World War I (WWI) & Related Terms. Colony: A territory controlled by another country, often for economic exploitation. Monarchy: A system of government where a king or queen rules.... World War I (WWI) & Related Terms. Colony: A territory controlled by another country, often for economic exploitation. Monarchy: A system of government where a king or queen rules. Autonomy: Self-government or independence from external control. War: A conflict between nations or groups, often involving armed forces. Alliance System: A network of treaties and agreements between countries for mutual defense. Nationalism: Pride in and loyalty to one’s nation, often to the exclusion of others. Militarism: The belief in building and maintaining a strong military. The Black Hand: A secret Serbian nationalist group responsible for the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. Von Schlieffen Plan: Germany’s military strategy to avoid a two-front war by quickly defeating France. Triple Alliance: An alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy before WWI. Triple Entente: An alliance between France, Russia, and the United Kingdom before WWI. Trench Warfare: A type of combat where soldiers fight from long, narrow ditches (trenches). Trench: A long, narrow excavation used as a defense in warfare. No Man’s Land: The barren area between two enemy trenches. Front Trench: The trench closest to the enemy. Over the Top: A term used when soldiers leave their trenches to attack the enemy. Trench Foot: A medical condition caused by prolonged exposure to wet, cold conditions in trenches. Trench Mouth: A painful gum infection caused by poor hygiene in the trenches. Dogfight: A battle between fighter aircraft. Billy Bishop: A Canadian WWI flying ace. Red Baron: Manfred von Richthofen, a famous German WWI fighter pilot. Naval Blockade: Blocking the enemy’s ports to prevent trade or military supply. Convoy System: A method of protecting ships by having them travel in groups with naval escorts. Conscription: Mandatory military service. Military Service Act: A Canadian law requiring men to enlist in WWI. Pacifist: A person who opposes war and violence. Total War: A war that involves all aspects of society, including civilians. Halifax Explosion: A devastating 1917 explosion in Halifax, Nova Scotia, caused by a collision of ships. Victory Bonds: Bonds sold to finance the war effort. Enemy Aliens: People living in a country who are from an enemy nation during wartime. Censorship: The suppression of information, often during war to control public opinion. Propaganda: Information spread to influence public opinion, often during wartime. League of Nations: An international organization created after WWI to promote peace. War Guilt Clause: A clause in the Treaty of Versailles that placed blame for WWI on Germany. Union: A group of workers or nations joining together for common goals. General Strike: A large-scale strike by workers across many industries. Assimilation: The process of integrating a minority group into the dominant culture. Residential Schools: Institutions where Indigenous children were forced to attend in an attempt to assimilate them. Jazz: A genre of music that originated in the African American communities in the early 20th century. Suffragists: Activists who campaigned for women’s right to vote. Alberta Five: A group of Canadian women who fought for women’s rights. Person’s Case: A legal case in Canada that recognized women as persons under the law. Prosperity, Recession, Recovery, Depression: The four stages of the business cycle, describing the economic boom, decline, recovery, and prolonged downturn. Stock/Share: A unit of ownership in a company. Stock Certificate: A document proving ownership of a company’s shares. Drought, Dustbowl: A period of severe drought and soil erosion in North America during the 1930s. Relief Camps: Government-run camps providing food and work during the Great Depression. Relief Workers: Workers hired by the government to help during the Great Depression. Transients: People who move from place to place in search of work, especially during the Depression. R.B. Bennett: Canadian Prime Minister during the Great Depression. William Lyon Mackenzie King: Canadian Prime Minister who led Canada through WWII. Ride the Rails: A term for homeless people hopping freight trains during the Great Depression. On-to-Ottawa Trek: A protest by unemployed men traveling to Ottawa in 1935. World War II (WWII) & Related Terms. Axis Powers: The alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan during WWII. Allied Powers: The countries fighting against the Axis Powers, including the U.S., UK, and Soviet Union. Superpower Nation: A powerful country with significant global influence, like the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War. Atomic Warfare: The use of nuclear weapons in war. Fascism: An authoritarian political ideology, often led by a dictator, focused on nationalism and militarism. Dictator: A ruler with absolute power, often obtained and maintained by force. Nazism: The ideology and policies of Adolf Hitler's regime in Germany, marked by racism, authoritarianism, and expansionism. Propaganda: Information spread to promote a political cause, often used by Nazi Germany. Mein Kampf: Adolf Hitler’s book outlining his political ideology. Anti-Semitism: Prejudice against Jewish people. Rearmament: The process of rebuilding military forces, especially after disarmament. Communists: People who believe in communism, a political system where the government controls the means of production. Blitzkrieg: A rapid, surprise attack strategy used by Germany in WWII. Pearl Harbor: A Japanese attack on a U.S. naval base in Hawaii in 1941, leading the U.S. to enter WWII. Barbarossa: Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Operation Husky: The Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943. Battle at Dieppe: A failed Allied attack on the French coast in 1942. D-Day: The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, marking the start of the liberation of Western Europe. Nuclear War: War involving the use of nuclear weapons. Manhattan Project: The U.S. project to develop the atomic bomb. Robert Oppenheimer: The scientific director of the Manhattan Project. Nagasaki, Hiroshima: Japanese cities bombed by atomic bombs in 1945, leading to Japan’s surrender. Radiation: Dangerous particles emitted during nuclear explosions. Holocaust: The genocide of six million Jews and others by Nazi Germany. Concentration/Death Camps: Camps where people were forcibly held and killed during the Holocaust. Wolfpack: A group of German submarines that attacked Allied ships during WWII. VE Day: Victory in Europe Day, when Nazi Germany surrendered in 1945. Cold War and Post-WWII. Cold War: The political and ideological conflict between the U.S. and Soviet Union post-WWII. Warsaw Pact: A military alliance of Soviet-aligned countries during the Cold War. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): A military alliance of Western countries formed to counter Soviet influence. Marshall Plan: U.S. aid to rebuild Western Europe after WWII. Truman Doctrine: U.S. policy to support countries resisting communism during the Cold War. Spy, Espionage: The practice of gathering secret information, especially by governments during the Cold War. United Nations: An international organization formed to promote peace and cooperation after WWII. Iron Curtain: The division of Europe into communist and capitalist spheres of influence during the Cold War. Red Scare: Fear of communism spreading, particularly in the U.S. in the 1950s. Mutually Assured Destruction: The concept that nuclear war between two superpowers would result in the total destruction of both. Gouzenko Affair: The 1945 defection of Soviet diplomat Igor Gouzenko, revealing Soviet spies in Canada. Middle Power: A country that is not a superpower but still plays an influential role in global affairs. Suez Canal Crisis: A 1956 conflict involving Egypt, the UK, France, and Israel, showing the decline of British power. Lester B. Pearson: Canadian Prime Minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and a key figure in peacekeeping efforts. Proxy War: A conflict where two opposing superpowers support rival factions in another country. Hippies: A countercultural movement in the 1960s advocating for peace, love, and anti-authoritarianism. Rock & Roll: A music genre that emerged in the 1950s, influencing youth culture. Baby Boomer: People born in the post-WWII period, especially between 1946 and 1964. The Summit Series, 1972: A series of ice hockey games between Canada and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Read more