies split up) 4) only allowed 100,000 soldiers (no battleships, planes, submarines) 5) Rhineland is established (50 miles west + east of demilitarized land) 6) Germany forbidden to ever unite with Austria or other German speaking countries 7) 33 billion German gold marks paid
League of nations
organization dreamed up by US President Woodrow Wilson to try and keep wars from happening. US did not ratify the treaty of Versallilles and did not join the League of Nations. League had no authority to stop anything., an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations