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The Last Year of the War The new German republic and the Allies signed an armistice, ending the war on November 11, 1918. The Last Year of the War (cont.) • After the withdrawal of the Russians, Germany had a renewed hope for a victory. • Erich Ludendorff decided to make one last grand offensive in the west to end the military stalemate. • The Germans launched their final attack in March of 1918 but were defeated at the Second Battle of Marne. The Last Year of the War (cont.) • The Allies refused to make peace with the autocratic imperial government of Germany. • Sailors in Kiel mutinied while councils of workers and soldiers took over civilian and military offices. • The Social Democrats, led by Friedrich Ebert, announced the creation of a democratic republic and signed an armistice with the Allies on November 11, 1918. The Last Year of the War (cont.) • After the war, the German Communist Party formed in opposition to the Social Democrats and tried to seize power in Berlin and in Munich. • The revolts were crushed and the leaders of the Communist were captured and killed. • Austria-Hungary collapsed as ethnic groups achieved independence forming Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. The Peace Settlements The Treaty of Versailles punished Germany, established new nations, and created a League of Nations to solve international problems. The Peace Settlements (cont.) • In January 1919, representatives from 27 victorious Allied nations met in Paris to make a final settlement of World War I. The Peace Settlements (cont.) • U.S. President Woodrow Wilson became the spokesman for a new world order based on democracy and international cooperation. • David Lloyd George of Great Britain and Georges Clemenceau of France wanted German reparations. The Peace Settlements (cont.) • Germany was not invited to the conference and Russia could not attend because of its civil war. • The conference accepted Wilson’s proposal of an international peacekeeping organization, a League of Nations, to prevent future wars. The Peace Settlements (cont.) • The Treaty of Versailles with Germany: – The War Guilt Clause declared that Germany and Austria were responsible for the war. – Harsh reparations were to be paid to Allied governments for all war damages. – Reduction of Germany’s navy and army and elimination of its air force The Peace Settlements (cont.) – Return of Alsace and Lorraine to France – Sections of eastern Germany were given to a new Polish state. – A demilitarized zone along the Rhine River to protect France from future German invasions The Peace Settlements (cont.) • New nation-states emerged from the German, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian empires: Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Hungary. • Romania acquired more land, and Serbia formed the center of a new state called Yugoslavia. The Peace Settlements (cont.) • Compromises had to be made during the peace talks. As a result, almost every eastern European state was left with ethnic minorities. • The Ottoman Empire was also divided up and taken as mandates by the France and Great Britain. • France took control of Lebanon and Syria. Britain received Iraq and Palestine. Questions to answer about World War I Do you think that redrawing countries’ borders after a war contributes to future wars? A. Yes B. No What happened to Austria-Hungary as a result of World War I? A. It became a democratic republic. B. It came under German control. C. It was divided into two regions: Communist and non-Communist. D. It ceased to exist and was replaced by four independent nations. The End