A Global Conflict: WWI

Today’s Activities

• Global Conflict Investigation• Using books or iPads (books are easier)• You will be given 35 minutes to complete

• WWI Ends Notes• John Green WWI

iPad Investigations

• Today you (or you and a partner, group of 3 or 4) will investigate a series of important events that took place in WWI.

• There are different sections that you will answer a series of questions to get to the main points (IE test questions).

• Use the textbook if google is too difficult.

The War Ends

Russia Withdraws

• March 1917, civil unrest in Russia (mostly due to shortages in food and fuel) forced Czar Nicholas to step down

• Provisional government established

• New government pledged to keep fighting the war

• By 1917, nearly 5.5 million Russian soldiers had been wounded, killed, or taken prisoner.

• Russia army refused to fight any longer

Russia’s Future

• Eight months after the new government takes over, a revolution is going to shake Russia to its core

• November 1917, Communist leader Lenin seized power

• Lenin insists the ending of Russia’s involvement in the war

• Offers Germany a truce

• March 1918, Germany and Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, which ends the war between them.

Germans’ Victory?

• Russia’s withdrawal allowed the Germans to send all its forces to the Western front

• March 1918-Germans mounted one final, massive attack on the allies in France

• German forces crushed everyone

• Late May 1918, Germans almost reach Paris-almost reach victory

Central Powers Collapse

• German military weakened

• To reach the Marne exhausted men & supplies

• The Allies (with 140,000 fresh US troops) launched a counterattack

• July 1918, Allies and Germans clash at the Second Battle of the Marne

• With fresh troops and tanks Allies began to advance toward Germany

• Central Powers began to collapse

The Tide Changes

• Bulgarians and Ottoman Turks surrender

• October, revolutions swept through Austria-Hungary

• Germany-soldiers mutinied, public turns on kaiser

Kaiser Wilhelm II Steps Down

• November 9, 1918

• Wilhelm II steps down

• Germany is declared a republic

• Representative of the new German government met with French Commander Marshal Foch in a railway car near Paris

• The two sign an armistice

• November 11, WWI ended

Germany’s Future?

Germany had suffered great losses in WWI, and now their future was up in the air.

John Green WWI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XPZQ0LAlR4

Treaty of Versailles

Bellringer

What should happen to Germany and the Central Powers as a result of the war?

Legacy of the Great War• New kind of war

• About 8.5 million soldiers died

• 21 million wounded

• Countless civilian deaths by way of starvation, disease, slaughter

• Economic impact on Europe

• Drained treasuries of European countries

• Destroyed acres of farmland, homes, villages, towns

• Sense of disillusionment

• Peace agreement

But what about those involved?

• Physical injuries

• Shell shocko emotional shocko brought on by horrors heard

and seen in the trencheso Some survived, suffering

from nightmares

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL5noVCpVKw

• Impact on families

Causalities (Hurt or Wounded)

• Russia: 9,150,000• British Empire: 3,190,235• France: 6,160,800• US: 323,018• Germany: 7,142,558• Austria-Hungary: 7,020,000

Allies Meet for Peace

• January 18, 1919

• Treaty of Versailles

• The Big Four: Woodrow Wilson (US), Georges Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd George (Great Britain), Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

• Russia at civil war

• Germany and its allies not represented

Wilson’s Plan

• Fourteen Pointso outlined a plan for achieving a

just and lasting peace

• End to secret treaties

• Reduced national armies and navies

• Adjustment of colonial claims with fairness towards colonial people

• Changing borders and new nations

• Association of nations

Treaty of Versailles Activity

● In pairs, you will be given ONE excerpt of an article from the treaty.

● Together, you will answer the following questions for a discussion. Be prepared to discuss.○ What is the article saying? Paraphrase it.○ Who is the focus? Are they being punished?○ What impact will it have on the Central Powers (Germany and

Austria-Hungary)? Allied Powers (US, Britain, France)?

○ Is this an EFFECTIVE means to end the war?

Discussion

• What is it about?

• What is the impact on Central Powers? Allied Powers?

• Effective means to end the war?

• What will the native Germans think?

The Versailles Treaty

• Great debate

• June 28, 1919

• League of Nationso international association whose goal

would be to keep peace among nations

• Punished Germanyo lost LOTS of territoryo Severe restrictions on military

operationso War Guilt clause-sole responsibility of

the war on Germanyo Pay reparations to Allies (which they

JUST finished paying in 2010)

The Creation of New Nations

• Western powers sign separate peace treaties in 1919 & 1920o Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria,

Ottoman Empire

• Huge land losses

• Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, & Yugoslavia recognized as independent

• Ottoman Empire gives up most of the former empire-land that is now Turkey-is all thats left

• Russia lost land as well

“A Peace Built on Quicksand”

• Little to build lasting peace

• US rejected treaty

• Americans felt that the best hope for peace was to stay out of European affairs

• War-guilt clause left a bitterness and hatred to Germans

• Other countries felt cheated

• Those who lived in colonies were angry at the Allies

Other Failures of Treaty

• Japan and Italy entered the war to gain territory, gained less than they wanted

• League of Nations was in no position to take action

• In less than two decades the treaties’ legacy of bitterness would help plunge the world into another war

Treaty of Versailles Clip (Not John Green)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKzZ1OwPXgk