The Home Front: The Impact of Total War Total War: the complete mobilization of a nation’s resources and people War impacted lives of each member of society Industrialized war: workers, supplies = troops Governments took increased control Conscription used to build massive armies Freedom of speech restricted in times of war Free markets gave way to planned economies The manipulation of public opinion Authoritarian regimes used force to fight unrest Propaganda used to win over hearts & minds Total war meant opportunities for women Employed at jobs once thought beyond them Paved way for post-war women’s suffrage mov’t

The Treaty of Versailles: A Lasting Peace? Paris Peace Conference began Jan, 1919 Delegates of victorious nations (except Russia) US Prez Wilson touted his Fourteen Points plan Open diplomacy, arms reduction, self-determination Britain and France entered meetings wanting revenge and to keep Germany weak Germany signed Treaty of Versailles Germans considered it a harsh peace settlement Article 231 “War Guilt Clause”: Germany started it Germans forced to pay reparations for damages Limited size & location of German army & navy Lost territory, including prized Alsace & Lorraine Map of Eastern Europe redrawn by nationalism Imposed democratic regimes in former kingdoms League of Nations designed to prevent WWII Nations could use diplomacy to settle disputes The need for security on the Continent led France to support a buffer soon of new nations between Russia and Germany, carved out of the former Austrian Empire. German territory along the French border was demilitarized out of same concern for protection.

Lenin and the Russian Revolution Absolutist Russia led by Czar Nicholas II Despite his complete lack of training, czar insisted on leading Russian military effort Woefully ill-equipped army lacked weaponry Public lost confidence in royal leadership Odd story of Czarista Alexandra & Rasputin Demonstrators in Petrograd protest breadlines March Revolution: czar forced to step down, shot Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik Party Russian Marxists dedicated to violent revolution Lenin: controlling “soviets” key to taking power October (1918) Revolution: Bolsheviks marched on St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace, seized power Bolsheviks renamed Communists, survived internal & external attacks to create USSR This Soviet propaganda poster reads “Lenin Lived, Lenin Lives, Lenin Will Live”, suggesting the lasting legacy of Lenin among the Soviet people.

Economic Hardships: From Bad to Worse 1920s: Uneasy Peace & Uncertain Security League of Nations left weak without USA Congress refused to approve Treaty of Versailles Remaining members mixed about use of force Germany unable to pay reparations to France Led to French occupation of industrial Ruhr Valley Inflation crippled German economy, democracy Dawes Plan introduced to settle economic dispute; American help/loans to Germany 1929: Great Depression erodes economies Caused by economic downturn in individual national economies, international financial crisis Prices fell rapidly due to overproduction Underconsumption due to falling wages US investors had been propping up European economies, much of that capital lost in Crash Extreme unemployment led to growing tensions, criticism of the democracy & free-market system The chart above demonstrates the tremendous inflation that crippled the Germany economy in the years following the Treaty of Versailles.