The Treaty Of Versailles WORLD WAR I 1914 - 1918 BITTER PEACE The Treaty Of Versailles

Essential Question: What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I?

World War I was fought between the Allies and Central Powers from 1914 to 1918 On November 11, 1918, the German government agreed to an armistice, and the war ended

WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURN FROM THE FRONT THE BLOODY COST WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURN FROM THE FRONT

World War I was the largest, deadliest, and most destructive war the world had yet seen 8.5 million soldiers and 13 million civilians died as a result of the war

21 million soldiers were wounded during the war

THE WOUNDED Many of the wounded soldiers were maimed and suffered crippling injuries A combat nurse writes a letter for a wounded soldier

SOLDIERS BLINDED BY POISON GAS

STAGGERING AMOUNT OF DEATH To put this in proper perspective… In the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. has lost over 5000 soldiers over the last decade or so In World War I, the Allies alone lost an average of 3500 SOLDIERS PER DAY in just over four years of war

Homes, farms, towns, and cities were destroyed; the war cost a total of $338 billion and most national treasuries were empty

BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR THE DAMAGE DONE FRENCH CITY OF VERDUN: BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR

PALACE OF JUSTICE IN SENLIS: BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR THE DAMAGE DONE PALACE OF JUSTICE IN SENLIS: BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR

RUINS OF THE CITY OF YPRES AFTER THE WAR THE DAMAGE DONE RUINS OF THE CITY OF YPRES AFTER THE WAR

RUINS OF THE FRENCH VILLAGE OF VAUX THE DAMAGE DONE RUINS OF THE FRENCH VILLAGE OF VAUX

AND AS IF THAT WEREN’T ENOUGH… At the end of 1918, as the world is still reeling from the war, another disaster strikes; an influenza epidemic spreads around the globe, killing about 30 million people worldwide

In 1919, representatives from 32 nations attended the Paris Peace Conference to write a treaty to end the war The conference was led by the “Big Four”: Britain, France, Italy, and the United States U.S. President Woodrow Wilson French Premier George Clemenceau Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando British Prime Minister David Lloyd George Germany and none of the Central Powers were allowed to attend; Russia (now led by Bolsheviks) could not attend because of how they quit the war

Britain and France wanted to weaken Germany so it could never go to war again Britain and France wanted Germany to accept full blame, pay reparations, and lose all overseas colonies Creating a treaty would not be easy because the major powers had different agendas U.S. President Woodrow Wilson disagreed the these harsh punishments for Germany WILSON AT VERSAILLES, 1919. Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Prime Minister Vittorio Emanuele Orlando, Premier Georges Clemenceau and President Woodrow Wilson at the Versailles Palace during the Treaty Negotiations in 1919. British Prime Minister David Lloyd George French Premier George Clemenceau President Wilson presented his own peace proposal known as the Fourteen Points Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando U.S. President Woodrow Wilson

WILSON’S 14 POINTS Wilson’s peace plan (the 14 Points) was meant to prevent international problems from starting another war

THE 14 POINTS: AN OUTLINE FOR PEACE 9. Change in Italy’s borders 10. Self-government for Austria-Hungary’s peoples 11. Removal of German troops from the Balkans with Serbia gaining access to the sea 12. Independence for Turkey Giving those under Turkish rule the ability to rule themselves 13. Independence for Poland 14. Creation of The League of Nations 1. An end to secret treaties 2. Freedom of the Seas 3. Free trade among nations 4. A reduction of all armies & navies 5. End colonialism 6. Removal of German troops from Russia 7. Removal of German troops from Belgium 8. Removal of German troops from France & the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France

President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points, 1918 POINTS 1-5: Wilson hoped to eliminate the causes of WWI and called for an end to secret treaties (alliances), freedom of the seas, eliminating imperial colonies, and reducing national militaries POINTS 6-13: Wilson suggested changing national boundaries, creating new nations, and allowing self-determination so that the people of each nation could decide their own form of government POINT 14: Wilson wanted a League of Nations…

…that would give all nations an opportunity to work out their grievances without resorting to war Wilson hoped that a League of Nations could peacefully negotiate solutions to future conflicts

ALLIES DISAGREE President Wilson favored “peace without victory”, opposing severe punishment for the defeated Central Powers The other Allies, most notably France, wanted revenge on the Central Powers, especially on Germany; France suffered more damage than any other country over the course of the Great War, and wanted vengeance on Germany because of it In the United States, isolationists wanted America to stay out of other nations’ affairs The bottom line result: The Allies reject most of the 14 Points