The End of the Great War

World War One: The Great War (1914-1918)

  • Major Powers Involved: France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Russia, USA

  • Human Costs: Almost 10 million casualties

    • Germany: 1.6 million casualties

    • Russia: 1.7 million casualties

  • Economic Costs: Over 180180 Billion Dollars (100 years ago)

    • Allied Powers: 125,690,477,000125,690,477,000

    • Central Powers: 60,643,160,00060,643,160,000

Timeline to the End

  • Jan 19th, 1917: Zimmerman Telegram

  • April 6th, 1917: US declares war on Germany

  • Nov. 7th, 1917: Bolsheviks overthrow the Russian Government

  • Jan. 8th, 1918: Wilson issues his fourteen points

  • Mar., 3rd, 1918: Treaty of Litovsk signed

  • Mar 21st, 1918: Spring Offensive begins; Germany loses 1 million men by July

  • 11:00am, Nov., 11th, 1918: Armistice

Wilson's Fourteen Points: Key Ideas

  • No secret diplomacy

  • Freedom of the seas

  • Remove economic barriers

  • General reduction of armaments

  • Fair and just adjustments of colonial claims

  • Restoration of Belgium

  • Return of Alsace-Lorraine to France

  • Self-determination of nations – borders along lines of nationality

  • Creation of Poland

  • Formation of the League of Nations to maintain peace

Treaty of Versailles

  • Drafted in Paris at the Paris Peace Conference

  • Key Players:

    • Woodrow Wilson (USA): Wanted a peaceful world based on his Fourteen Points.

    • George Clemenceau (France): Wanted to punish Germany.

    • Lloyd George (Great Britain): Wanted Germany to pay.

  • Germany and its allies (Central Powers) were not allowed to attend.

  • Tone: Written with revenge in mind.

Main Points of Treaty of Versailles

  • Reparations: 3333 Billion

  • Military:

    • Army of 100,000100,000 men

    • Small navy, no submarines

    • No air force

  • Territory:

    • Germany had to give back any land gained during the war.

    • Lost all colonies

    • Alsace-Lorraine given to France

  • War Guilt: Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war

Reactions to the Treaty

  • Germany and Wilson felt the treaty was too harsh.

  • Britain thought the treaty was okay

  • France wanted the treaty to be harsher.

  • June 28, 1919: Germany forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles

Problems with the Treaty

  • United States: Did not sign the treaty, didn't want to be involved in European affairs.

  • Germany: Exclusion from peace talks created resentment.

  • Russia: Exclusion from peace talks created resentment.

  • Italy: Did not get the land they wanted.

  • Japan: Wanted some of Germany's colonies in the Far East.