Winning the War 1917
Total War Society Cracking under the strain of war No longer praising deeds of the few Total War Nations realize society must be committed Conscription: The Draft Propaganda Spreading of ideas to promote or damage Must control public opinion
Collapsing Morale Problems Death toll, food shortages, military failures Revolution in Russia: 1917 Signed Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: 1918 Ended Russian participation in war Impact of Russian Withdrawal Benefit Central Powers Concentrate on Western Front
Woodrow Wilson
United States Submarine Warfare: Lusitania (British Liner with 128 Americans) 1915 Resolution: U-boats surface to show attacks Zimmerman Note Germany asks for Mexico’s support Retake lands in Texas, Arizona Declaring War: April 1917 Time needed to recruit, train, and supply Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Campaign to Victory Final Showdown: 1918 Germans launch final push Exhausts Germany German Uprisings Frustrations for German people William II flees to the Netherlands New German Government Sought an Armistice November 11, 1918 at 11:00 AM
Making Peace
Cost of War Human and Material Costs 8.5 Million lives lost Pandemic of Influenza Financial Burdens Must rebuild and pay off debt Allies want Central Powers to pay Political Turmoil Governments collapse Radicals want new governments
Versailles
Big Four
Paris Peace Conference Big Four US President Woodrow Wilson British Prime Minister David Lloyd George French Georges Clemenceau Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando Issues Payments for war damage Land agreements League of Nations
Woodrow Wilson
David George
Georges Clemenceau
Treaty of Versailles June 28, 1919 Peacemakers summon German leaders Ordered to sign treaty German Assumptions “Full Blame” $30 Billion: $400 Billion Today! Give up land German Feelings Resent treaty Armistice was a cease fire, not surrender
Dissatisfaction Mandate System Western powers help modernize colonies Became European colonies Unfulfilled Goals Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan Unhappy with treaty Hope for Global Peace League of Nations established: Collective Security Political/social turmoil would shape future world