The end of the War and Treaty of Versailles

What's up with WWI? RECAP! 4 Conditions that led to trouble: Militarism Alliance System Imperialism Nationalism Time Bomb! Assassination of Franz Ferdinand Alliances form…

Central Powers/Triple Alliance Allies/Triple Entente The two teams Central Powers/Triple Alliance Germany Austria-Hungary Ottoman Empire Allies/Triple Entente England France Russia U.S.

The Great War Some have called World War I “The Great War” because more troops fought and died than ever before in history. WESTERN FRONT- a 600-mile stretch from the English Channel to Switzerland where heavy fighting took place. The Germans fought against the British and the French on the Western Front with no real victories. Troops dug trenches, or narrow and deep holes in the ground, along the Western Front. Both sides could come out of the trenches, fight, and then run back to their trench.

A War of Technology During World War I, both the Central Powers and the Allies used advanced military technology to kill the enemy. Machine guns made it possible for one gunner to kill waves of soldiers. When thrown into a trench, poison gas could cause choking, blinding, and severe skin blisters.

Why is this a World War? Throughout the war, additional countries, such as Japan, the Ottoman Empire, and the United States joined the war. In addition, because the mother countries were turning to their colonies for workers, supplies, and even soldiers, countries in Africa and South America were involved as well.

Total War World War I was what we call a Total War. In a total war, all of a nation’s resources go into the war effort. Governments DRAFTED men to fight the war and raised taxes to pay for the costs of the war. They RATIONED goods and created PROPAGANDA. Draft - a system in which men are selected to fight in a war. In many countries, men are assigned a number, and numbers are then randomly selected. Ration - to limit the supply of goods available to people. Propaganda - the spreading of ideas to promote a cause or damage an opposing cause.

World War I Propaganda

End of the War By 1917, Europe had seen too much death and ruin and the war was beginning to fall apart. Russian Revolution (1917) - The new leader, Vladimir Lenin, signed a treaty with Germany that took Russia out of the war. In April 1917, the United States joined the Allies and began to fight against Germany. With the new soldiers and supplies from the United States, the other Central Powers began to drop out of the war.

Germany Declares an Armistice Soon, Germany stood alone AND asked for an end to the fighting. An ARMISTICE was declared on November 11, 1918. Armistice - an agreement to end the fighting.

Final Toll There were political, financial, and human costs at the end of World War I. Political Costs Collapse in governments Unrest in colonies Rising threat of communism Financial Costs War loans to repay Factories, farms, homes, and roads destroyed German REPARATIONS Human Costs: More than 8.5 million dead More than 17 million wounded Famine

Military Deaths

The Big Three Europe was a complete mess; someone had to do something to figure out how to rebuild it. The Big Three: met at the Paris Peace Conference to decide what Europe would be like after the war. American President Woodrow Wilson French leader Georges Clemenceau British Prime Minister David Lloyd George

Wilson’s 14 Points At the meeting, President Wilson presented his 14 Points. A document designed to prevent another war. No secret treaties Freedom of the seas Tariffs should be lowered or abolished Arms should be reduced End of colonialism League of Nations Self-determination – allowing countries to select their own governments.

Treaty of Versailles While Wilson wanted self-determination, the French and the British just wanted to punish Germany for starting the war. They did this with the TREATY OF VERSAILLES. TREATY OF VERSAILLES: created new countries, punished Germany with reparations and military cutbacks, and set up the League of Nations. REPARATIONS: payment for war damages. Germany had to pay over $30 billion. LEAGUE OF NATIONS: a group of over forty countries that met together to settle international problems without war. US will never join the League of Nations

Problems that followed opened the door for…

This Guy…

Treaty of Versailles Cartoon/Comic Strip You will create a political cartoon, or comic strip that illustrates at least 3 of the main ideas of the Treaty of Versailles, illustrates how Germany was treated at the end of the war, and who comes to power as a result of the failed treaty. On the back of your cartoon write: What is the main idea that you’re trying to convey to your audience? What people (if any) are included in your cartoon? What symbols (if any) are included in your cartoon? What do they represent?

“We shall fight another war again in 25 years time.” What does this quote tell you about the Treaty of Versailles? If people knew at the time that the treaty was ineffective, or would lead to another war, why do you think no one changed it? Do you think some countries took any other steps to try to ensure peace after World War I?

So what do you think? Was this the war to end ALL wars?