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50 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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AIF
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Australian Imperial Force - raised in 1914 to fight in World War I, and disbanded in 1921
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Alliance
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a formal agreement between two or more nations, pledging military, logistic or financial support to each other in the event of war or aggression
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Allied powers
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The Powers known as the Allies in World War I were predominantly: Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy. Italy initially had a treaty with Germany, but recanted and secretly allied with the Allied Powers. The United States joined the Allied Powers in 1917 after the country could no longer stay neutral
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ANZAC
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an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a joint force assembled in early 1915 to participate in the Gallipoli campaign
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Armistice
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a temporary suspension of hostilities in a war, often while a peace treaty is being negotiated
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Arms race
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a period where two or more nations engage in the rapid production of military technology and equipment, usually in response or rivalry to each other
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Assassination
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the murder of a monarch, political leader or other significant figure. Assassinations are usually designed to stimulate or trigger political change
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Balkans
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a large region of south-eastern Europe, bordered by Austria-Hungary to the north, the Black Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the west. Nations in the Balkans include Serbia, Bosnia, Greece and Montenegro
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Bayonet
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a long blade that is attached to the barrel of a gun, for use in infantry charges and close quarter fighting. The bayonet was considered an important weapon during the 18th and 19th centuries, however it was largely rendered ineffective by artillery, rifle and machine gun fire that limited hand to hand fighting
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Black Hand
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a Serbian nationalist group, formed in 1901 and particularly active after 1908. Among the objectives of the Black Hand were the removal of Austrian control in Bosnia and the formation of a ‘Greater Serbia’ for Slavic people in the Balkans
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Bolt hole
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a space or natural crevice in the side of a trench wall. Bolt holes were used by trench soldiers for sleeping, resting and storage
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Central powers
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refers to the alliance bloc of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The name comes from their comparatively central location in Europe
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Chunuk Bair
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a battlefield located at Gallipoli; initally taken by the NZ army on 8th August 1915, but re-taken by the Turks. Of the 760 NZ soldiers fighting that day; only 70 remained unwounded or slightly wounded
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Clorine gas
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one of several chemical weapons used during World War I. It appeared as a grey-green cloud, smelling of bleach. Much deadlier than mustard gas, it caused death by asphyxiation and burning of the lungs and airways
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Conscription
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a government policy that requires citizens to perform compulsory military service, particularly in a time of war. All major combatant powers used conscription during World War I
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Duckboards
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a wooden platform installed at the bottom of a trench, to provide soldiers with a firm footing and lift them out of water or muddy ground
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Dugout
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a rough shelter or dwelling formed by an excavation in the ground, inthe face of a bank, in the side of a hill, etc., especially one used bysoldiers.
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Elbow rest
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a place designed to rest one's elbow - made hours spent shooting more comfortable.
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Fire step
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an elevated step or platform alongside a parapet wall. It allows soldiers to look out of, fire from or climb out of a trench
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Fire trench
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the line of a trench network closest to ‘no man’s land’, and therefore closest to the enemy
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Fromelles
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the Battle of Fromelles was a British military operation on the Western Front during World War I; it was the first time Australian soliders saw action on the Western Front.
