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(Terms: Triple Alliance, Triple Entente)
The development of alliance systems before World War I was important because it triggered a domino in Europe and turned small conflicts into a war. Alliances formed military partnerships, which also meant that whenever a nation was attacked, its allies were immediately drawn in as well. The two major alliances at the time were the Triple Alliance(Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente(France, Russia, and Great Britain). -
(Terms: Franz Ferdinand)
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 was considered the major event that started WW1. It caused Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia, which triggered their alliances all across Europe. As more and more powers were drawn into the conflict, the aftermath of this assassination escalated into a global war. -
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in 1914 and triggered a chain reaction that led to the first World War. Russia first came to the defense of Serbia, then Germany (allied with Austria-Hungary)declared war on Russia and later on with France. Britain also declared war on Germany due to its later invasion of neutral Belgium. -
(Terms: Trench Warfare, Machine Guns)
The First Battle of the Marne has a strong significance since it stopped Germany’s advance towards Paris and ended its hopes of victory. The battle also led to the start of Trench Warfare, which is a type of combat that uses the systems of trenches under the ground to attack and defend. It also led to the development of Machine Guns that attacks extremely deadly, providing conflicts afterwards a whole new weapon. -
(Terms: Zimmerman Note, Neutrality, Woodrow Wilson)
A German U-Boat fired at a British passenger ship without warning and killed 1,918 people, including 128 Americans. This attack outraged the U.S. and weakened its neutrality. The Zimmerman Note(a plan to renew submarine warfare and forming alliances with Mexico and Japan if the U.S. declared war on Germany) also contributed to President Woodrow Wilson's decision to join the war after it was discovered. -
(Terms: Trench Warfare)
The stalemate on the Western Front happened when both sides (the central power and the allies) weren't able to make any more significant progress in WW1. Therefore, both dug deep trenches hundreds of miles across France, leading four years of Trench Warfare. Soldiers lived in trenches that were built with sandbags, wooden planks, or even just stinking mud, and launched attacks against the enemy’s trench, resulting in countless casualties. -
(Terms: Machine Guns, Mustard Gas, U-Boat)
During World War I, several new types of weapons were invented. For example: Machine Guns allowed soldiers to fire hundreds of bullets per minute, leading to further strategies(such as digging trenches). Mustard Gas led to chemical warfare, causing burns and blindness all across the trenches. Lastly, the U-Boat allowed Germany to attack enemy ships and supply vessels. -
(Terms: Czar Nicholas II, Bolsheviks)
Russia exited WWI because of the Russian Revolution, in which people overthrew the government led by Czar Nicholas II. The war had caused massive suffering to people's lives and Russia's economy. In order to focus on rebuilding Russia and solving internal conflicts, the new Bolshevik government led by Vladimir Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and withdrew Russia from the war. -
Before 1917, the U.S stayed neutral. However, it still played the role of offering supplies and funds to the Allies. The outcome of WW1 was greatly changed after the U.S entered the war. The U.S. involvement helped the alliances to stop Germany’s offensives. Having help from the U.S, the Allies were able to knock down the Central Powers and bring WW1 to an end. -
In order to focus on solving internal conflicts(Russian Revolution), Russia signed the treaty with the Central Powers and Ukraine at Brest-Litovs. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk allowed Russia to officially exit World War I after having serious inner revolutions. Russia was also forced to give up large territories to Germany, including Ukraine, its Polish and Baltic territories, and Finland. However, the land of Ukraine was taken back during the Russian Civil War. -
The Armistice that ended World War I was signed between Germany and the Allied powers on November 11, 1918, at 5:00 a.m. It was in a railway car in Compiègne, France. However, the formal peace treaty(The Treaty of Versailles) was signed later on June 28, 1919.
The victors of WW1 were the Allies, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. The losers were the Central Powers, including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. -
The Treaty marked the official ending of World War I between Germany and the Allied Powers. It forced Germany to take all of the responsibility for the war and pay heavy reparations to the victors. The treaty was controversial due to its extreme characteristics. Although it was signed aiming to create a lasting peace, the Treaty of Versailles was actually one of the main causes of WWll. This anger within Germany also led to the rise of Adolf Hitler. -
The League of Nations was created after World War I under The Treaty of Versailles. The idea was proposed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in the Fourteen Points, aiming to create a general league of nations to maintain peace and prevent future wars through cooperation and conversation among countries. However, the power of the league was weakened due to the U.S. government’s decision of not joining, making the league's voice a lot smaller.