Causes
What event in June 1914 helped start World War One?
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
What does propaganda mean?
Information designed to influence people's opinions or behaviour.
What was a trench?
A long, narrow ditch used by soldiers for protection.
What weapon fired shells over long distances?
Artillery
In which year did the Battle of the Somme begin?
1916
Name two long-term causes of World War One.
Any two: imperialism, nationalism, militarism, alliances.
Give one reason why men joined the army in 1914.
Patriotism, adventure, money, pressure from others, or a desire to defend their country.
Give two problems soldiers faced in the trenches.
Any two: mud, flooding, rats, lice, disease, cold, shelling, gas or trench foot.
What was mustard gas used for?
To injure or disable enemy soldiers and force them out of their positions.
Who was Douglas Haig?
A senior British army commander during World War One.
What was the alliance system?
Countries agreed to support and protect each other if they were attacked.
What were Pals Battalions?
Army units where friends, workmates or people from the same community could enlist together.
What was trench foot?
A painful condition caused by standing in cold, wet conditions for too long.
How did machine guns make attacking across open ground dangerous?
They could fire many bullets quickly, making it extremely dangerous for soldiers to cross open ground.
What was the Home Front?
The areas and people at home who supported the war effort rather than fighting at the front.
Why did Germany declare war on Russia in 1914?
Russia was supporting Serbia and began mobilising its army.
How did government propaganda encourage men to join the army?
Posters and other messages presented joining as patriotic, heroic and a duty, while sometimes using shame or pressure.
Why were trenches built in a zig-zag pattern?
To reduce the effect of explosions and stop enemies moving along the whole trench if one section was captured.
Why were tanks introduced during World War One?
To cross difficult ground and help break through enemy defensive positions.
Give two ways women contributed to the war effort.
They worked in munitions factories, hospitals, offices, transport, agriculture and other jobs.
Explain how the assassination of Franz Ferdinand led to a wider European war.
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and declared war. Russia supported Serbia, while Germany supported Austria-Hungary. Alliances then brought other countries into the conflict.
Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of Pals Battalions.
Advantage: friends could serve together and support each other. Disadvantage: many men from the same community could be killed in the same battle.
Explain why trench warfare created a stalemate.
Strong defensive positions, machine guns and artillery made attacking difficult. Neither side could easily break through the enemy's defences.
Explain how new weapons changed the experience of soldiers during World War One.
Artillery, machine guns, gas and other weapons made attacks extremely dangerous and caused large numbers of casualties.
Explain two reasons why World War One came to an end in 1918.
Germany and its allies were becoming weaker, while Germany faced shortages and military pressure. The arrival of more US troops also strengthened the Allies. Germany eventually agreed to an armistice.