World War I Review
1. Stalemate – situation in which neither side can gain an advantage, first few years of WWI
2. Convoy system – group of merchant ships traveling together, protected by war ships from
German U-boats
3. Sedition – speech or acting that encourages rebellion; sedition act passed
4. Armistice – agreement to end fighting, treaty
5. Autocrat – an absolute ruler, ruler with unlimited power, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany
6. Filibuster – tactic by which senators give long speeches to hold up legislative business, prevent a
vote on a controversial issue; arming passenger and commercial ships
7. Reparation – payment for war damages; Germany charged $33 billion
8. Preparedness – the buildup of the US military in 1916 in preparation for WWI; readying troops,
equipment, money etc.; Congress passed the National Defense Act and Naval Construction Acts
in 1916 to prepare Americans for the possibility of U.S. involvement in the war
People:
9. Woodrow Wilson – Moral Diplomacy; stated the U.S. would never take another inch of land by
force; President of the U.S. from 1912 – 1920; Led the nation through WWI; his 14 points were
the bases for the Treaty of Versailles ending the war although we did not sign it or join the
league of nations; discussed “Peace without victory” meaning the terms of peace should not
punish the defeated nations; the goal of Wilson’s Fourteen Points was to provide a plan for a
just and lasting peace
10. General Pershing – led the U.S. troops during WWI
11. Vladimir Lenin – seized control of Russia in 1917…withdrew Russia from the war, established a
communist government in 1917 after a war with the Whites (Russian land owners), father of
communism
12. Jeannette Rankin – first woman elected to Congress
13. Herbert Hoover – set agriculture policies during WWI, believed in voluntary controls;
responsible for U.S. agricultural policies during WWI
Identification:
14. Causes of WWI – sparked by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Nationalism,
Militarism, Imperialism, Alliances
15. Factors in U.S. decision to enter WWI – the web of alliances European nations created for
defense, unrestricted German submarine warfare…Lusitania, Zimmerman note…public opinion
16. Sussex Pledge – The German government promised that German u-boats would warn ships
before attacking, they did not
17. Zimmerman Telegram – from Germany to Mexico, intercepted by Great Britain, attempt to have
Mexico declare war on the U.S. in exchange for US land…Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
18. Clayton Anti-Trust Act – strengthened anti-trust laws, spelled out actions that businesses could
not engage in, trust…company that creates a monopoly for a product or service
19. Selective service act – was a means of drafting young men to the military service
20. Plight of African Americans during the War – segregated troops were rarely allowed to fight,
Harlem Hell fighters and others fought for France
21. Role of the Federal Government in the war economy- regulated production of war goods,
promoted saving food…voluntary controls; the Committee on Public Information promoted
support for the war among the American people
22. Great Migration – movement of 500,000 African Americans to northern cities, increased
immigration from Mexico also filled the jobs left vacant by the soldiers fighting the war
23. League of Nations – Wilson hoped to create a world organization where countries could gather
and resolve their quarrels peacefully; mutual defense agreement, Wilson tried to convinced the
allies to join, Senators feared it would weaken our independence and pull us into unwanted
wars, US never joined; was ineffective based on the U.S. Senate’s refusal to approve the Treaty
of Versailles
24. “Irreconcilable” Senators – Senators opposed to the Versailles Treaty…did not want to join the
League of Nations; Henry Cabot Lodge led the Senatorial opposition to the Treaty of Versailles
Other Points to Consider:
25. Great Britain – actively encouraged anti-German feeling in the United States, cut the trans
Atlantic Cable
26. Public Opinion – business people urged preparedness and the public was outraged at Germany’s
unrestricted sub warfare, German submarine warfare upset Americans because they attacked
with no warning and broke their promises
27. Convoy System – the purpose was to get troops safely across the ocean, used to prevent
submarine attacks on ships
28. Fears of spies and sabotage – led to restricted immigration, discrimination, violence against
Germans and repression of civil liberties
29. Postwar adjustment – was difficult with no plan to merge returning troops into society, jobs
30. Seeds of WWII were planted at the peace of WWI…$33 billion in war debt…humiliation was
never forgotten by Germany
31. Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire…Turkey
32. Allied Powers: France, England, US, Russia, Italy, Serbia
33. Women in the War – Women’s roles increased in industry; their efforts and sacrifices
during WWI led to U.S. government support for universal suffrage
34. Fighting the war – most American soldiers engaged in trench warfare on the western front were
fighting in France; the timing of the arrival of the AEF in Europe was crucial to the Allied victory
because the Russians had just signed a peace treaty with Germany and left the war
35. Meuse-Argonne Offensive – was a significant battle of WWI because the Germans agreed to a
truce shortly after this battle
36. Treaty of Versailles – the Allies won the war; the treaty was rejected by Congress, which then
signed a separate peace treaty with Germany.
37. The U.S. became the world’s economic leader after World War 1.
38. World War I was waged “to make the world safe for democracy”