Glossary
Alliances
Formal agreements or treaties between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes, often military defense.
Example:
The Triple Entente, binding France, Britain, and Russia, created a complex web of Alliances that meant a conflict involving one nation could quickly draw in others.
Allies
One of the two major alliances during World War I, initially including France, Great Britain, and Russia, later joined by Italy and the United States.
Example:
The United States joined the Allies in 1917, providing crucial economic and military support that helped turn the tide of the war.
American Expeditionary Force (AEF)
The designation for the U.S. Army forces deployed to France during World War I, led by General John J. Pershing.
Example:
The arrival of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe provided a much-needed morale boost and fresh troops to the exhausted Allied armies.
Article X (of the League of Nations Covenant)
A controversial provision of the League of Nations Covenant that committed member states to protect each other's territorial integrity and political independence, potentially requiring military intervention.
Example:
U.S. Senators, fearing that Article X would entangle the United States in future European conflicts, were a primary reason for their rejection of the Treaty of Versailles.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The killing of the Austro-Hungarian heir and his wife in Sarajevo by a Serbian nationalist, which served as the immediate trigger for World War I.
Example:
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark that ignited the powder keg of European tensions, leading Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia.
Central Powers
One of the two major alliances during World War I, primarily consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
Example:
During the war, the Central Powers faced off against the Allied forces on multiple fronts, from the Western Front in France to the Eastern Front against Russia.
Fourteen Points
President Woodrow Wilson's proposal for a post-World War I peace settlement, emphasizing self-determination, free trade, and the creation of a League of Nations.
Example:
Wilson's Fourteen Points represented an idealistic vision for a new world order, aiming to prevent future wars through international cooperation and open diplomacy.
General John J. Pershing
The commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) during World War I, who insisted on American troops fighting as a distinct unit.
Example:
General John J. Pershing's leadership was crucial in training and deploying American forces, ensuring they played a significant role in the Allied victory.
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.
Example:
European powers' scramble for colonies in Africa and Asia, seeking resources and markets, was a key driver of Imperialism that intensified rivalries before WWI.
Industrialized Warfare
A characteristic of World War I marked by the widespread use of new technologies and mass production methods to create devastating weapons.
Example:
The introduction of machine guns, tanks, and poison gas transformed WWI into an era of Industrialized Warfare, leading to unprecedented casualties.
Initial Neutrality (US)
The United States' policy at the beginning of World War I to remain impartial and not take sides in the European conflict.
Example:
President Wilson's declaration of Initial Neutrality reflected a long-standing American tradition of avoiding entanglement in European affairs, echoing George Washington's Farewell Address.
Isolationism
A national policy of avoiding political or economic entanglements with other countries, particularly prevalent in the United States after World War I.
Example:
The U.S. Senate's rejection of the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations signaled a strong return to Isolationism in American foreign policy during the 1920s.
League of Nations
An international organization proposed by Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points, intended to promote world peace and cooperation through collective security.
Example:
Despite Wilson's fervent advocacy, the United States ultimately refused to join the League of Nations, weakening its effectiveness from the outset.
Lusitania
A British passenger liner sunk by a German U-boat in 1915, resulting in the deaths of over 1,100 people, including 128 Americans.
Example:
The sinking of the Lusitania outraged American public opinion and became a significant factor in turning sentiment against Germany, despite the ship carrying contraband.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
A major Allied offensive in late 1918, involving a large number of American troops, which helped break the German lines and force an armistice.
Example:
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest and bloodiest operation of the American Expeditionary Force in WWI, demonstrating the U.S.'s significant contribution to the Allied victory.
Militarism
A belief or policy that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.
Example:
The naval arms race between Great Britain and Germany before WWI, where both nations rapidly expanded their fleets, exemplifies intense Militarism.
National Defense Act (1916)
Legislation passed by Congress that significantly expanded the size of the U.S. Army and National Guard and provided federal funding for military training.
Example:
The National Defense Act of 1916 demonstrated a shift in U.S. policy, moving away from strict neutrality towards building up military readiness.
Nationalism
Extreme pride and devotion to one's nation, often accompanied by a belief in its superiority over others.
Example:
The fervent desire for self-determination among ethnic groups in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, like Serbs, was a powerful form of Nationalism that fueled regional tensions.
Preparedness Movement
A campaign in the United States advocating for increased military spending and a stronger army and navy in anticipation of potential U.S. involvement in World War I.
Example:
The Preparedness Movement gained traction among some Americans who felt the U.S. military was woefully inadequate to defend national interests in a world at war.
Reparations
Payments made by a defeated country to compensate for war damages, a major provision imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.
Example:
The enormous Reparations demanded from Germany by the Allies placed a severe economic burden on the nation, contributing to its post-war instability.
Selective Service Act (1917)
Legislation that authorized the U.S. federal government to raise a national army through conscription (the draft) for service in World War I.
Example:
Under the Selective Service Act of 1917, millions of American men registered for the draft, rapidly expanding the U.S. military for deployment to Europe.
Treaty of Versailles
The peace treaty signed in 1919 that officially ended World War I, imposing harsh terms on Germany and establishing the League of Nations.
Example:
The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to accept sole blame for the war and pay massive reparations, terms that many historians argue contributed to future conflicts.
Trench Warfare
A form of land warfare in which opposing armies fight from fortified ditches, leading to stalemates and high casualties.
Example:
The Western Front of WWI was largely defined by brutal Trench Warfare, where soldiers endured horrific conditions and made minimal territorial gains.
Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
A German naval policy of sinking merchant ships without warning, including those of neutral countries, in designated war zones.
Example:
Germany's resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare in early 1917, after a brief pause, directly violated international law and was a primary cause of U.S. entry into WWI.
Wilson's War Aims
President Woodrow Wilson's stated goals for U.S. involvement in World War I, primarily to 'make the world safe for democracy' and establish a lasting peace.
Example:
Wilson's War Aims transformed the conflict from a European power struggle into a moral crusade for global democracy and self-determination.
Woodrow Wilson
The 28th U.S. President who initially sought to keep the United States out of World War I but ultimately led the country into the conflict and proposed the Fourteen Points for peace.
Example:
Woodrow Wilson famously campaigned on the slogan 'He Kept Us Out of War' in 1916, before shifting his stance due to German aggression.
Zimmerman Telegram
A secret diplomatic communication from Germany to Mexico in 1917, proposing a military alliance against the United States if the U.S. entered WWI.
Example:
The interception and decoding of the Zimmerman Telegram, which promised Mexico lost territories in the American Southwest, was the final straw that pushed the U.S. towards war.