-
Period: to
Georges Clemenceau
Led the French to victory in WWI. He was very harsh on the Germans in the Treaty of Versailles, and advocated the creation of a Rhineland buffer state, which was refused by the other Big Four members. -
Period: to
Paul von Hindenburg
German military leader on the Eastern front. He led the Germans to decisive victory over the Russians at both the Battle of Tannenberg and the Battle of Masurian Lakes. He later took over in Berlin after the abdication of Wilhelm II and was elected Germany's second president. -
Period: to
General Helmuth von Moltke
Leader of the German Army at the outbreak of WWI. He argued for the two-front war with France, and was later replaced by Falkenhayn. -
Pan-Slavism
This was the idea that the Slavic nationality needed it's own country in the Balkans. This led the Serbian people to gain independence from the Ottomans in the 1840's. It also led Russia to lend unconditional support to Serbia when the outbreak of war was imminent. -
Period: to
Ferdinand Foch
French hero and military commander who saved Paris at the First Battle of the Marne, fought at Ypres and the Somme, and later defended Paris again at the Second Battle of the Marne. He accepted the German armistice. -
Period: to
Joseph Joffre
French general. Led the French and allies to victory at the First Battle of the Marne, despite the heavy German push. -
Period: to
Henri Philippe Petain
He was the French commander in charge of Allie forces at the Battle of Verdun. The victory at Verdun made him a national hero and he was later in public office. -
Period: to
Vittorio Orlando
The Italian representative to the Treaty of Versailles. He was a major political figure and represented the interests of the Italian people in the conference. -
Period: to
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Archduke Ferdinand was the pivotal piece in the start of WWI. His assassination (the spark) set in motion the chain of events that would lead to the explosion of powder-keg Europe. He was killed by Serbian terrorists, leading to Austria's invasion. -
Period: to
Erich Ludendorf
Leader of the German army concurrent with Hindenberg, and helped Hindenburg at Tannenberg. After the war he unveiled the concept of Total War. -
Period: to
Prince Max of Baden
Briefly served as the Chancellor of the German Empire in the final years of the war. He advised the abdication of both the Kaiser and the Crown Prince. -
Period: to
T. E. Lawrence
Leader of British troops in Arabia to lead an insurrection against their Ottoman overlords. He was extremely successful and earned the nickname "Lawrence of Arabia." -
Period: to
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo was a member of the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist terror group. He assassinated the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, which led to the outbreak of WWI. -
Schlieffen Plan
The military strategy that Germany followed at the beginning of WWI. This involved having a two-front war with both Russia and France, although at the time of attack France was still technically neutral. But Moltke followed the plan and opened the western front. -
Dreadnaught
The Dreadnaught was a new type of warship designed by the British (pioneer vessel, HMS Dreadnaught) that was then later copied by the Germans. This exemplified the arms races, especially naval, that occured leading up to WWI. The Dreadnaught also exemplified the advances in war machines with new technology (full steam power, huge guns and carbines). -
Triple Entente
This was an alliance forged between France, Britain, and Russia as a counter to the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria, and Italy. -
Period: to
Bosnian Crisis
Conflict in the Balkans that resulted in the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungry. The Ottomans were kicked out of the Balkans, but things were far from peaceful. -
Period: to
First Balkan War
Combat between the Balkan League (Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, Bulgaria) and the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans lost all of their European territory but the victorious allies were divided over their spoils and later led to a new war. -
Period: to
Second Balkan War
Bulgaria, dissatisfied over its paltry gains in the First Balkan War, attacked Serbia and Greece, who defended successfully and were joined by Romania to force Bulgaria into submission. -
Blank Check
The blank check issued by Germany assured the Austrians that if they went to war with Serbia over the assassination, Germnay would back them up and support them. This is why Germay is often blamed for the outbreak of world war, since Russia felt obliged to attack both Germany and Austria for this reason. -
Serbia
Serbia was a major part of the beginning of the First World War. Flushed with victory during the Balkan Wars and convinced of Russia support against Austria-Hungry, the Serbs assassinated the Archduke and plunged Europe into war. -
Krupp
