The Treaty of Versailles

The Big Four Decide Peace Woodrow Wilson—14 Points “peace without victory” “a just peace” “world made safe for democracy” League of Nations

P.M. David Lloyd George (Great Britain): expand British power make Germany pay for the war

Premier Vittorio Orlando (Italy): enlarge Italian territory in Europe and world

Premier Georges Clemenceau (France): ensure French safety weaken Germany

The Treaty of Versailles 1. Territory-France gets Alsace-Lorraine. 9 new nations (self-determination)

2. Colonial-Germany gives up all colonies to allies. 3. Disarmament-strict restriction of German armed forces.

4. War Guilt-Germany must accept sole responsibility for causing the war and pay for damages.

5. League of Nations

Created to promote disarmament and prevent war. Had no military force of its own, so depended on help of its member states.

6. Mandate System German colonies were given to Britain or France as mandates—territories ruled like colonies but subject to the supervision of the League of Nations.

Analysis of Treaty: Harsh—not designed for peace. Germany embarrassed. Fair—self-determination, League of Nations or

Armenian Massacres WWI led to the end of the Ottoman Empire, because the sultan had joined the Central Powers.

For centuries, Armenian Christians had lived in the Ottoman Empire. Some Armenians sought an independent Armenian state.

The Ottoman government began to disarm its Armenian citizens, fearing they might be sympathetic to Christian Russia. Armenian political leaders, educators, writers, and clergy were jailed and then hanged or shot.

Next, Turkish soldiers gathered over a million Armenian men, women, and children and sent them on death marches into the Syrian desert.

They also used firing squads, burnings, drownings, poisons, and drugs against Armenian victims.

WWI and the Middle East After the war, the Allies took away Turkish possessions in Arabia, Syria, and Palestine.

To gain Arab support during the fighting, the British government had promised Arab groups their independence.

But in 1919, these areas were instead divided between Britain and France as mandates under the League of Nations. Uprisings in Egypt and Arabia finally led to their independence (1922-1924).

Results of the Great War Social: 11 million dead (1 million civilian), 20 million wounded. Hatred, revenge, intolerance, extreme nationalism.

Famine and malnutrition threatened many regions.

Economic: $338 billion cost results in high taxes and tariffs. Lower standard of living. Rise of Communism. Leads to the Great Depression

Political: US emerges as leading world power. Dynasties fall in Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Ottoman Empire 9 new nations League of Nations Dictatorships (USSR, Italy, and Germany).

And in 2010…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSz25O8XAGI