WWI Test Study Guide

The Test will be: Multiple Choice, Matching, Short Answer, and Short Essay. It will be worth 100 pts

Notes Part I. Causes of WWI

4 M.A.I.N Causes of WWI and how they caused WWI

1.Militarism

2.Alliances

3.Imperialism

4.Nationalism

“Powder Keg”

Alliances before the war:

Triple Alliance

1.Germany

2.Austria-Hungary

3.Italy

Triple Entente

1.Great Britain

2.Germany

3.France

“blank check” Offer of support/funds that German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II extended to Austria-Hungary after Franz Ferdinand was assassinated

Slavic Countries/Pan-Slavism

Russia,Serbia,Romania,ect.

Pan-Slavism- the principle or advocacy of the union of all Slavs or all Slavic peoples in one political organization.

Allies

Great Britain, France, Russia,USA,Italy, Romania and others

Central Powers

Germany,Austria-Hungary,Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria

People to Know:

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Future leader of Austria-Hungary who was assassinated while visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Gavrilo Princip

Assassinated Franz Ferdinand

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Leader of Germany, offers support to ally Austria-Hungary against Serbia, is later overthrown in favor of a democratic Germany

Francis Joseph

Leader of Austria-Hungary

Czar Nicolas II

Leader of Russia for the duration of Russia’s involvement in WWI. He is overthrown during the Russian Revolution and killed along with his family.

Notes Part II. Combat

Chemical Warfare

Used first by the Germans, Chemical warfare (a weapon of mass destruction) was used by both sides in trench warfare during WWI. Chlorine gas was a common gas used and caused burning in the throat and respiratory failure. One way soldiersprevented death by gas inhalation was by wearing gas masks.

German U-Boats

Submarines used by Germans during WWI. Germans used U-Boat to sink the Lusitania

“Dogfights”

Fights between airplanes during WWI. Planes were equipped with machine guns and would shoot back and forth with the enemy.

Artillery

Turned earth into the “face of the moon”, was able to be shot from a farther range on the battlefield

Machine Guns

Were able to shoot multiple rounds and cause mass death and casualty rates

Trench Warfare

  • Trench foot- foot disease caused by damp conditions of the trenches, often led to amputation
  • Barbed wire –used as a last line of defense in front of trenches, would slow enemy down if they got close to the trench.
  • “No Man’s Land “Area in between the enemy trenches. This is often a very dangerous area because soldiers are in full view of the enemy here
  • stalemate –When neither side is making significant battle gains. WWI trench warfare caused a 4 yearlong stalemate

People to Know:

The Red Baron famous German WWI pilot with over 80 confirmed kills, was eventually killed by Allied forces

Notes Part III. Allied Victory Against Germany

Schlieffen Plan- German war plan to fight two-front war with France and Russia. Plan had faults because it assumed Russians would be slow to mobilization and invasion of Belgium to get to France brought Britain into war.

Two-Front War- A war fought on two borders or “fronts” at the same time, Germany fought one with France and Russia.

Russian Revolution- Happened in 1917, when Russia overthrows Czar Nicolas II, and installs a communist government under Vladimir Lenin

Communism- government style adopted by Russia in 1917, after Czar Nicolas II’s absolute monarchy ends

Lusitania-The shipsunk of the coast of Ireland by German U-Boats, that had Americans on board. One of the causes for US entering the war.

Zimmerman Note/Telegram- Telegram send to Mexico by German diplomat Arthur Zimmerman, offering an alliance to Mexico in exchange for engaging in conflict with the US, another cause of US entrance in the war.

People to Know:

General Schlieffen-Created the Schlieffen Plan

Vladimir Lenin-leader of Communist Russia after the Revolution

Arthur Zimmerman

Notes Part IV. Treaty of Versailles

Terms to Know:

Treaty of Versailles-Agreement outlining the Armistice terms after WWI, was harsh on Germany and angered other countries as well.

The “Big Three” The US,Great Britain, and French leaders who were the most powerful negotiators of the Treaty of Versailles

League of Nations created by Woodrow Wilson, was the organization that worked on creating collective security and defense against aggressive nations to prevent actual conflict

B.R.A.T (Germany’s punishment in the treaty) Should know and be able to explain components

B (Blame) Germany had to accept guilt for war through the “War Guilt Clause” in the treaty

R (Reparations) Germany had to pay 33 billion dollars in reparations to reconstruct Europe after the war and provide pensions to Allied soldiers and their families

A (Army)Germany had to reduce their army to no more than 100,000 soliders, no submarines or air force

T (Territory)Germany had to give up territory including Alsace and Lorraine to France, and many of their imperial holdings

People to Know:

“The Big Three” and their stance on Germany

Woodrow Wilson-US President, did not want to give Germany harsh punishment after war for fear of revenge later on

David Lloyd George- British Prime Minister, was middle man who agreed with points Wilson and Clemenceau made about Germany

Georges Clemenceau French leader who wanted most extreme punishment for Germany to prevent them from invading France ever again

Questions to Consider:

  • How did a war between two countries in the Balkans, spiral into a war that involved the whole world?

Look at Part I of the notes-The Road to WWI

  • What were France and Germany’s motivations for entering the war (Alliance and Nationalism related)

France- Rival of Germany who competed with them for Imperial holdings, and harbored resentment against them after their loss in the Franco-Prussian War. They also wanted the Alsace-Lorraine regions of Germany that used to belong to them

Germany- Competitive with all of the countries due to their extremely nationalistic views and goals. They wanted to build up their military,gain territories, and help out Austria-Hungary (a fellow Germanic country)

  • What was Russia’s reason for entering the war?

Wanted to defend Pan-Slavism and defend Slavic country Serbia

  • Why did Russia exit the war early?

Lack of resources,food,and supplies and a Revolution going on within their country in 1917

  • What were the 3 main reasons why the US entered the war?
  1. Sinking of Lusitania
  2. Zimmerman Note/Telegram
  3. Common Culture/fellow democracy
  • Why were the Allied Powers at an advantage after US joins the war?

Yes, US was strong military power bringing in fresh troops

  • Why did Germany’s Schlieffen plan fail?

Germany did not anticipate Russia’s quick mobilization and they were forced to fight a two-front war

  • Choose one of the forms of combat used during the war and explain how it contributed to wins/loses/or stalemates

Refer to combat notes packet

  • What was the significance of the Christmas Truce of 1914 (As evidenced in the video we watched?)

Humanity- war was devastating for both sides of the conflict and loss was experienced by all of humanity. The soldiers coming together and celebrating Christmas revealed that they were all humans and not just numbers on the battle field.

  • How did the conditions set in the Treaty of Versailles for the Central powers,set up the conditions present before WWII?

See the Treaty of Versailles notes and which countries were not happy with the terms of the Treaty

  • As a result of exiting the war early, what happens to Russia at the Treaty of Versailles?

They are not invited to Paris to negotiate the treaty, and land was taken from them (Latvia, Lithuania, Finland,ect)

  • What happens to the Austrio-Hungarian Empire after WWI?

It dissolves and is broken down into smaller and less-powerful countries

  • Pick two of the countries who felt that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair toward them and explain why

Your opinion

  • In your opinion, who do you think caused the war? Why do you think this?

Your opinion