ENTENTE

1. ENTENTE • Definition: a non-binding agreement to follow common policies • Example in lesson: Britain, France, and Russia formed an entente in response to the increased military power of Germany (when Germany started building up their military).

2. PACFICISM • Definition: opposition to all war • Example in lesson: Europe experienced a sense of this for almost a century before 1914. No major wars had broken out, and the people liked this time of peace. They were pacifists, opposed to war.

3. MOBILIZE • Definition: to prepare an army/troops for fighting • Example in lesson:Russia mobilized its troops when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. They started preparing their troops to help small, helpless Serbia defend themselves.

4. NEUTRALITY • Definition: a policy of not supporting either side of the war • Example in lesson: Italy declared a policy of neutrality at the beginning of the war, pulling themselves out of the Triple Alliance. Belgium, like a few other countries, also declared neutrality at the start of the war. They did not want to get involved with the mess that a world war would bring.

5. ULTIMATUM • Definition: a final set or list of demands • Example in lesson:Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia after Gavrilo Princip assassinated their future leader. Serbia ignored the ultimatum, leaving Austria-Hungary no other choice but to declare war.

6. TWO-FRONT WAR • Definition: one army having to fight enemies on two sides at the same time • Example in lesson: Germany was stuck in the middle of two big enemies, France (west) and Russia (east). Even though Germany’s Schlieffen Plan was designed to avoid a two-font war, it ultimately failed. German troops were forced to split and this weakened their army.

7. SCHLIEFFEN PLAN • Definition: Germany created this plan to avoid having to fight a two-front war against France (west) and Russia (east). • Example in lesson: This first part of this plan was to put all of Germany’s efforts in the west to defeat the French army very quickly. Since they knew Russia would take a while to mobilize (get their troops ready), then Germany figured they had time to beat France and then focus their efforts to the east against Russia. • ***This plan failed because once Germany went through neutral Belgium, Britain joined France at the Battle of the Marne. Germany now had to fight BRITAIN AND FRANCE in the west (twice as many enemies as they were planning on). Russia also mobilizes sooner than expected; therefore, Germany had to split their armies and fight the dreaded two-front war.

8. STALEMATE • Definition: a deadlock in which neither side is able to defeat the other • Example in lesson: Because trench warfare rendered (caused) armies to be mostly immobile (unmoving), both sides were stuck in deadly stalemate. • **Think cause and effect. The cause of trench warfare was making armies to where they could not move far. The effect of this was a stalemate, because when armies cannot advance forward, they are stuck fighting in the same area for long periods of time without making much progress.

9. NO MAN’S LAND • Definition: the empty track of land separating the sides of enemy trenches where everything has been destroyed by war • Example in lesson: This big area of destroyed land was called “No Man’s Land”, because no man could successfully cross it survive. Most soldiers who attempted to walk across No Man’s Land were killed by machine guns or trapped by barbed wire.

10. TOTAL WAR • Definition: the channeling ofa nation’s entire resourcesinto awar effort • Example in lesson: Countries fighting in WWI knew that to be successful in war they had to have the help from people back home. They needed more men to fight (so they issued a conscription). They needed the people’s support (so they spread propaganda against the enemy, including events of atrocities).

11. CONSCRIPTION • Definition: drafting young men to be ready for military service • Example in lesson: Conscription is forced military service, usually referred to as a draft. Millions of men were dying on the battlefields, and you can’t fight a war without men. THEY NEEDED MANPOWER! Therefore, certain governments would force men to join the military and fight. (This is a part of total war).

12. PROPAGANDA • Definition: the spread of ideas to promote a cause or damage the enemy’s cause • Example in lesson: A part of total war is propaganda. You want the people of your country to be in favor of going to war. So you spread ideas of how much your country needs your help. You spread ideas about how horrible the enemy is and how badly they need to be stopped. Propaganda is used to get the public on board to support the war.

13. ATROCITIES • Definition: horrible acts against innocent people • Example in lesson: No one likes a bully. We know Germany is considered the bully of both world wars. Germany had a tendency to involve innocent people in their conflict. Think about innocent, neutral Belgium. Germany ignored Belgium’s neutrality during the Schlieffen Plan. They killed innocent civilians and destroyed many homes, buildings, and businesses in Belgium. • ***Think about the bully example. Everyone hates the bully and tries to rescue the victim. When Belgium was invaded by Germany, Britain ran to help by teaming up with France in hopes of defeating Germany for good.