WWI Test

Question 1

“the war to end all wars”

Answer 1

WWI or The Great War

Question 2

causes of the war

Answer 2

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

Question 3

• a system created by Otto Von Bismark (German Prime Minister) to prevent war.

Answer 3

Alliance System

Question 4

Triple Alliance was with what countries

Answer 4

1) Germany
2) Austria-Hungary
3) Italy

Question 5

Triple Entante

Answer 5

1) Great Britain
2) France
3) Russia

Question 6

what was Europe like before the war?

Answer 6

there were six major empires: British, German, French, Austria-Hungary, Russian, and Ottoman.
- most of the rulers were relatives!

Question 7

the “powder keg” of Europe

Answer 7

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

Question 8

a nationalist movement created to bring independence to the Slavic people
- created a Slavic state called Yugoslavia

Answer 8

Pan-Slavism

Question 9

what was the incident that caused WWI

Answer 9

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

Question 10

countries begin preparing for war

Answer 10

mobilization

Question 11

info used to influence public opinion
- for the recruitment of men
- and to promote patriotism at home
- to make the enemy look evil

Answer 11

propaganda

Question 12

The Belligerents (warring sides)

Answer 12

1) Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Turks
2) Allied Forces: Russia, France, Great Britain, and later the USA

Question 13

Germany’s plan to catch France off guard that led to the first battle of the war
- attempt to capture Paris

Answer 13

Schlieffen Plan (Alfred Von Schlieffen)

Question 14

first battle of WWI

Answer 14

Battle of the Marne

Question 15

two major fronts of the war

Answer 15

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

Question 16

trench warfare

Answer 16

• hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies

Question 17

trench warfare

Answer 17

• hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies

Question 18

trench warfare

Answer 18

• hundreds of miles of parallel trenches between the opposing armies
• “No Man’s Land” - area between the trenches known as the terrain of death

Question 18

trench warfare

Answer 18

• hundreds of miles of parellel trenches between the opposing armies

Question 19

two battles that show the horrors of trench warfare

Answer 19

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 )

Question 20

why was WWI known as the “War of Attrition”

Answer 20

the goal was the wear the other side out

Question 21

why were there so many casualties?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

airplanes - use during the war and famous pilots

Answer 22

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!

Question 23

soldiers nicknames

Answer 23

Germans = Huns
British = Tommies
French = Frogs
Americans = Doughboys

Question 24

what was happening in Russia in 1916?

Answer 24

Russia was on the verge of collapse due to lack of supplies and equipment.
- the Gallipoli Campaign - Czar Nicholas II asked allies for help and this was the British attempt to rescue Russia. failed miserably.

Question 25

causes of the Russian Revolution

Answer 25

1) corrupt, inefficient government
2) poor living conditions for peasants
3) war had destroyed the economy
4) slaughter of the army
- leader of the Bolsheviks (Vlademir Lenin) offered peasants two things if they joined the revolution: LAND and to take Russia out of the war

Question 26

what happened as a result of the Russian Revolution?

Answer 26

• the Czar abdicated and him and his family were executed
• The socialist party (Bolsheviks) took over and pulled Russia out of the war in October of 1917
• Germany was able to put all of their forces into the Western front

Question 27

Russian Civil War

Answer 27

Reds (Bolsheviks) vs Whites (Czarists and the Democratic countries such as GB, France + USA)
- Reds win and Russia becomes the USSR or the Soviet Union

Question 28

one of many brutal dictators of the USSR (the worst)

Answer 28

Joseph Stalin
- the “Great Purge” killed over 1 million and imprisoned 1 million of his own party
- overall killed 20 million of his own people!

Question 29

the USA had a policy of isolationism (stay out of European affairs) so why did they join the war?

Answer 29

1) striking of the Lusitania (1915) - British luxury liner that was sunk by a German U-Boat. had 128 US passengers
2) German Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
3) Zimmerman Telegram - German ambassador Arthur Zimmerman sends a telegram to Mexico promising their lands back that were stolen by the Americans if they join the war on their side

Question 30

America joins war in April 1917, what were some of the impacts of the US on the war?

Answer 30

1) boosted Allies morale
2) fresh manpower
3) supplies and equipment
- Turning point of the war!

Question 31

general in charge of the American Expeditionary Forces (US army) in Europe

Answer 31

General John Pershing

Question 32

what did the Germans do before the US could make an impact on the war?

Answer 32

“Operation Michael”
- almost works and was successful at first, but then the Americans come pouring into Europe in the summer of 1918 and turn the tide of the war

Question 33

end of war

Answer 33

Fall of 1918, German Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates
- on November, 11 at 11 a.m - the armistice is signed (Veteran’s Day)
- King George V (British) accepts surrender and war is over!

Question 34

what was the “greatest medical holocaust in history”?

Answer 34

the Spanish Influenza Outbreak (1918)
- 50 to 100 million die!

Question 35

Paris peace talks begin in January 1919, who were the “Big Four” victorious countries that were invited?

Answer 35

Great Britain (David Lloyd George), France (Georges Clemenceau), USA (Woodrow Wilson), and Italy (Vittorio Orlando)

Question 36

President Wilson’s fourteen points to prevent future wars

Answer 36

first five points:
1) open diplomacy
2) freedom of the seas
3) free and equal trade
4) decrease of arms/military
5) end colonial conquest
points 6-13: deal with Self-Determination
point 14: establishes the League of Nations
- international peacekeeping organization

Question 37

what did Wilson want vs the European powers

Answer 37

• Wilson wanted a “peace without victory” (no winner, no loser)
• the European powers wanted revenge!

Question 38

Treaty of Versailles conditions for Germany

Answer 38

1) had to accept all blame for war
2) they had to pay war reparations (32 million)
3) forced to greatly reduce the size of their military

Question 39

what were the problems with the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 39

• it was unfair to Germany
• Wilson refused to sign it and therefore was not in the League of Nations that he himself created
• caused bitterness in the German people and later led to people like Adolf Hitler wanting revenge

Question 40

results of WWI

Answer 40

1) death toll: 20 milliion died “Lost Generation”
2) Bolshevik Revolution - Russia becomes Communist
3) 4 major empires collapse (German, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman, and Russian) and 9 more countries form!
4) USA becomes a respected World Power
5) WWII - treaty caused bitterness in Germany