Transcript WWI Ends

1915: Tsar
Nicholas takes
command of the
army
 Political vacuum
in St. Petersburg
 Provincial
government
created
 Tsar steps down &
eventually
murdered

Cossacks slaughter people of Odessa, 1905
2
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Provisional
government
was short-lived
Lenin and the
Soviets assume
power
Treaty of BrestLitovsk: Russia
withdraws from
WWI
Lenin at the Second Congress of the Soviets, 1917
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The US armed forces trained for 3 months
before sending troops to aid Britain and
France.
 In March 1918, Russia withdrew from the
fighting after 1.8 million Russians were dead
and wounded.
 After the U.S. entered the war, it was quickly
over. The allies defeated the Germans on
land and sea.

› Many Americans, including African Americans,
were regarded as heroes and awarded medals of
honor for their service in the war.

Germany was out of soldiers and food.
The Central Powers were eager to get
out of the war.
 The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria
withdrew in the fall of 1918. Then
Austria-Hungary signed a peace
agreement with the Allies.
 Finally, Germany agreed to an
armistice, or truce, On 11/11/1918 at
11:00am. (Veteran’s Day)
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November
11, 1918
Temporary
agreement
to stop
fighting
Peace
negotiations
and treaty
followed
Crowds of people celebrating the armistice
6
Over 8 million people were dead and
over 20 million were wounded.
 The US suffered over 116,000 deaths.
 Many European countries had
borrowed money to fund the war and
now they were in debt.
 The total cost was over $200 billion.
 US businesses had a huge boost from
the war and many countries owed the
US billions of dollars.

Central Powers
Allied Powers
A British first aid
station near
Cambrae, 1918
8
Central Powers
Allied Powers
German soldier
lies dead next to
his machine gun
9
The “Big Three + 1” at the Paris Peace Conference
“Big Three” (U.S., France,
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
& England)
 27 countries participated
 Defeated powers were not invited
 Six months to reach treaty agreement on
Germany

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Wilson wanted to prevent another World
War from happening.
 He made a list of specific proposals for
postwar peace and called it Wilson’s
Fourteen Points.

› Some points settled national border
disputes, Military cutbacks, Lower tariffs, and
banning secret agreements

The last point called for the creation of
the League of Nations, an assembly of
nations whose goals would be to
promote democracy and settle
international disputes.

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European countries rejected the Fourteen
Points, because they wanted Germany to pay.
Many Allied leaders met at a peace
conference and drafted the Treaty of Versailles,
the peace settlement of WWI.
Terms of the treaty:
› Germany was held responsible for the war and forced to pay
›
›
›
›
$33 billion in damages.
German Military was limited to 100,000.
European boundaries were redrawn. Much of Germany was
given to other countries and many territories became
independent. The Ottoman Empire was broken up.
The League of Nations was created and Wilson thought this
would solve some of the international problems.
Germany resented the treaty, and they would never forget or
forgive.
Yugoslav delegates at Paris Peace Conference
Hall of Mirrors during the peace signing
June 28, 1919: Weimar Republic signed treaty in utter
defeat
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The US Constitution requires a 2/3 vote by the
Senate on all treaties.
The Republicans in the US rejected the League
of Nation’s power to use military force
because it interfered with Congress’ power to
declare war.
Wilson refused to negotiate and wanted the
treaty accepted exactly as it was.
When the Senate voted, the treaty was
defeated.
The US signed separate treaties with Austria,
Hungary, and Germany. They never joined the
League of Nations.

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Ireland
Poland
Division of
Austria-Hungary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Austria
Hungary
Czechoslovakia
Yugoslavia
Other portions
went to
Romania,
Poland, and
Italy
Sinn Fein members in British Parliament, 1918
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Europe 1914
Europe 1918
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U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer
Return to isolationism –
didn’t want to be involved
in European affairs again
Americans feared a
communist revolution like
in Russia – Red Scare
Anti-socialist, anticommunist
The Palmer raids – Led
raids on suspected
radicals in U.S.
Great Depression –
became even more
isolationist to focus on our
own economic problems
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