World War One: The End of the Great War

1
World War One The End of the Great War

2
Total War

• U.S. joined the war in 1917, 3 years after it
  started
• Europe was ravaged, with millions dead and
  millions lives changed forever
• Total War Countries devoted all their resources
  to the war effort
• Government told factories what to produce for the
  war and every person _at_ home was put to work
• Unemployment went down, women were put in the
  workplace as well as foreigners in some of Europe
• Women thought their efforts would help get more
  rights after the war

3
War at Home

• All countries used rallies, parades, posters,
  pamphlets (propaganda) to persuade citizens to
  support the war effort.
• Propaganda- Material put out to get the public to
  support a cause (i.e. WAR)
• Some propaganda was put out to get citizens to
  join the fight while other material tried to get
  people to help _at_ home
• Many had posters promoting rationing
• Rationing people at home could only buy small
  amounts of certain items that were needed for the
  war effort
• Bread, meat, tires were just a few of the
  rationed items

4
Russia Drops Out

• In 1917 Russia was going through shortages of
  food, fuel, weapons
• 5.5 million Russians were killed, wounded, or
  captured
• Their leader, Czar Nicholas II, was forced to
  abdicate (give up) the throne
• The new govt. wanted to keep fighting, but the
  soldiers refused
• Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in
  March 1918, ending the war with Germany
• The treaty was tough on Russia, forcing them to
  give up territory throughout eastern Europe

5
Germanys Final Push

• With Russia out of the way, Germany could no
  concentrate on the Western Front (France)
• The Germans launched a massive attack in France
  in March 1918
• By May 1918, Germany had reached the Marne River
  again, just 40 miles from Paris
• In July of 1918, Germany launched their last
  offensive The Second Battle of the Marne
• However, by this time the German army and
  supplies were exhausted and the U.S. provided
  over 2 million troops to the war effort
• The Germans were unsuccessful

6
Central Powers Weakening

• By the fall of 1918, Germany was in a lot of
  trouble.
• There were food riots strikes taking place not
  only in Germany, but in other Central Powers
  countries
• Members of the Central Powers began surrendering
• This included the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria
• In early November, the Allies reached a peace
  agreement with Austria-Hungary.

7
End of the Great War

• When soldiers and the public turned against the
  Kaiser, the Germans surrendered
• The Armistice or truce officially ended the war
  on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
  month of 1918.
• We celebrate this day in the US as Veterans Day.
• The Kaiser or leader abandoned the throne
  Germany became a republic.
• Germany had to leave all occupied territory all
  heavy artillery, tanks, U-boats had to be
  surrendered.
• Germany had to accept the occupation of some of
  its territory by Allied troops.

8
Establishing Peace

• Between the two sides more than 8 million
  soldiers were killed in WWI.
• More than 20 million soldiers were wounded.
• WWI is the most deadly war of modern times.
• The economies of the countries in Europe were
  ruined.
• It is estimated that the war cost 333 billion.

9
Wilsons Fourteen Points

• Even before end of the war, President Woodrow
  Wilson drew up a series of proposals called the
  Fourteen Points
• His plan was for peace for years to come
• The terms for peace should be not so harsh on the
  Central Powers that the settlement would provoke
  another war.
• He also wanted to eliminate secret treaties, stop
  imperialism (colonial claims), and introduce
  self-determination in countries
• Self-Determination the right of people to decide
  for themselves the government they want to live
  under
• He also want to create the League of Nations a
  congress of nation to settle international
  disputes, maintain peace collective security.
• Others freedom of ships on seas/lower tariffs

10
The Paris Peace Conference

• After the war the Paris Peace Conference was held
  at the palace of Versailles outside of Paris.
• 32 countries attended but the Central powers were
  not invited.
• The Big Four David Lloyd George Great
  Britain, George Clemenceau France, Woodrow
  Wilson US, Vittorio Orlando Italy.
• Russia sent no representative, b/c they were in a
  civil war
• The leaders clashed over how to peacefully deal
  with the Central Powers.
• Many wanted Germany to accept all blame pay the
  Allied Powers for the full cost of the war

11
Treaty of Versailles

• Treaty of Versailles Final peace settlement of
  the war was signed on June 28, 1919 exactly five
  years after Ferdinands assassination
• Did include some of Wilsons Fourteen Points,
  like the League of Nations
• 32 countries, w/ 5 countries U.S., France,
  Britain, Japan, Italy as permanent members of
  executive council
• However, Germany was treated very harshly in the
  treaty
• Germany lost territory, lost rights to establish
  military, and was forced to pay war reparations
• Reparations Payment to Allies for war costs
• All of Germanys territories in Africa Asia
  were taken over by the Allies

12
Treaty of Versailles ? or ??

• The Treaty of Versailles did very little to
  establish peace
• The U.S. never agreed to the treaty, Wilson
  didnt like its terms Congress felt the League
  would just pull the U.S. into another war
• The Treaty also caused bitter feelings from
• Germans who felt that they were being ravaged by
  and land hungry Allies
• Asians Africans who didnt receive any
  independence after talk about self-determination
• Even Allies like Japan Italy were upset they
  didnt get more territory
• Russia was abandoned by the allies and forced to
  give up territory that became Estonia, Finland,
  Latvia, Lithuania
• Many of lands in the Middle East under Ottoman
  control (Iraq, Lebanon, Syria) were given to
  France Britain rather than given independence
• The Austria-Hungary empire was thought to be too
  large, so it was divided into Austria, Hungary,
  Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia