Vocabulary -- Chapter #23
militarism – the aggressive strengthening of armed forces
mobilize – to prepare a nation’s military forces for war
Central Powers – the coalition of nations led by Germany in World War I that included AustriaHungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire
Allied Powers – the group of nations that allied to fight the Central Powers in World War I – they
were led by Great Britain, France, Russia, and later the United States
trench warfare – a new kind of warfare in World War I that involved troops digging and fighting
from deep trenches
stalemate – a situation in which neither side can win a victory
U-boat – name for German submarines
Lusitania – British passenger ship sunk with great loss of life by a German U-boat on May 7, 1915
Zimmermann Note – a secret telegram from Germany to Mexico offering a military alliance between
Germany and Mexico against the United States
Selective Service Act – 1917 law which allowed the president to draft young men to fight in World
War I
Liberty Bonds – loans to the government that helped provided the money needed for the United
States to fight World War I
National War Labor Board – a government agency organized to help settle disputes between
workers and employers during World War I
American Expeditionary Force (AEF) – the U.S. military forces sent to Europe during World War I
Communists – people who favor equal distribution of wealth and the end of all forms of private
property
armistice – a truce or cease-fire agreement between warring nations
League of Nations – an international assembly of nations established to settle international disputes
and encourage democracy
reparations – financial payments made by the loser of a war to the winners of the war
Treaty of Versailles – peace treaty that ended World War I – it was never ratified by the United
States