Created by jostor95 on May 23, 2010
Last updated: 05/27/10 at 03:17 AM
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Ehe differences in French, Britain, and U.S. aims led to heated arguments among the nations' leaders. Finally a compromise was reached. The Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the Allies was signed on June 28, 1919. Adopting Wilson's fourteen point, the treaty created a League of Nations. The league was to be an international association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations.
In January 1918, while the war was still raging, President Wilson had drawn up a series of peace proposal. Known as the Fourteen Points, they outlined a plan for achieving a just and lasting peace. Self determination meant allowing people to decide for themselves under what government they wished to live.
On November 9, 1918, Kaisre Wilhelm II stepped down. Germany declared itself a republic. A representative of the new German government met with French Commander Marshall Foch in a railroad car near Paris. The two signed an armistice, or an agreement to stop fighting. On November 11, World War I came to an end.
World War I soon became a total war. This meant that the countries devoted all their resources to the war effort. So many goods were in short supply taht governments turned to rationing. Under this system people could buy only small amounts of those items that were also needed for war effort. Many leaders feared that the honest reporting of the war would turn people against it. Governments also used propaganda, one sided information designed to persuade, to keep up morale and support for the wa
Germans announced that their submarines would sink without warning any ship in the waters around Britain. This policy was called the unrestricted submarine warfare. Germany tried this before, and it caused the Americans to have a public outrage. American population already favored the Allies and they felt a bond with England. America's economy ties with the Allies were far stronger then those with the Central Powers. On April 2, 1917, President Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. United States entered the war on the side of the Allies.
A promising strategyfor the Allies seemed to be to attack a region in the ottoman Empire known as the Dardanelles. This narrow sea strait was the gateway to the Ottoman capital, Constantinople. By securing the Dardanelles, the Allies believed that they could take Constantinople, defeat the Turks, and establish a supply line to Russia.
Russia's war effort was near collapse. Russia had yet to become industrialized unlike nations of western Europe. Russian army was conrinuesly short of food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets.
At the beginning of the war, Russian forces had launched an attack into both Austria and Germany. At the end of August, Germany counterattacked near the town of Tannenberg. During the four day battle, Germans crushed the invading Russian army and drove it into full retreat. More than 30,000 Russian soldiers were killed.
Opposing armies on the Western Front had dug miles of parrallel trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire. This set forth the stage for what is known as the trench warfare.
Germany and Austria were known as the Central Powers because of their location in the heart of Europe. Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire later joined the Central Powers in hopes of regaining lost territories. On the opposite side was Great Britain, France, and Russia, and they were known as the Allies. Japan joined Allies within weeks. Italy joined later although they were part of the Triple Alliance because they accused their former partners of unjustly starting the war. As summer of 1914 turned into fall, the war turned into a long and bloody stalemate, or deadlock, along the battlefields of France. Deadlock region in northern France became known as the Western Front.
Germany and Austria were known as the Central Powers because of their location in the heart of Europe. Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire later joined the Central Powers in hopes of regaining lost territories. On the opposite side was Great Britain, France, and Russia, and they were known as the Allies. Japan joined Allies within weeks. Italy joined later although they were part of the Triple Alliance because they accused their former partners of unjustly starting the war. As summer of 1914 turned into fall, the war turned into a long and bloody stalemate, or deadlock, along the battlefields of France. Deadlock region in northern France became known as the Western Front.
Facing a war on two fronts, Germany had developed a battle strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan. It was named after the designer General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen. The plan called for attacking and defeating France in the west and then rushing east to fight Russia.
Another force that helped set the stage for war in Europe was imperialism. Militarism was a policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war. Having a large and strong standing army made citizens feel patriotic. Although frightened some people.
Ottoman Empire which included the Balkan region, was in a rapid decline. While some Balkan groups struggled to free themselves from the Ottoman Turks, others had succeeded in breaking away from their Turkish rulers. These people formed new nations including Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia. Nationalism was a powerful force in these countries.
Germany's foreign policy changed dramatically when Kaiser Wilhelm II-who two years later had become ruler of Germany-forced Bismark to resign. He was stubborn and did not want to share power with anyone. Wilhelmlet his nation's treaty with Russia lapse in 1890. Russia responded by forming a defense military alliance with France in 1892 and 1894. In 1907, Britain made another entente with France and Russia which formed the Triple Entente. It was the triple alliance against the triple entente. The dispute could draw all nations of Europe into war.
Prussia's blood-and-iron chancellor, Otto von Bismarck freely used war to unify Germany. Bismarck declared Germany to be a "satisfied power". Bismarck saw France as the greatest threat to peace. His first goal was to isolate France. Bismarck fromed the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria. Three years later Italy joined the two countries forming the Triple Allaince. In 1881, Bismark took another possible alliance away from Francve by making a treaty with Russia.
The growth of nationalism, or a deep devotion to one's nation was one such development that would ultimately help propel the continent into war. Could cause intense competitions among nations, with each seeked to overpower the other. By 20th century a fierce rivalry developed among Europe's Great Powers. Those nations were Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Russia, Italy and France.
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