End of World War I (WWI) Learning Target #20: I can evaluate the Fourteen Points and Treaty of Versailles and their influence on the globe following World War I.

Germany Falls Germany was running low on food and supplies Tired from fighting for close to four years The Allies were running low as well, and were also tired, but had fresh U.S. Troops Over 4,000,000 troops were sent by the U.S. The Allies defeated Germany, and the Germans were forced to withdraw

Armistice Signed Armistice signed on 11/11/1918 An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting until an official “treaty” is reached and agreed upon. Germany agreed to stop fighting if Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Point Plan was put into place after the war. Germany was treated rather fairly under the premise of the Fourteen Points

Wilson’s Fourteen Points President Wilson believed that in order to end the war, there must be a “just” peace. Wilson’s main goal for the Fourteen Points was to create World Peace Some of the points from the Fourteen Points were: No secret alliances that may entangle Nations in wars Freedom of the Seas Free trade amongst all Nations Self-Determination of all peoples The creation of a “League of Nations” to maintain peace Wilson believed that “…unless justice be done to others, it will not be done to us” Did not want to punish Germany too harshly 1919 Nobel Peace Prize

Paris Peace Conference Representatives from Allied Nations met in Paris to discuss the terms for ending World War I “Big Four” Woodrow Wilson (President, United States), David Lloyd George (Prime Minister, Great Britain), Georges Clemenceau (Prime Minister, France), Vittorio Orlando (Prime Minister, Italy) Russia, Germany, and Germany’s Allies were not represented at the conference. Germany’s fate was left to the “Big Four”

Treaty of Versailles Although many saw Wilson’s Fourteen Points as a positive idea for the future, the actual peace treaty was much different. “Big Four” retreated from the peace talked about in the Fourteen Points in favor of their own nationalistic claims. Germans felt as though they had been tricked Treaty of Versailles signed on June 28, 1919 Penalized Germany: War Guilt Clause Reparations ($132 Billion Marks, $450 Billion Dollars in 2017) Loss of Territory (10% of prewar territory in Europe and ALL colonies) Reduction of Military (Army, Navy dramatically reduced, no air force or submarines allowed) Several top German Officials (Kaiser Wilhelm II) subject to trial for war crimes Germany furious at the terms of the Treaty of Versailles French Marshall Ferdinand Foch “This is not peace; the seeds of German resentment have been planted”