The World after the Great War

TREATY OF VERSAILLES, DEPRESSION, AND CHINA & JAPAN

The World after the Great War

World War 1: The Great War

Costs of War

8.5 Million DeadEurope in ruinsPandemic of Influenza kills 20 Million more

peoplePostwar animosity that would haunt the

worldEurope loses its innocence, its Romanticism,

its optimism, and its faith

Paris Peace Conference

Big Three at the Paris Peace Conference dictated terms Woodrow Wilson (U.S.A)- Urged peace without victory as he

sought to build a new world order David Lloyd George (Great Britain) Georges Clemenceau (France)- Fiercely anti-German

Wilson’s 14 Points focused on Self-determination, spreading democracy, and creating a United World against future wars- “League of Nations”

Many other nations were in attendance; Germany and the Soviet Union were not

Clemenceau, Wilson, and Lloyd George

Paris Peace Conference

Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points were largely ignored in favor of retaliation and quick fixes. Wilson did help create a League of

Nations which failed The league’s purpose was to promote

disarmament and prevent war. The league had not military force of its

own, so it depended on the help of its member states.

U.S. Congress did not allow the U.S. to join this League

The Treaty of Versailles was drafted and Germany was summoned to sign it

Treaty of Versailles

War guilt clause forced Germany to assume full blame for causing the war

Germany was forced to pay huge reparations that would destroy the already damaged German economy.

Germany was to give up Alsace & Lorraine to FranceIt also gave up land on the east to PolandGermany also was stripped of its overseas colonies

and forced to give up hundreds of miles of land on its Eastern and Western borders

Germany forced to greatly decrease the size & power of its military.

Other Changes following Treaty

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided into several new national states.

Turkey lost its territories in the Middle EastA new independent Poland was created

giving the nation sovereignty for the first time since 1794

Economic Depression

European Nations owed huge war debts Returning Veterans needed jobsWar-ravaged lands required massive

rebuildingThe Russian Revolution which was occurring

during these economic hardships led many to fear the spread of communism.

Depression was worst in Germany, where the payment of massive reparations and the loss of their most resource rich lands led German money to become practically worthless.

German Inflation

Post WWI U.S.

The United States emerged from the war as the world’s greatest economic power

During the war, Britain & France had purchased war goods from the United States on credit. Now they were deeply in debt.

Following the war American consumers soon began buying mass-produced goods made in American factories.

One of the most important factors promoting American prosperity was the invention of the automobile which came into widespread use in the U.S. following WWI

U.S. Great Depression

Due to overproduction, margin buying, real estate over speculation and various other reasons, the United States fell into its Great Depression after the Stock Market crash of October 1929.

This led the Global Depression to grow more severe

Extremists proclaimed an end to capitalism and pointed to the failure of Democracy to fix problems

Left Wing Extremists- Communist, SocialistRight Wing Extremists- Intense Nationalism,

Virtues of Authoritarianism, need to rearm

Treaty of Versailles Revisited

The Treaty also angered Italy, because promised land from Austria-Hungary was not given to them

Self Determination led to the creation Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Serb dominated Yugoslavia Due to overlap in ethnic boundaries, tensions would

continue in Eastern EuropeJapan protested the refusal of European

nations to recognize its claims in China

Japan

During 19th Century European Imperialism Japan radically changed their society to become more Western Rather than be exploited by the West, they wanted to

be seen as equalsDuring WWI, the Japanese economy grew as

its exports to allied nations soared.It also used the time period to exert greater

power over East AsiaIt sought further rights in China with its 21

Demands

China

China had been the premiere Asian power for most of its existence.

It saw itself as the center of the worldDuring the era of European Imperialism

China’s unwillingness to adapt and change led it to become exploited and embarrassed

China went through great change and turmoil in the early 1900’s as it tried to regain its former glory

Seeing China’s weakness, Japan sought to exploit and control China

Japan vs. China

Japan (a small island) sought to colonize all of Asia for its own use

The once great China would be Japan’s greatest prize

Japan defeated China in both Sino-Japanese Wars

Japan used brutal force to take and maintain control of China, Korea, and other Asian nations

One such example is the Rape of Nanking where Japan murdered almost 300,000 people in a matter of days.

Treaty of Versailles Song Activity

You will be assigned either the Allies perspective or the German perspective at the Treaty of Versailles

Use at least 7 of the following words or concepts to make a song from your assigned perspective: Treaty of Versailles Reparations Buffer Zone Germany Destruction War to end Wars Punishment Payback War Guilt Inflation Lost Land Respect Limited Military Embarrassment France