The End of World War I

The Central Powers Declare Defeat By the end of 1918, Wilson forced Kaiser Wilhelm II to give up the German throne Creation of the Weimar Republic November 11, 1918: Germany signed an armistice, ending World War I

Germany Signs an Armistice Germany must hand over munitions (military capability) Smaller naval fleet No more U-boats Release POWs Rhineland occupied More punishments later

Each dot represents a ship sunk by a U-boat

Economic Costs of WWI $300 Billion Total Financial Losses Germans lost 178 U-boats, but sunk 5,000 ships 13 million tons of supplies

Human Costs of WWI 21 million soldiers wounded About 9 million soldiers died Germany, Russia lost the most Russia lost more in revolution and ensuing civil war About 8 million civilians died 6 million due to famine and disease Almost 2 million were Russian

Wilson’s Fourteen Points Wilson’s plan for post-war world General statements of peace Idealistic views increased morale

Paris Peace Conference Wilson was too idealistic European powers wanted revenge Defeated nations allowed very little role

Paris Peace Conference Allies met at Versailles Big Four: US--Wilson Britain--George France—Clemenceau Italy- Orlando

Wilson vs. Allied Powers Wilson didn’t want harsh punishments “war to end all wars” The British and French wanted to punish Germany Expected reparations Germans didn’t have a chance to negotiate

Division of Europe Wilson’s goal of self-determination not fully realized Boundaries didn’t match ethnic groups Border Disputes in the following regions Germans in Czechoslovakia and Polish Corridor Deportation and Genocide of Armenians in Turkey

Europe in the Middle East Ottomans lost everything except Turkey Britain and France promised independence to ethnic groups in Middle East Palestine, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq created

League of Nations Places where problems could be worked and war avoided!

League of Nations Part of Wilson’s Fourteen Points Added to the Treaty of Versailles U.S. never joined Senate never ratified treaty Afraid of giving up sovereignty, and another war

The League of Nations President Wilson won the Peace Prize in 1919 as the leading architect behind the League of Nations