tension
the state of being stretched tight; mental or emotional strain
neutral
Not favoring either side in a dispute
atrocities
Horrible acts committed against innocent people
hostility
unfriendliness; hatred
stalemate
A situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible
reconciliation
the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
opposition
a resistance; a disagreement
militarism
A policy of glorifying military power and keeping a standing army always prepared for war
alliance
An agreement to work together
Imperialism
A policy in which a strong nation seeks to dominate other countries politically, socially, and economically.
Nationalism
A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country
assasination
the act of killing someone (usually a famous person)
deliberately;
Assasination of Archduke Ferdinand was the
immediate cause of World War I.
"Sick Man of Europe" Ottoman Empire
a label given to a nation which is located in some part of Europe and experiencing a time of economic difficulty or impoverishment. The Ottoman Empire's internal authority had broken down, it was not able to keep order in Macedonia and Albania, and the Balkans were on the verge of war.
Balkan Powder Keg
the nickname for the Ottoman empire because of the way it was set up for disaster, with many nationalist groups fighting for freedom
Total War
A conflict in which the participating countries devote all their resources to the war effort
propaganda
information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause
reparations
payment for damages after a war;
As part of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was ordered to pay
fines to the Allies to repay the costs of the war. Opposed by the
U.S., it quickly lead to a severe depression in Germany.
Trench Warfare
A form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield.
Treaty of Versailles
the treaty imposed on Germany by the Allied powers in 1920 after the end of World War I which demanded large reparations from the Germans
League of Nations
an international organization formed in 1920 to promote cooperation and peace among nations
self-determination
each person's ability to make choices and manage their own life; The ability of a government to determine their own course of their own free will
Mandate System
an attempt to stop the cycle of war and fighting over conquered land by appropriating the land of the collapsed Ottoman Empire and the colonies of Germany.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Heir to the Austrian throne whose assassination by a Serbian nationalist on June 28, 1914, was the spark that ignited World War I.
Wilson's 14 point plan
plan for world peace, divided into 3 parts, 1-5=issues addressed to avoid war, 6-14 dealt with boundary changes, rejected by allies
Woodrow Wilson
President of the United States (1913-1921) and the leading figure at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. He was unable to persuade the U.S. Congress to ratify the Treaty of Versailles or join the League of Nations.
Armenian Massacre
An act of genocide by the rulers of Ottoman Turkey during WWI against Christian Armenians, in which a half million Armenians died.