On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918, the Armistice is signed effectively halting the War. The final Treaty of Versailles, is signed on June 28, 1919. This treaty that ended WWI was attended by the major nations but excluded Germany in the writing of the treaty.
Demands of Nations
France demanded Germany return Alsace and Lorraine and cede the Rhineland and the valley of the Saar River
Italy demanded the Tiroi region and the cities of Trieste and Flume
Great Britain demanded all of Germany's African possessions
Belgium demanded two small portions of German territory along its border
Japan demanded ownership of the Marshall, Caroline and Mariana islands as well as Qingdao and Shandong Peninsula in China. It also asked the powers to recognize its "special position in China"
TREATY OF VERSAILLES
THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY THAT ENDED WWI
Territorial changes:
Germany was to lose all of its colonies
Alsace-Lorraine Region reverted to France
New Nations that were created by the Treaty:
Yugoslavia-created from Austro-Hungary territory included Serbia and Montenegro.
Czechoslovakia-from part of German lands and part of Russian lands
Four new nations were created
Finland
Latvia
Estonia
Lithuania
Monetary Compensation:
Germany was required to pay $5 Billion in reparations within two years and an unnamed sum
later
Limitations On Germany
Conscription and a reserve army were abolished in Germany, and the manufacture of heavy artillery, tanks, military airplanes, poison gas, battleships over 10,000 tons, and submarines was forbidden.
War Guilt Clause
Germany would accept blame for the starting the war.
3 MAJOR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THESE PROVISIONS
The first problem resulting from the treaty was the isolation of Russia from western Europe by buffer states along its western borders this also prevented the rights of remaining national minorities
The second problem was that the treaty left the Germany Economy so weak that people became bitter toward the Weimar Republic and left the door open for a dictator
The third problem was that it eliminated the opportunity to include Germany in the planning stages of the League of Nations which later led to the League's demise
How did WWI and the Treaty of Versailles change or re-establish a balance of power?
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire lost territory
France, Japan, Great Britain, Belgium and Italy gained territory and power.
Germany could not even re-militarize and had huge war debt.
Changes did not ignore the causes of the war but they did not correct them
New Nations that were created:
Yugoslavia-created from Austro-Hungary territory included Serbia and Montenegro.
Czechoslovakia-from part of German lands and part of Russian lands
Four new nations were created
Finland
Latvia
Estonia
Lithuania
One of the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles was a international peace keeping body called the League of Nations.
This international body was created from the 14 points proposed by President Woodrow Wilson. This is the predecessor to the United Nations created after World War II.
Fourteen points
1. No secret treaties
2. Freedom of the seas for all nations.
3. Removal of all economic barriers or tariffs.
4. Reduction of the National armaments
5. Fair adjustment of all colonial claims, with equal consideration given to the people of a region and the nation.
6. Establishment of a general association of nations, which would guarantee political
independence and protection to large and small states alike.
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS:
Maintain peace. Members pledged not to go to war and submit disputes to arbitration by the
World Court.
MAJOR NATIONS THAT DID NOT JOIN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
United States because of the isolationist in the US Senate who were afraid we would be involved in another war. Even though the League was proposed by President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points the United States never ratified the Treaty of Versailles and therefore never joined the League.
USSR joined later because they were not initially invited because of their separate peace treaty with Germany. (Treaty of Brest-Litov)
Germany was not invited at first because of their war guilt but joined later.
WEAKNESSES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
was powerless to enforce decisions or punish.
the members did not take the League seriously mostly because the major nations did not join. (United States, Germany, Russia as well as others)
League of Nations was created by the Treaty of Versailles
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS:
Maintain peace. Members pledged not to go to war and submit disputes to arbitration by the
World Court.
WEAKNESSES OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
was powerless to enforce decisions or punish.
the members did not take the League seriously mostly because the major nations did not join.
MAJOR NATIONS THAT DID NOT JOIN THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
United States because of the isolationist in the US Senate who were afraid we would be
involved in another war. Even though the League was proposed by President Woodrow Wilson
in his Fourteen Points the United States never ratified the Treaty of Versailles and therefore
never joined the League.
USSR joined later because they were not initially invited because of their separate peace treaty
with Germany. (Treaty of Brest-Litov)
Germany was not invited at first because of their war guilt but joined later.(United States,
Germany, Russia as well as others)
Organization of the League of Nations
League assembly
one vote per member nation
(lower house)
League council
power to deal with any matter affecting world peace;
(upper house composed of 15 member nations)
Secretariat
staff to manage the routine business
an independent body called world court; member and nonmember judge