World War I

When did World War I take place?

1914–1918

What event triggered WWI?

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914

What were the two main alliance systems in WWI?

The Allied Powers (France, Britain, Russia, later the US) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria)

What was trench warfare?

A type of combat where opposing sides fought from fortified trenches, leading to a devastating stalemate on the Western Front

What was the Schlieffen Plan?

Germany's military strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France through Belgium before turning to fight Russia

What was the Battle of the Somme?

A 1916 battle on the Western Front; one of the deadliest in history with over 1 million casualties

What was the Battle of Verdun?

A grueling 10-month battle in 1916 between German and French forces, symbolizing the horrors of WWI attrition warfare

Why did the United States enter WWI?

Unrestricted German submarine warfare sinking American ships and the Zimmermann Telegram proposing a German-Mexican alliance against the US

What was the Zimmermann Telegram?

A 1917 secret German diplomatic communication proposing a military alliance with Mexico against the United States

What was the Treaty of Versailles?

The 1919 peace treaty ending WWI that imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, contributing to WWII's causes