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.