World War 1 Key Facts
Master the essential facts of World War 1 with this flashcard deck covering the war's causes, key battles, major leaders, turning points, and lasting consequences. Understand why the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered a global conflict, how trench warfare defined the Western Front, and why the Treaty of Versailles planted the seeds for World War 2. Topics include the MAIN causes (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism), the Schlieffen Plan, the Battles of Verdun and the Somme, unrestricted submarine warfare, the Zimmermann Telegram, America's entry into the war, and Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points. Essential for AP European History, GCSE History, and university exam preparation.
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Question
When did World War 1 begin and end?
Answer
It began on July 28, 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918.
Question
What were the four main causes of WW1? (MAIN)
Answer
Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.
Question
What event triggered the start of WW1?
Answer
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, by Gavrilo Princip.
Question
What were the two main alliance systems in WW1?
Answer
The Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain) vs. the Triple Alliance / Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire).
Question
What was the Schlieffen Plan?
Answer
Germany's military strategy to quickly defeat France by invading through Belgium, then turn east to fight Russia. It failed when Belgium resisted and Britain entered the war.
Question
What was trench warfare?
Answer
A form of combat where opposing armies dug networks of trenches facing each other. Soldiers lived in these trenches for months, leading to a deadly stalemate on the Western Front.
Question
What was the Western Front?
Answer
The main theater of WW1, a line of trenches stretching roughly 700 km from Belgium to Switzerland where France, Britain, and Germany fought.
Question
What was the Battle of the Marne (1914)?
Answer
A crucial early battle where Allied forces stopped the German advance into France, turning the war into a stalemate and leading to trench warfare.
Question
What was the Battle of Verdun (1916)?
Answer
One of WW1's longest and bloodiest battles between France and Germany. It lasted 10 months and resulted in nearly 700,000 casualties combined.
Question
What was the Battle of the Somme (1916)?
Answer
A massive British offensive on the Somme River. On the first day alone (July 1, 1916), the British suffered 57,470 casualties — the bloodiest day in British military history.
Question
What was unrestricted submarine warfare?
Answer
Germany's policy of sinking any ship — including neutral vessels — in war zones around Britain. It was a key reason the United States entered the war.
Question
What was the Zimmermann Telegram (1917)?
Answer
A secret diplomatic message from Germany to Mexico, proposing a military alliance against the USA. Its interception by Britain helped push America into WW1.
Question
When did the United States enter WW1 and why?
Answer
April 6, 1917. Key reasons: unrestricted German submarine warfare (sinking of the Lusitania) and the Zimmermann Telegram.
Question
What was the Lusitania?
Answer
A British ocean liner sunk by a German submarine in 1915, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans. It fueled anti-German sentiment in the USA.
Question
What was the Russian Revolution's impact on WW1?
Answer
The 1917 Russian Revolution led to Russia withdrawing from WW1, allowing Germany to move troops from the Eastern to Western Front.
Question
What was the armistice that ended WW1?
Answer
An agreement to stop fighting, signed on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 AM. Germany agreed to surrender under the terms set by the Allies.
Question
What was the Treaty of Versailles (1919)?
Answer
The peace treaty that officially ended WW1. It blamed Germany for the war (War Guilt Clause), imposed heavy reparations, reduced German territory, and limited its military.
Question
How many people died in World War 1?
Answer
Approximately 17–20 million people died — including both military and civilian casualties — making it one of the deadliest conflicts in history.
Question
What was the League of Nations?
Answer
An international organization created after WW1 to maintain world peace, proposed by US President Woodrow Wilson. The USA never joined due to Congressional opposition.
Question
How did the Treaty of Versailles contribute to WW2?
Answer
The harsh reparations and humiliation imposed on Germany created economic hardship and resentment, helping Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rise to power.
Question
What was No Man's Land?
Answer
The strip of land between opposing trenches on the Western Front, extremely dangerous and heavily contested, filled with barbed wire and shell craters.
Question
What new weapons were introduced in WW1?
Answer
Poison gas, tanks, aircraft (for combat), machine guns, and long-range artillery were all used on a large scale for the first time.
Question
Who were the key leaders of WW1 Allied powers?
Answer
France: Georges Clemenceau. Britain: David Lloyd George. USA: Woodrow Wilson. Italy: Vittorio Orlando.
Question
Who led Germany during WW1?
Answer
Kaiser Wilhelm II was the Emperor of Germany throughout WW1. General Erich Ludendorff was the key military strategist.
Question
What were Woodrow Wilson's 14 Points?
Answer
A proposal by US President Wilson for a peaceful post-war world, including freedom of the seas, self-determination of nations, and the creation of the League of Nations.