WW1 Vocab id11946

38 flashcards · History · by andrei-akopian

1. Alliance

   (Military) cooperation between multiple entities (countries).

2. Assassinate

   Kill/Murder an (usually a high ranking) individual in an unofficial manner via a surprise attack similar to sabotage.

3. Espionage

   Employing spies to obtain valuable information about enemy plans to gain an advantage in intelligence and strategies.

4. Front

   An area, usually a thin line that separates the areas controlled by opposing forces in a conflict.

5. Genocide

   Systematic murder of a particular racial or ethnic group by an official entity(country).

6. Militarism

   Belief that a country should be focused on having and promoting a strong military as a way to unite the population.

7. moral diplomacy

   Belief that support should be provided only to countries whose beliefs are analogous.

8. Nationalism

   Focus on a countries culture and identity as the bounding factor of a population and a forceful exclusion of anyone who does not allign with ans support the ideals of the nation.

9. Neutrality

   Refusal to support either side in a conflict as a third party.

10. The Schlieffen Plan

    A plan by the German generals to capture Paris in a very short amount of time and transfer troops all the way tot he eastern front to oppose Russian forces. Failed after french forces were underestimated Britain.

11. trench warfare

    Very slow or non advancing front line due to equal military capabilities of both sides and good defense lines (trenches, in which soldiers hide and open land that is hard to force through).

12. American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)

    Supported the British/French forces on the western line during world war 1.

13. civil liberties

    Individual Rights that protect individuals from the government or other unjust entities.

14. Committee on Public Information (CPI)

    Information (or even Propaganda) distributed though all media to the American public in order to promote the opinion and public support of World War 1. Started by president Woodrow Wilson.

15. conscientious objector

    Opposer of army and military due to moral or religious principles.

16. declaration of war

    And official announcement by one nation that a war exists between it and another nation. This is required for both third parties and for the reputation as a fair player in international connections.

17. Dissenter

    A person distributing information or opinion that is different from previously officially announced information.

18. Sedition

    The act of inciting people or resist or rebel against a government.

19. U-boat

    German submarine. Very important and powerful weapon in world war 1 as it was able to block supply chains of the Allies.

20. war bond

    Investment. Debt or financing of military operations just like financing of corporations with normal bonds.

21. War Industries Board (WIB)

    Board in charge of increasing production to ensure supplies for the war.

22. Zimmerman Note

    An encrypted note from a german minister to Mexico Officials suggesting an alliance in case the US joins world war 1.

23. antiaircraft gun

    A gun to shot down aircraft, very important for preventing bombing of key locations by enemy bombers.

24. Convoy

    A line (military) vehicles transporting or moving from one location to another.

25. Great Migration

    Movement of 6 million black people from the south to the North and West during 1910-1970s.

26. Influenza

    (Spanish flu) A respiratory disease during WW1 that killed 50 million people.

27. machine gun

    A weapon with a high rate of fire capable of taking out large numbers of soldiers from a distance, very effective compared to weapons that need to be reloaded after every shot.

28. Pandemic

    A major outbreak of a disease affecting a large percentage of a population.

29. Tank

    An armored vehicle testited and employed in world war 1 to safely move soldiers and heavy equaipment across battlefield terrain. Early version easily broke down and were voulnerable to a number of simple countermeasures due to large size.

30. Armistice

    Agreement by opposing sides to stop fighting, for a period of time.

31. Communism

    A political and governmental system where all means of production are owned and controled and the government as a representative of the general public.

32. demilitarized zone

    An agreed piece of land that neither of the 2 agreeing parties is allowed to militarily occupy.

33. Demobilization

    Release and downscale of soldiers, army and war efforts after the end of a war.

34. Fourteen Points

    Proposal by Wilson to ensure global peace by the end of World War 1 by interconnecting trade and European economies.

35. League of Nations

    Intergovernmental organization formed after WW1 to ensure global peace. Failed as we all know.

36. self-determination

    The right of people who are part of a particular major group of people to create their own state and government. (Usually in relationship to the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire)

37. Sovereignty

    An authority, usually the authority of a government in a state.

38. Treaty of Versailles

    Formally ended WW1 by declaring that Germany should pay for all the damage and losses for all countries during the war, and give up all of it’s overseas colonies.