04 The First World War and the Remaking of Empires Free Online FlashCards

What event triggered the July Crisis of 1914?

Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.

What made the First World War a global conflict?

Imperial powers drew soldiers and laborers from colonies and other territories, and fighting reached Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the seas.

What characterized fighting on the Western Front?

Armies dug extensive trench systems across France and Belgium. Repeated offensives, including at Verdun and the Somme, caused enormous casualties without decisive results.

How did governments mobilize societies for the war?

Governments mobilized factories, transport, food supplies, and civilian populations to sustain the fighting.

How did revolution change Russia’s role in the war?

Revolution ended the monarchy in 1917. After the Bolsheviks took power, Russia withdrew and signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers in 1918.

When did the United States enter the war, and on which side?

The United States entered the war on the Allied side in April 1917.

What did the November 11, 1918 armistice do?

Germany signed an armistice on November 11, 1918. It stopped the fighting but was not the final peace treaty.

Which four prewar empires were dismantled?

The Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman Empires were dismantled by war, revolution, military defeat, and nationalist movements.

What did the Treaty of Versailles require Germany to do?

Signed with Germany on June 28, 1919, it required Germany to surrender territory and colonies, restrict its armed forces, and accept responsibility for losses for which the Allies sought reparations.

Why did the postwar borders leave disputes unresolved?

Borders reflected national claims only in part. Many people became minorities in successor states, while disputes over territory, citizenship, and political power continued.

Why did the 1914 crisis grow into a wider war?

Government decisions, military plans, and existing rivalries expanded the conflict. The alliances did not make a wider war automatic.

What political changes followed the breakup of Austria-Hungary?

The Habsburg monarchy broke apart. Austria and Hungary became separate states, while Czechoslovakia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes emerged or expanded from former Habsburg lands.