2. The After Affects of WWI

3. A High Price to Pay World War I was expensive in terms of money, people and property. In money alone, the war cost over $350 Billion. World War I was expensive in terms of money, people and property. In money alone, the war cost over $350 Billion. But of course, no one can calculate the price paid by the soldiers, their families and civilians who lived through all the horrors of this war. But of course, no one can calculate the price paid by the soldiers, their families and civilians who lived through all the horrors of this war.

4. Death Toll 10 million soldiers killed – that’s more than twice the population of Georgia. One fourth of these died from war related diseases such as gangrene or dysentery. 21 million soldiers wounded – many blinded or severely malformed from poisonous gas. 6 million civilians killed – includes women & children who just were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

5. Left Behind 5 Million Widows 9 Million Orphans

6. Destruction Thousands of factories, roads, hospitals, schools, churches, office buildings and bridges all over Europe were totally destroyed.

8. Often Entire Cities Lay In Ruins.

9. Germany Nowhere had the war taken a greater toll than in Germany where whole villages had been blown off the map. More than 60% of the factories had been destroyed. Farmland that had once been used to grow crops and livestock had been ruined by war. Thousands of people were hungry and homeless. Nowhere had the war taken a greater toll than in Germany where whole villages had been blown off the map. More than 60% of the factories had been destroyed. Farmland that had once been used to grow crops and livestock had been ruined by war. Thousands of people were hungry and homeless.

10. What next? The world had experienced the greatest loss from war in recorded history until that time. How would the people recover? How would they rebuild their homes and lives? What would the Allies’ terms of surrender mean for these people? The world had experienced the greatest loss from war in recorded history until that time. How would the people recover? How would they rebuild their homes and lives? What would the Allies’ terms of surrender mean for these people?

11. Treaty of Versailles In January of 1919, representatives from more than 30 countries met in the great French palace of Versailles to write a peace treaty to formally end the war. This peace treaty, known as the Treaty of Versailles, set the terms for the Central Power’s surrender.

12. Germany Gets Blamed To many, it seemed that this was not a peace agreement as much as it was a list of punishments designed to hurt Germany. The treaty said that Germany alone was responsible for the war and should pay for all the damages done to all the Allies. To many, it seemed that this was not a peace agreement as much as it was a list of punishments designed to hurt Germany. The treaty said that Germany alone was responsible for the war and should pay for all the damages done to all the Allies.

13. Germans Suffer The people of Germany were ordered to pay $32 billion in damages. Of course the Germans had no real way to do this. Their factories were destroyed, their cities were in ruins, and there was no way Germany could repay this large amount of money. The people of Germany were ordered to pay $32 billion in damages. Of course the Germans had no real way to do this. Their factories were destroyed, their cities were in ruins, and there was no way Germany could repay this large amount of money.

14. Could It Get Any Worse? The people of Germany were desperate. Unemployment was sky high. People were hungry. The government was in shambles. Because they couldn’t pay the money demanded by the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had to pay with coal instead. This left Germany with little coal to heat their own homes or power the few factories that it did have left. The people of Germany were desperate. Unemployment was sky high. People were hungry. The government was in shambles. Because they couldn’t pay the money demanded by the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had to pay with coal instead. This left Germany with little coal to heat their own homes or power the few factories that it did have left. Who would they turn to for help?

15. Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures And so, the people of Germany looked to an unlikely source of help during those times of extreme hardship. A source they might have never otherwise chosen and would surely live to regret. And so, the people of Germany looked to an unlikely source of help during those times of extreme hardship. A source they might have never otherwise chosen and would surely live to regret.