Total Casualties

• The total number of casualties in World War I, both military and civilian, were about 37 million (16 million deaths and 21 million wounded)

• The total number of deaths includes 9.7 million military (Entente: 5.7, Central: 4) personnel and about 6.8 million civilians.

• Canada lost about 67,000 civilians (65,000 in the war and 2000 in the Halifax Explosion)

The Treaty of Versailles• Negotiations were held in Versailles,

France (not far from Paris) and the treaty signed on June 28, 1919 (exactly 5 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand).

• They were led by leaders from Britain, France, and the United States

• Canada was also represented by PM Robert Borden who signed the Treaty on behalf of Canada

• The Treaty was to set out the arrangements for peace in Europe and to set about the regulations for rebuilding and repair of the damages

The Leaders at Versailles

• Each country had their own agenda at Versailles;

• France: The main battlefield for the war; looking to get revenge on Germany and to rebuild its country

• Britain: Wanted to please France, punish Germany and turn attention back to home and away from Europe

• USA: Wanted to introduce a 14-point plan for sustained peace in Europe (League of Nations)

• Germany: wanted to establish a fair settlement and to establish a democratic government

Conditions of the Treaty

• Germany had to sign a War Guilt Clause, placing all blame and responsibility on German shoulders

• Give part of Germany, the Rhineland, to France for 15 years (rich in coal)

• Germany’s army and navy were restricted to a small force and no air force was permitted

• Germany had to pay REPARATIONS, or damages, of about $30 billion to the Allies

• New boundaries shrunk German territory and broke up Austria-Hungry

• League of Nations was formed to keep world peace

Reactions to the Treaty

• Germany: was shocked by the treaty and initially refused to sign it. The Allies threatened to resume the war and forced them to do so.

• Germany did not have enough money or resources to pay the reparations

• German people felt ‘stabbed in the back’ by the government

• Britain: Admitted the Treaty was harsh but believed that Germany needed to be punished

• Wanted to keep Germany in a less powerful position to avoid future wars

• USA: Argued for a position of forgiveness towards Germany & Austria-Hungary

• Had little say in Treaty and in the end the USA did not even join the League of Nations, despite the fact that it had been President Woodrow’s idea

• France: Wanted to make sure that Germany would never be a threat again

• The French wanted the Treaty to be even more harsh than it was!

• Were put in position to enforce the terms of the treaty and to collect the payments from Germany

The End of the War????• Many people believe that the

harshness of the treaty led to the determination of Germany to seek revenge against the Allies and brought about the conditions that would eventually lead to the rise of Hitler and the Nazis and the eventual Second World War.