Toward an Armistice: 1918 Unit 6: World War I

Western Front Since Russia joined a truce with Germany, Germany was able to build up its strength. Allied troops struggled to hold off German offensives until reinforcements from the U.S. arrived.

Second Battle of the Marne On July 15th, the Germans attacked for the last time at the Second Battle of the Marne. Erich von Ludendorff led German troops to attack France. They were met by French forces, some British forces, and 85,000 American troops. The Allies pushed the German offensives back. Three days later, they launched their own counteroffensive. Suffering massive casualties, Ludendorff was forced to cancel German plan to move north.

First the Ottomans By the fall, the Central Powers were unraveling on all fronts. An Arab revolt, supported by British Colonel T.E. Lawrence, and invading forces combined to destroy the Ottoman economy, forcing the Turks to sign a treaty with the Allies in October.

Austria-Hungary surrender Austria-Hungary was struggling due to growing nationalist movements among its diverse population. Leading to a surrender to the Allies on November 4th.

Facing dwindling resources on the battlefield, discontent on the home front and the surrender of its allies, Germany was finally forced to seek an armistice on November 11, 1918, ending World War I.

Death Count The Great War took the life of more than 9 million soldiers, even more wounded. Civilian casualties caused indirectly by the war numbered close to 10 million. The countries most affected were Germany and Russia. Each sent almost 80% of their male population ages 15 to 49 into battle.

Fall of dynasties This war marked the fall of four imperial dynasties: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Ottoman.

Peace Conference The Allied leaders met in Paris with Germany and Austria-Hungary to finalize formal peace terms. The desire was to build a safeguard against future conflicts of such devastating scale.

Germany’s harsh losses President Wilson (United States) urged a just and lasting peace, but Prime Minister David Lloyd George (England) and Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau (France) disagreed, forcing harsh war reparations on their former enemies.

Treaty of Versailles They signed the Versailles Treaty on June 28th, 1919 forming the League of Nations. President Wilson suffered a stroke in fall, which prevented him reaching a compromise with those in Congress who thought the treaties reduced U.S. authority. This is why the U.S. is not a part of the League of Nations. Sadly, the allies would not succeed with their goal of peace. Germany was burdened with war guilt and heavy compensations. They were also denied entrance in the League of Nations. Germany felt tricked into signing the treaty.