End of WWI

The Treaty of Versailles

signaled “the death

sentence of many

millions of German

men, women and

children.”

John Maynard Keynes

Wilson’s 14 Points The "Fourteen Points" was a

statement declaring that World War I was being fought for a moral cause and calling for postwar peace in Europe.

European allies were skeptical about Wilson’s idealism – The speech was made without prior

coordination or consultation with Wilson's counterparts in Europe. Clemenceau of France, upon hearing of the 14 Points, was said to have sarcastically claimed “The good Lord only had ten!”

Wilson’s 14 Points Program for a fair and lasting peace

– I. Open covenants of peace

– II. Absolute freedom of seas

– III. Equality of trade conditions among nations

– IV. National armaments to be reduced

– V. Impartial adjustment of all colonial claims

– VI. Evacuation of all Russian territory

– VII. Belgium must be evacuated and restored

– VIII. All French territory freed and restored, and wrong done to France by Prussia in 1871 (Alsace-Lorraine) should be righted

– IX. Readjustment of Italy’s frontiers along national lines

Fourteen Points X. Peoples of Austria- Hungary should be

accorded freest opportunity to autonomous development

XI. Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro restored; Serbia given free/secure access to sea; and international guarantees of political/economic independence of Balkan states

XII. Turkish portion of Ottoman Empire given secure sovereignty, and Dardanelles permanently opened as free passage to ships

XIII. Independent Polish state created including territories inhabited by Poles, assured free/secure access to sea

XIV. Association of nations formed

Fourteen Points The speech was delivered 10 months

before the Armistice with Germany and became the basis for the terms of the German surrender.

The Treaty of Versailles had little to do with the Fourteen Points.

Treaty of Versailles

Big Four and Their Goals

David Lloyd George

– Prime Minister of Great

Britain

– Expand British empire/power

–Make Germany pay

Georges Clemenceau

– Premier of France

– Ensure French security

– Make Germany pay

Big Four and Their Goals

Woodrow Wilson

– US President

– Provide just peace

– Create better world

Vittorio Orlando

– Premier of Italy

–Enlarge Italy's European lands

– Expand Italy's empire

Treats Germany Like a

BRAT

B – Blame: had to accept blame for

starting the war.

R – Reparations: had to pay huge sums

to help repair damage to other countries.

A – Army: limited to 100,000; 6

battleships; stay out of Rhineland; war

industries restricted

T – Territory: lost Alsace/Lorraine, land to

Poland and its’ colonies. Not allowed to

join together with Austria.

League of Nations

Created It was the first international organization whose

principal mission was to maintain world peace

through collective security and disarmament,

and settling international disputes through

negotiation

The League lacked its own armed force and

depended on the GB/France to enforce its

resolutions.

– Ultimately proved incapable of preventing

aggression

Impact of WWI

Social

Almost 10 million soldiers

were killed and over 20

million wounded

Millions of civilians died

World aflame with hatred

and nationalism

Economic

Cost $350 billion, bringing:

–Heavy taxes

–Lower standards of living

International trade suffered

Economic dislocations

helped bring 1929 depression

Communists introduced new

economic system in Russia

Political

3 European dynasties were

dethroned

–Hohenzollerns in Germany

–Hapsburgs in Austria

–Romanovs in Russia

New nation-states created or

recreated

Political US reluctant world leader

League of Nations established without US membership

European nations turned to dictatorships:

–Russia

–Italy

–Germany