The First World War broke out in the year
- 1914
- 1924
- 1918
- 1920
Answer
1914
Which of the following countries was not a member of Triple Entente?
- France
- Britain
- Russia
- Germany
Answer
Germany
Whose assassination led to the first World War?
- Bismarck
- Francis Ferdinand
- Kaiser William II
- None of these
Answer
Francis Ferdinand
Which of the following was not a part of the 'Allies'?
- Serbia
- France
- Britain
- Turkey
Answer
Turkey
'The Central Powers' did not include
- Austria
- Germany
- Bulgaria
- Japan
Answer
Japan
The Treaty of Versailles was signed between
- Allies and Poland
- Allies and Central Powers
- Allies and Germany
- Allies and Japan
Answer
Allies and Germany
Who attended the Paris Peace Conference?
- Woodrow Wilson
- Lloyd George
- M. Clemenceau
- All of these
Answer
All of these
Which of the following was not one of the terms of Treaty of Versailles?
- Germany and her allies were held guilty of aggression
- Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France
- Germany lost all her colonies
- German army was reduced to 10 lakh
Answer
German army was reduced to 10 lakh
When was the League of Nations formed?
- 1919
- 1918
- 1920
- 1921
Answer
1920
Which was the headquarters of the League of Nations?
- Geneva
- Tokyo
- New York
- London
Answer
Geneva
Which of the following leaders was not a part of 'Big Four' who attended the Paris Peace Conference?
- Lloyd George
- Woodrow Wilson
- M. Clemenceau
- Winston Churchill
Answer
Winston Churchill
As per the Treaty of Versailles, Alsace and Lorraine were returned to :
- Britain
- France
- Germany
- Denmark
Answer
France
The Triple Alliance formed in 1882 did not include :
- Germany
- Austria
- Italy
- France
Answer
France
The USA entered the First World War in 1917 on the side of
- Allied powers
- Central powers
- It remained aloof
- None of these
Answer
Allied powers
Treaty of Sevres was signed with
- Germany
- Austria
- Ottoman Empire
- Italy
Answer
Ottoman Empire
In the questions given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option.
- Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
- Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
- Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
- Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Assertion (A) : The Sarajevo crisis was the immediate cause of the First World War.
Reason (R) : Austria blamed Serbia for murder of Prince Francis Ferdinand and declared war on Serbia.
Answer
Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Explanation — The secret society, called the 'Black Hand' or 'Union of Death' of Serbia murdered the Austrian Prince Archduke Francis Ferdinand in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. Austria-Hungary put the blame on the Serbian Government for this crime. As Serbia refused to comply with some of the conditions, Austria-Hungary declared a war against Serbia on July 28, 1914. Many countries then joined the war in support of one or the other.
What was the immediate effect of the incident shown alongside?
- Beginning of Second World War
- Beginning of First World War
- Surrender of Poland to Germany
- Germany's invasion of USSR
Answer
Beginning of First World War
Read the two statements given below about the League of Nations. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (B).
(A) The League of Nations failed to establish peace in the world.
(B) Hitler and Mussolini paid scant regard to the League and began expansion of military power and aggressive propaganda.
- (B) contradicts (A)
- (B) is the reason for (A)
- (A) is true but (B) is false
- (A) and (B) are independent of each other
Answer
(B) is the reason for (A)
Identify the main reasons for the First World War.
P : Division of Europe into two hostile groups of nations
Q : Aggressive nationalism and imperialism
R : Rise of Hitler and Mussolini
S : Japanese invasion of the Pearl Harbour
- P and Q
- Q and R
- P and R
- P and S
Answer
P and Q
Why is the war between 1914 and 1918 called the First World War?
Answer
The war that started in 1914 is known as the First World War as it engulfed the whole of the world in its vicious circle. It was fought on land, in the air, on the sea and under the sea. New methods of destruction and defence were used in it. It was fought by armies, navies and air forces. It was fought on a worldwide scale and deeply influenced all the countries of the world.
Name the two alliances which divided Europe into two hostile groups before 1914.
Answer
The two alliances which divided Europe into two hostile groups before 1914 were — the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente.
Why USA entered in the First World War?
Answer
On 7 May 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, Britain. It contained many passengers and about 1,100 of the 1,900 passengers and crew members on board perished, including 128 Americans. The USA was outraged and entered the war on 6 April 1917.
Name two countries whose imperial interests became one of the potent factors of the First World War.
Answer
Two countries whose imperial interests became one of the potent factors of the First World War were Germany and Britain.
What was the immediate cause of the First World War?
Answer
The immediate cause of the First World War was the Sarjevo Crisis. Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was murdered on June 28, 1914 by a Serbian at Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. The assassination was organised by a secret society called 'Black Hand' or 'Union of Death' formed by extremist Serbian nationalists. Austria-Hungary put the blame on the Serbian Government for this crime. As Serbia refused to comply with some of the conditions, so Austria-Hungary declared a war against Serbia on July 28, 1914. Many countries joined the war in support of one or the other.
Why Russia quits the war?
Answer
In 1917, a revolution broke out in Russia. The Russian government passed into the hands of Bolsheviks (communists). Lenin signed a Peace Treaty with Germany to mark the ceasing of Russia's hostility towards them. The treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended the war between Russia and Germany.
