Download End of WWI Revised (US) 07

New Warfare in WWI
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During WWI armies introduced new war machines. Airplanes,
submarines, poisonous gas and tanks were all used in World War I
Armies used airplanes to gather information, shoot down enemy
planes, and fire on trenches
Germany's fleet of U-boats, or submarines, was the world's largest
and most advanced, causing heavy losses to Allied shipping
Both the French and German armies soon turned to trench
warfare.
Using this strategy, armies fought from the protection of deep
ditches to defend their position
No Man’s Land = area between opposing trenches
By late 1914 the war on the western front had become a stalemate,
a situation in which neither side can win a clear victory
During 1915 much of the fighting took place in eastern Europe
Allies in Trouble: U.S. Arrives
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When the first U.S. troops arrived, the
Allies were in bad shape.
German troops occupied Belgium and
part of France
The German navy was destroying Allied
ships at an alarming rate.
Russia was barely able to hold the
Germans back and eventually dropped
out of the war
General John J. Pershing commanded the
American Expeditionary Force (AEF).
The AEF included a large force of
volunteers and draftees as well as soldiers
from the regular army and the National
Guard.
Pershing worked hard to train his troops
for trench warfare
Germany’s Last Ditch Effort
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With Russia out of the conflict and most
U.S. troops not yet ready to fight,
Germany saw its last chance to win the war.
In the spring of 1918 Germany launched a
series of major attacks on the western
front.
On March 21 the Germans attacked along
the Somme River in northern France
Two days later, German artillery
bombarded Paris from about 75 miles away
But after pushing some 40 miles into Allied
lines, the advance stalled as German troops
advanced farther and faster than their
supplies
The attack cost the German army 250,000
casualties
Full US Offensive
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By the beginning of July 1918, some 1 million
U.S. troops and military personnel were stationed
in France
In mid-July Germans launched last, desperate
offensive
At the Second Battle of the Marne, both sides
suffered heavy casualties
German losses destroyed ability to attack again
The Allies counterattacked in September 1918
In first mainly US assault, U.S. forces defeated
Germans at Saint-Mihiel, near border of France
& Germany
By November 1918 General Pershing's troops
had broken through enemy lines.
The Allies continued to advance toward the
railway at Sedan on the Belgian border, which
was the main supply line for German forces.
Other Allied forces also advanced
Central Powers Weakening
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By the fall of 1918, Germany was
in a lot of trouble
There were food riots & strikes
taking place not only in Germany,
but in other Central Powers
countries
Members of the Central Powers
began surrendering
This included the Ottoman
Empire and Bulgaria
In early November, the Allies
reached a peace agreement with
Austria-Hungary
End of the Great War
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When soldiers and the public turned against the
Kaiser, the Germans surrendered
The Armistice or truce officially ended the war
on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
month of 1918.
We celebrate this day in the US as Veteran’s Day.
The German Kaiser (leader) abandoned the
throne
Germany had to leave all occupied territory & all
heavy artillery, tanks, & U-boats had to be
surrendered.
Between the two sides more than 8 million
soldiers were killed in WWI.
More than 20 million soldiers were wounded
WWI is the most deadly war of modern times.
The economies of the countries in Europe were
ruined
It is estimated that the war cost $333 billion
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
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Even before end of the war, President Woodrow Wilson
drew up a series of proposals called the Fourteen Points
14 points = Wilson’s plan was for peace for years to come
Wilson felt that the Allies should be not so harsh on the
Central Powers b/c that would lead to another war
He also wanted to eliminate secret treaties, stop
imperialism (colonial claims), and introduce selfdetermination in countries
Self-Determination: the right of people to decide for
themselves the government they want to live under
For President Wilson, the most important of the treaty's
terms was the creation of the League of Nations
Each member country would be represented in the
assembly and would have one vote
The council would also include five permanent members—
Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States
Eventually, all countries would be allowed to join.
However, former Central Powers couldn’t be members in
beginning
The Paris Peace Conference
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After the war the Paris Peace Conference was
held at the palace of Versailles outside of Paris.
32 countries attended but the Central powers
were not invited
The “Big Four”: David Lloyd George – Great
Britain, George Clemenceau – France,
Woodrow Wilson – US, & Vittorio Orlando –
Italy.
Russia sent no representative, b/c they were
civil war
The leaders clashed over how to peacefully
deal with the Central Powers.
Many wanted Germany to accept all blame &
pay the Allied Powers for the full cost of the
war
Treaty of Versailles
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Treaty of Versailles: Final peace settlement
of the war was signed on June 28, 1919
exactly five years after Ferdinand’s
assassination
Did include some of Wilson’s Fourteen
Points, like the League of Nations
However, Germany was treated very harshly
in the treaty
Germany lost territory, lost rights to
establish military, and was forced to pay war
reparations
Reparations: Payment to Allies for war costs
All of Germany’s territories in Africa &
Asia were taken over by the Allies
League of Nations
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All that remained was to convince the U.S. Senate to approve the treaty
Wilson was surprised that Congress didn’t share his enthusiasm for the
Treaty of Versailles or the League of Nations
To get the two-thirds majority necessary for Senate approval of the
treaty, Wilson (Democrat) needed Republican support
Most of the Republicans worried about the collective security clause of
the League of Nations.
Collective security—the promise to defend other countries if they are
attacked—would involve the United States more closely in European
affairs.
The Republicans were strongly isolationist and felt like the collective
security agreement would bring the U.S. into another European war
Isolationism – Belief that a country should stay out of foreign affairs
(U.S. policy during early years of war)
Treaty Loses Support in U.S.
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In November 1919, Republicans presented the treaty for
Senate consideration with a list of 14 changes, or reservations
They wanted to limit U.S. military involvement in the League.
Otherwise, the reservations did not change the treaty greatly
However, Wilson pressured Democrats to vote against any
compromise, essentially telling them to vote against the Treaty
of Versailles, which he had worked so hard on
Wilson's refusal to compromise cost him his goal of U.S.
membership in the League of Nations.
The League of Nations was approved in Europe, but the U.S.
was not a member
In the end, the United States signed separate peace treaties
with Austria, Germany, and Hungary.
Treaty of Versailles: ↑ or ↓?
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The Treaty of Versailles did very little to establish peace
The U.S. never agreed to the treaty, Wilson didn’t like its terms
& Congress felt the League would just pull the U.S. into
another war
The Treaty also caused bitter feelings from:
Germans who felt that they were being ravaged by $ and land
hungry Allies
Asians & Africans who didn’t receive any independence after
talk about self-determination
Even Allies like Japan & Italy were upset they didn’t get more
territory
Russia was abandoned by the allies and forced to give up
territory
The Austria-Hungary empire was thought to be too large, so it
was divided into Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia &
Yugoslavia