WWI Causes
What was the Spark?
This Archduke was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, triggering the war.
What is Trench Warfare?
This defensive style of combat dominated the Western Front, leading to long periods of bloody stalemate.
The Armenian Genocide?
Often referred to as the "American Genocide" in historical contexts involving U.S. humanitarian response, this event saw the systematic killing of 1.5 million Christians by the Ottoman Empire.
The Romanovs?
This royal dynasty came to a violent end in 1917, ending centuries of Tsarist rule in Russia.
What was Black Tuesday?
This occurred on October 29, 1929, when the U.S. stock market collapsed, triggering a worldwide economic crisis.
M.A.I.N. Acronym?
These four long-term factors—Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism—are cited by historians as the primary causes of the conflict.
New Technology?
Submarines (U-boats), tanks, airplanes, and poison gas were all introduced or significantly improved during the conflict.
Young Turks?
The ultra-nationalist political group that orchestrated the Armenian Genocide during WWI.
Who was Vladimir Lenin?
The leader of the Bolsheviks who promised "Peace, Land, and Bread" to the Russian people.
Hyperinflation?
Germany experienced this extreme economic condition in the 1920s as it struggled to pay massive war reparations.
The "Powder Keg"?
This region of Europe was nicknamed for its extreme ethnic tension and continuous upheaval prior to the war.
War Guilt Clause?
Part of the Treaty of Versailles, this forced Germany to accept full responsibility for starting the war.
Indigenous Genocide?
Policies such as the forced removal of First Nations children in Australia or the Herero and Nama genocide are categorized as these systematic attempts to eliminate ethnic groups.
What was the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
The peace agreement that officially withdrew Russia from WWI, allowing Germany to focus its forces on the Western Front.
What was The New Deal?
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s series of programs designed to provide "Relief, Recovery, and Reform" during the 1930s.
What was the Zimmerman Note?
This intercepted telegram from Germany to Mexico encouraged an attack on the United States, helping draw the U.S. into the war.
League of Nations?
This international organization was proposed by Woodrow Wilson to maintain world peace, though the U.S. Senate famously refused to join.
What is the Trail of Tears?
This forced removal of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole nations in the 1830s led to thousands of deaths on the arduous journey west.
What was Bloody Sunday?
This 1905 massacre of peaceful protesters by the Tsar’s guard set the stage for later revolutionary unrest.
What was Totalitarianism?
Economic instability during the Depression led to the rise of these types of regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Schlieffen Plan?
This German military strategy aimed to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France before turning to face Russia.
Who were the "Big Four"?
The leaders of Italy, France, Great Britain, and the U.S. who dominated the Paris Peace Conference.
The "Sick Man of Europe"
This derogatory name for the Ottoman Empire reflected its weakness and internal tensions that contributed to ethnic massacres.
Who were the Bolsheviks?
The radical socialist group that seized power during the October Revolution of 1917.
What was The Dust Bowl?
A period of severe dust storms that devastated Great Plains agriculture during the Depression years.