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Grenade
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a small hand held bomb with a short fuse, able to be primed and then thrown toward the enemy
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Howitzer
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a type of short barreled artillery gun that fires shells to great heights, dropping them onto enemy targets
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Imperialism
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a political and economic system where powerful nations seek to conquer and rule smaller regions, transferring them into colonies and exploiting their land, resources and people for profit. Imperialism was practised by most European powers in the decades prior to World War I
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Lone Pine
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a battlefield located at Gallipoli; initally taken by the Australian army, but re-taken by the Turks. It was the scene of some of the most desperate fighting at Gallipoli
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Militarism
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a condition where the military occupies a privileged and influential position in society and government. Military needs are prioritised and military commanders exert excessive influence on government decision making. Militarism can lead to aggressive foreign policy, an arms build up and other conditions conducive to war
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Mobilise
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the process of preparing for war. Mobilisation involves enlisting, equipping, training and moving large numbers of troops. It also involves the acquisition and supply of weapons, transport, uniforms and the other needs of war
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Mustard gas
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a chemical weapon that causes burning and blisters on exposed skin, internal bleeding and excruciating pain. Mustard gas was less deadly than other chemical weapons but caused considerable suffering, particularly if it landed on exposed skin or was ingested into the lungs
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Nationalism
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an intense and often short sighted form of patriotism. It involves a belief in the moral authority and superiority of one’s own country. It also implies that the interests of one’s country are paramount and should always come before the interests of other nations
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No man's land
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the area of land between two hostile trenches, across which artillery and gun fire and ground assaults were launched. As the name suggests, ‘no man’s land’ was extremely dangerous. It was usually scarred with cratering and mud, and littered with mines, barbed wire, bodies and debris
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Outflank
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to go or extend beyond the flank (the extreme right or left side of an army or fleet) of an opposing military unit
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Parados
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the rear of a trench, the side furthest away from the enemy line
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Parapet
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the side of a trench closest to the enemy line. It especially refers to the top portion, from which rifle or machine gun fire and/or charges were launched
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Propaganda
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material intended to persuade or invoke an emotional response, often through distortion or misrepresentation. Propaganda was widely used by all sides during World War I
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Prussia
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a former state in N Europe: became a military power in the 18thcentury and in 1871 led the formation of the German empire
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Reparations
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payments of money or goods as compensation for deaths, injuries and destruction inflicted during a war. Reparations were imposed on all the defeated Central Powers in 1919, most significantly on Germany
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Revetment
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Walls or structures designed to prevent slipage on an embankment
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Sandbags
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a bag filled with sand, used in fortification
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Schlieffen Plan
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the name of Germany’s military strategy for winning a two front war. Devised by Count von Schlieffen at the beginning of the 1900s, the plan aimed to defeat France quickly by invading French territory through Belgium, thus avoiding France’s strong border defences. This would allow Germany breathing space before the slow mobilising Russia could launch an attack in the east. The Schlieffen Plan failed for several reasons, including poor implementation, resolute Belgian resistance and the faster than anticipated Russian mobilisation
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Shrapnel
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steel shards or fragments, released at high speed from an exploding artillery shell. Shrapnel wounds were one of the most common forms of injury and death in World War I
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Sump
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a pit, well, or the like in which water or other liquid is collected
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The Nek
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a battlefield located at Gallipoli; an area the size of 3 tennis courts, it is the site of one of the most tragic Australian actions at Gallipoli - the charge at dawn against the 8th and 10th Light Horse Regiments. The remains of 300 unidentifiable Australian soldiers are buried here.
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The Somme
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Major British offensive, July – November 1916. Biggest number of casualties suffered by the British army in a single day.
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Trench foot
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a colloquial term for a foot infection caused by constant immersion in water and inadequate changes of footwear. If not treated early trench foot could lead to gangrene, disability, amputation and even death. Numbers of trench foot cases in World War I are unclear, however most armies developed strategies to prevent it, leading to relatively few cases by 1917-18
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Trench warfare
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Form of fighting whereby two sides fight each other from opposing trenches
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Triple Alliance
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Name of the defensive alliance between Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy
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Triple Entente
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Name of the French, British and Russian partnership of the First World War.
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U-boat
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German submarine, taken from the German 'Unterseeboat'
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Western Front
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the most significant theatre of operations in World War I. The Western Front lasted the entirety of the war and stretched more than 450 miles (700 kilometres) – from the Belgian coast, through northern France to the Swiss border
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Zimmermann telegram
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a 1917 diplomatic proposal from the German Empire offering a military alliance with Mexico, in the event of the United States entering World War I against Germany. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence and led to the USA joining the war
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