World War I Study Guide
1.) Know the four underlying causes of WWI:
a. Militarism
b. Alliances
c. Imperialism
d. Nationalism
2.) Be able to list the countries in the two opposing alliance systems that existed before WWI
started:
a. IGA
b. Good Boys Run Fast
Triple Alliance: Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary
Triple Entente: Great Britain (UK), Russia, France
3.) Be able to describe the event that triggers WWI:
a. The assassination of __Franz Ferdinand_________ and his wife Sophie. They were from
_______Austria______________. The assassin who shot them was _____Gavrilo
Princip______, a member of the ____Serbian____________ nationalist group, The Black
Hand. This occurred on June _28__, 1914 in the city of _Sarajevo____, Bosnia.
4.) Therefore, the spark that ignites WWI starts out as a conflict between what two countries and
over what underlying issue? Austria-Hungary and Serbia. The real issue (and cause for the
assassination is control over the Balkans. (Austrian imperialism over Slavic nationalities)
5.) Which country contributed to the outbreak of war by encouraging Austria to declare war on
Serbia and by giving them a “blank check” of support? Germany
6.) Which country stood ready to defend Serbia because of Slavic nationalism? Russia
7.) WWI officially begins on ____JULY 28___________, 1914, when Austria-Hungary declares war
on Serbia.
8.) Why did Britain (the UK) declare war on Germany on August 4, 1914?
Because Germany invaded Belgium – a neutral country that Britain had pledged to protect
9.) Germany invaded Belgium in order to implement the Schlieffen Plan – its military strategy to
avoid a _______2-front war___________________.
10.)
Germany’s military leaders believed they could beat _France________ within 6 weeks,
and then only have to fight ___Russia______________, rather than dividing their
military and fighting both countries at the same time.
11.)
This plan failed when the British and French were able to hold off the Germans in which
September 1914 battle?
_600___ taxicabs were used to rush soldiers to the
front.
First Battle of the Marne
After this battle, WWI settled into a __stalemate________________ where neither side
could gain much ground or defeat the other. This type of warfare developed:___Trench
Warfare____
12.)
13.)
Fighting occurred in many locations during WWI, but the majority of battles occurred
along the ____Western Front______________________, the name given to the area
near the French/German border.
14.)
The 2 sides in WWI were called the Allies and ___Central Powers___________.
15.)
Be able to list 5 countries that made up the Allies:
Great Britain (United Kingdom), France, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, Italy, United States
16.)
Be able to list the 4 Central Powers:
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
17.)
What was the famous WWI novel written by Erich Remarque?
All Quiet on the Western Front
It was written from the perspective of a __German____________ soldier.
18.)
19.)
20.)
Why did Hitler ban and destroy this book when he became the leader of Germany?
Because it was an anti-war novel
List 3 common objectives governments had when using propaganda.
Recruit soldiers, sell war bonds to raise money, get citizens to conserve resources, and
build support for the war/portray the other side as the enemy
21.)
Name the British ship sunk by a German U-boat in May 1915 that killed over 1,200 and
128 Americans: _____Lusitania_____________________
22.)
When did the US join WWI? 1917
23.)
List the 4 contributing factors that explain why the US joined the war on the side of the
Allies. Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare; close cultural ties to the
Allies, Russia became democratic, and the Zimmermann Telegram
24.)
Describe the Zimmermann Telegram: Germany proposed an alliance to Mexico. If
Mexico would attack the US (if the US declared war on Germany), then Germany would
help them reconquer land in TX, NM, and AZ.
25.)
Name the US president during WWI: Woodrow Wilson
26.)
His statement of war goals were known as the ____Fourteen Points___________.
27.)
Among other things, he promoted the idea of ___self-determination__________ in
European empires and a general association of countries which came to be called the
____League of Nations_____________________________.
28.)
When (exactly) did WWI come to an end?11-11-1918 at 11 am
29.)
Know the Big Four that dominated the Paris Peace Conference (just the countries).
United States, Great Britain (UK), France, and Italy
30.)
Be able to list 4 specifics of the Treaty of Versailles:
Germany had to:
-accept full blame for the war
-pay $33 billion to the Allies
-Lost about 10% of land and had to give up overseas colonies
-Had to reduce the size of its military
-No German military in the Rhineland (a 30 mile wide demilitarized zone between
France and Germany)