WWI's End & Effects

Paris Peace Conference

32 countries met in Paris

“Big Four”

• key decision makers

• GB, France, USA, and Italy

Wilson’s Plan: Fourteen Points

• end secret treaties

• free trade & free seas

• reduced militaries

• “self-determination” for colonies and nations

• a League of Nations

Wilson’s plan was

not accepted

Treaty of Versailles

1 of 5 treaties signed

• adopted a League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles punished Germany

• territorial losses

• reduced military, navy, air force

• Article 231: war guilt clause

  • $33 billion in war reparations

Positive short-term effects

• new countries created

• shifting roles for women

Negative short-term effects

• collapsed empires

• destroyed villages, towns, homes, farmland

• $338 billion in damages

• entire generation gone

3 collapsed empires

German, Ottoman, A-H

Another short-term effect: Russian Revolution

among other reasons, the people were angry with their government because of the losses during WWI

Long-term effects

• hatred and bitterness over the treaty (Germ & Italy)

  • rise of totalitarian dictators (like Hittler & Mussolini)

• nationalism (competition still remains)

Long-term effects (changes)

• creation of the Middle East (after fall of Ottoman Empire)

• changes in warfare (“total war”)