Krupp was the steel company most involved with the production of artillery and other weapons for the German military. They made Big Bertha, the long range Paris Guns, and other artillery pieces. -
U-boats
The submarine was one of Germany's biggest assets at the beginning of the war, allowing it to compete with Britain's navy. The submarine was also the only practical means of hurting British shipping, which unfortunately resulted in the entry of America to the war after the sinking of the Lusitania and some other blunders. -
No Man's Land
This was the term for the land between the trench lines on the western front. The armies would periodically rush over, get mown down by machine guns, and then fall back, leading to prolonged trench warfare. -
Battle of Gallipoli
The Allies tried to capture Constantinople from the Turks by attacking through the Dardanelles, the straight to the north. The OIttomans won, and the Allies fell back and had to be evacuated out of the region. Major vidtory for the Ottoman Empire. -
Treaty of London
Treaty between the Triple Entente and Italy wherein Italy betrayed the Triple Alliance for territorial gains promised by the Entente. However these gains never really came to fruition, leaving Italy frustrated after the war. -
Lusitania
The Lusitania was carrying civillians as well as munitions for the Entente, and a German U-boat torpedoed it, killing those on board. This was a major factor in convincing the US to join the Entente, since 128 unarmed Americans were on board. -
Battle of Verdun
Major battle between the French and the Germans. The Germans lost the battle because they lost the territory, but the French lost more people so victory had a very heavy cost. -
Battle of Jutland
The only major naval engagement of the War between the rival navies of Britain and Germany. It was technically a stalemate, but the outnumbered-Germans managed to kill twice as many British men and ships, although they did not accomplish their goal in the battle. The Germans later turned to submarine warfare as their sole naval strategy. -
Battle of the Somme
Major battle between British/French forces and German forces. The British Army suffered its worse loss in history, losing 60,000 men on the first day of combat. The casulties were very high all around, and the allies paid a huge price for the pitiful amount of land they gained. -
Zimmermann Telegram
Message from the German embassy to Mexico, offering an alliance between the two nations in an effort to have Mexico attack the southern US border to distract them while Germany concentrated on Britain. This caused much public outrage in the US and contributed towards the joining of the war. -
Fourteen Points
Idealistic reasons for the US to join the war, including arrangements for post-war international peace and national liberties. This was welcomed enthusiastically by the common people, but Wilson's allied leaders were much more skeptical. -
Balfour Declaration
Letter from UK Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild, a Jewish community leader, showing Britain's support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in the Middle East. It was meant to allow for non-Jewish people to live peacefully inside the Jewish homeland... -
Sudetenland
This was the region with Austria and German shared heritage which was taken away from Germany as part of the Treaty of Versailles. It was later taken back as part of the appeasement given to Hitler to satiate his desire for conquest. -
Battle of the Argonne
Final allied offensive against the Western front. This battle lasted until the Germans sued for peace on November 11th. -
Armistice
Armistice is declared between the German Empire and the Allies. -
Rhineland
This was an area ceded to the French after the armistice was declared with Germany. This was an area that the Germans had taken from the French during the Franco-Prussian War, and that they would later take back at the beginning of WWII. -
Paris Peace Conference
Series of peace talks held after the end of the war to settle peace with all of the offending Central Powers. Included under this broad umbrella are The Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Sevres, -
Big Four
Main leaders of the Versailles Treaty (of the Allies):
Woodrow Wilson (USA)
David Lloyd George (GB)
Geoge Clemenceau (FR)
Vittorio Orlando (IT) -
Danzig
Established as an independent state by itself under the protection of the League of Nations so as to take it away from the Germans while not granting it to the newly independent Polish state. -
Article 231
Article in the Treaty of Versailles which provided for the payment of reparitions by Germany. The indemnity was huge, but the fine was levied on Germany, adding to the post-war depression that swept the country. -
League of Nations
This was the final provision of Wilson's 14 points. Ironically, even though it was suggested by the US president, the US didn't join the League which sort of doomed it to failure. The ideas behind the League were later reincarnated as the UN. -
Polish Corridor
The establishment of a passage to the Baltic Sea for the Polish people, as mandated by Woodrow Wilson in his 14 Points.