Why was the League of Nations formed after the First World War?
Answer
The League of Nations was formed after World War I primarily to prevent future wars by promoting international cooperation and maintaining peace. It aimed to achieve this through mechanisms like collective security, disarmament, and diplomatic dispute resolution.
Name the treaty which was signed by Germany.
Answer
Germany was compelled to sign the Treaty of Versailles.
Name the treaty which was signed by Turkey after the First World War.
Answer
Turkey was forced to sign the Treaty of Sevres after the First World War.
Why could not the treaty with Turkey be put into practice?
Answer
The Treaty of Sèvres, however, could not be fully implemented because a revolution broke out in Turkey under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Pasha, through which Turkey regained control of Asia Minor and the city of Constantinople.
Why is it said that the Treaty of Versailles led to the Second World War?
Answer
The Treaty of Versailles was responsible for the Second World War because of the following reasons -
- The treaty demanded annexation of German territories and creation of many States. This sowed the seeds of bitterness and conflict.
- All the German colonies were forcibly taken away from her and she was divided into two parts for the benefit of Poland.
- She was burdened with huge war indemnity which she could never pay.
- Her military power was reduced.
- This treaty was based on the spirit of revenge and Germany was forced to sign the treaty.
What was the main objective of the League of Nations?
Answer
The primary objective of the League of Nations was to prevent future wars through international cooperation and collective security.
With reference to the causes of the First World War, explain the following :
(a) Armament race
(b) militant nationalism
Answer
(a) The major European nations began stockpiling armaments in the name of self-defence and preservation of peace. As a result, if one country increased its armaments, other countries were compelled to do the same. It filled the atmosphere with fear, apprehension and mutual hatred.
Germany began to increase its naval force and started large-scale production of arms and ammunition. This resulted in race for armaments among rival groups. Britain embarked on a large naval programme with a view to achieve parity with Germany.
(b) Militant or Aggressive nationalism meant love for one's own country and hatred for other countries. Each nation thought about its national interests alone. The spirit of nationalism was a strong driving force in European politics of the 19th century.
- France wanted to get back its provinces of Alsace and Lorraine from Germany.
- Italy wanted to get back the territory of Trentino and Trieste from Austria.
- Balkan states like Serbia wanted that their fellow nationals (Slavs) who lived in other states should come together to form a greater Balkan State.
- Kaiser Wilhelm II, the new emperor of Germany, wanted his country to be the leader of the world.
- Britain had already emerged as the foremost colonial power with almost a quarter of the world under her control.
Thus, the whole atmosphere was charged with militant nationalism and inter-state rivalries. This aggressive nationalism led to the rise of Imperialism, a system by which a powerful nation used to establish its control over another country, either by political pressure, infiltration, annexation or by outright wars.
With reference to the Treaty of Versailles, explain the following :
(a) Consequences of the First World War on Germany.
(b) Consequences of the First World War on Austria-Hungary.
Answer
(a) Treaty of Versailles was signed between the Allies and Germany on June 28, 1919. Germany was compelled to sign the Treaty of Versailles and was forced to accept the following terms which were comparatively very harsh.
- Germany and her allies were held guilty for aggression and hence she was forced to cede certain parts of her pre-war territories to Denmark, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
- Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France. Moreover, the Saar Valley, known for its coal mines, was ceded to France for 15 years. Moreover, the two Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein which were captured by Prussia (or Germany) from Denmark in 1864 were returned back to Denmark.
- Germany had also to lose all her colonial empire to the victors.
- The area of the Rhine Valley was also demilitarised. The German territory west of the Rhine was to be occupied by the Allies for 15 years.
- The German army was also reduced to 1,00,000 and she was not to have any air force and submarines.
- Germany had to accept the war-guilt and she was compelled to pay a heavy sum (of 33 billion dollars) as war-indemnity to the Allies.
(b) After the First World War, the autocratic monarchies in Austria-Hungary ended. Austria and Hungary became separate independent States.
With reference to the given picture, answer the following questions :
(a) Describe the incident.
(b) Why did Austria declare war on Serbia?
(c) What were the effects of this incident on the world?
Answer
(a) The incident depicted in the given picture is the Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand. It was the immediate cause leading to the First World War. The Austrian Prince Archduke Francis Ferdinand was murdered in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. The organiser of the assassination was a secret society, called the 'Black Hand' or 'Union of Death', of extremist Serbian nationalists whose aim was to unite all Serbians into a single Serbian state.
(b) Austria-Hungary put the blame on the Serbian Government for this crime. As Serbia refused to comply with some of the conditions, because Russia instigated her, so Austria-Hungary declared a war against Serbia on July 28, 1914.
(c) The major nations started supporting one or the other after the Sarjevo Crisis, which led to the start of the First World War.
- France and Russia came to the help of Serbia. At this, Germany declared war against Russia.
- Britain wanted to keep aloof but when Germany attacked Belgium, then Britain was compelled to join the War in order to safeguard the Belgian neutrality and her own political interests.
- On one side there were Serbia, Russia, France, Britain, Japan, Italy, USA, etc. They were called 'The Allies'. On the other side were Germany, Austria — Hungary, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and they were known as 'The Central Powers'.