Warm Up
1. What was the single event that sparked the beginning of WWI?
2. What are two main causes for the United State’s entry into WWI?
3. What do you think would need to take place for there to finally be
peace in Europe?
Begin Worksheet Pt. 1
End of WWI
• By November 1918, the war had officially ended
Why the War Ends
• The brutal war finally comes to a conclusion with Germany’s failed offensive on the Western Front
• Germany calls for a truce out of fear of further losses
• Involved countries needed to establish a peace in Europe.
The Treaty of Versailles
• In order to agree to peace, the countries meet at the French palace of Versailles to create a formal treaty
• Talks were to be led by the major allied forces:– America– Italy– Britain– France
Quick Jot:• What do you think victorious countries
deserve at the end of (any) war?• How should losing countries be punished?
Should they be punished at all?
Differing Goals for Allied Countries
• U.S. Wants: sustained peace in Europe so it won’t need to intervene again. Minimal punishment for Germany
• Italy Wants: more territory for Italy• France Wants: to severely punish Germany.
Germany to pay for war, give territory to France.• Britain Wants: to punish Germany, but not
severely.
Differing Goals for Allied Countries• Why might Italy, France, Britain and the US
have such different goals for the peace?
Return to Worksheet Pt. 2
Conclusion of War—who pays?
• The war left Europe decimated.• 9 million soldiers dead.– In Europe, most of a generation of young men are
dead or wounded from the war.• 13 million civilians dead.• War followed by a worldwide influenza
outbreak—leads to more death and misery
Broken Window Parable
• Is war good for an economy?
Other Costs
• Estimated cost to world’s economy: $332 Billion
• Farms and cities destroyed across Europe.• Significant Political shifts:– Germany weakened– Russians=Communism– Mistrust and bitterness between nations
Treaty of Versailles
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J31vkB4IdS0
Treaty of Versailles
• Germany forced to claim responsibility for the war and pay greatly.
• One soldier states the German attitude to the outcome, saying: “So it had all been in vain. In vain all the sacrifices and privations ... in vain the hours in which, with moral fear clutching at our hearts we nevertheless did our duty; in vain the deaths of two millions ... had they died for this? So that a gang of wretched criminals could lay their hands on the Fatherland?”
Quick Jot• Was the decision to blame the Germans for
the war and the related punishments justified? Why or why not?
Analyze
• In a complete paragraph in your notebook:– How might the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
lead to more difficulty in Europe?
