THE END OF WWI

ENTRY OF THE U.S. PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON TRIED TO KEEP THE UNITED STATES OUT OF THE WAR, BUT IT BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT.

THE SINKING OF THE LUSITANIA I N 1915, A GERMAN SUBMARINE SANK THE BRITISH PASSENGER LINER LUSITANIA, WHICH WAS CARRYING WEAPONS, AS WELL AS PASSENGERS, FROM THE UNITED STATES TO ENGLAND.

THE LUSITANIA OF THE 1200 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE ATTACK, 128 WERE AMERICANS, MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE SINKING TURNED AMERICAN PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST GERMANY.

ITS ABOUT THE MONEY ECONOMIC INTERESTS ALSO PUSHED AMERICA TOWARD WAR. AMERICAN BANKS HAD MADE LARGE LOANS TO THE ALLIES, AND IF THE ALLIES LOST THE WAR, THESE LOANS MIGHT NEVER BE REPAID.

THE UNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE ALLIES MIGHT BE DEFEATED, PRESIDENT WILSON TOOK THE UNITED STATES TO WAR. THE U.S. DECLARED WAR IN 1917 "TO MAKE THE WORLD SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY" IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT WILSON.

THE END OF THE WAR WITH A MILLION FRESH AMERICAN TROOPS ARRIVING IN FRANCE, THE ALLIES SOON DEFEATED THE CENTRAL POWERS. WHEN THE FIGHTING STOPPED AT 11:00 O'CLOCK ON THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH, SOLDIERS FROM BOTH SIDES CAME OUT OF THEIR TRENCHES AND CHEERED. NOVEMBER 11TH IS NOW OBSERVED AS VETERAN'S DAY IN THE U.S.

THE END OF WWI THE GREAT WAR, AS IT WAS CALLED, CHANGED THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF EUROPE. GONE WERE THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EMPIRE AND THE LONG-DECAYING TURKISH OTTOMAN EMPIRE.  THEIR LANDS WERE BROKEN UP INTO SMALLER NATIONS. RUSSIA LOST ITS TSAR GERMANY'S KAISER WAS REPLACED BY A NEW GERMAN REPUBLIC.

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES THE PEACE TREATY ENDING THE WAR BETWEEN THE ALLIES AND GERMANY WAS SIGNED AT THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES IN JUNE OF THE TREATY PUNISHED GERMANY FOR THE WAR BY TAKING AWAY ITS OVERSEAS POSSESSIONS AND STRICTLY LIMITING GERMANY'S ARMY AND NAVY. WORSE FOR THE GERMANS, THEY WERE FORCED TO MAKE LARGE PAYMENTS, OR REPARATIONS, TO THE ALLIES FOR WAR DAMAGES.

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES THE TREATY ALSO ESTABLISHED THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS, AN ASSEMBLY OF SIXTY COUNTRIES THAT AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR WORLD PEACE. THE LEAGUE WAS THE IDEA OF PRESIDENT WILSON WHO HOPED THE GREAT WAR WOULD BE "THE WAR TO END ALL WARS."

EFFECTS OF WWI THE WAR NEARLY WIPED-OUT AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF YOUNG MEN IN EUROPE. ALMOST 30 MILLION PEOPLE WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED DURING THE GREAT WAR OVER A MILLION CIVILIANS DIED AS A RESULT OF THE FIGHTING. WEAK ECONOMIES UNEMPLOYMENT THE DESTRUCTION OF A GENERATION

EFFECTS OF WWI PEOPLE BEGAN TO SEE A LINK BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND DESTRUCTION SOME QUESTIONED IF MODERN TECHNOLOGY WAS SUCH A GOOD THING AFTER ALL.