A Peace to End all Peace

A Peace to End all Peace

The Final Results of WWIThe Final Results of WWI

Paris Peace ConferenceParis Peace Conference

• Huge Meeting• Thousands of representatives from hundreds of areas came seeking something

• Problems• Conflicting goals of groups

• Idealistic expectations

• Desire for revenge among families of those killed

• Huge Meeting• Thousands of representatives from hundreds of areas came seeking something

• Problems• Conflicting goals of groups

• Idealistic expectations

• Desire for revenge among families of those killed

Allied Leaders - “Big 3”

Allied Leaders - “Big 3”

• David Lloyd George (British Empire)• Preserve the British Empire

• Georges Clemenceau (France)• Permanently cripple Germany

• Woodrow Wilson (U.S.)• Nationalistic “self-determination”

• League of Nations

• David Lloyd George (British Empire)• Preserve the British Empire

• Georges Clemenceau (France)• Permanently cripple Germany

• Woodrow Wilson (U.S.)• Nationalistic “self-determination”

• League of Nations

GermanyGermany

• Territorial Losses• German territory given to new countries

• Reparations• Germany must make annual payments of millions of dollars to France and Britain

• War Guilt Clause• Germany was forced to admit total responsibility for the outbreak of war

• Significance• Anger and financial misery caused by treatment from Allies is a major factor leading to WWII

• Territorial Losses• German territory given to new countries

• Reparations• Germany must make annual payments of millions of dollars to France and Britain

• War Guilt Clause• Germany was forced to admit total responsibility for the outbreak of war

• Significance• Anger and financial misery caused by treatment from Allies is a major factor leading to WWII

Eastern EuropeEastern Europe• Partition of Eastern Europe• Austria-Hungary demolished, and many new countries created based on self-determination

• Significance• Borders can not be drawn to perfectly match ethnic divisions, leading to future conflicts

• New states are small and inherently weak, leading to potential domination

• Partition of Eastern Europe• Austria-Hungary demolished, and many new countries created based on self-determination

• Significance• Borders can not be drawn to perfectly match ethnic divisions, leading to future conflicts

• New states are small and inherently weak, leading to potential domination

Middle EastMiddle East

• Mandates• Former Ottoman lands divided into territories under European supervision (some colonies, others puppet monarchies)

• Problems• Borders drawn without knowledge of local politics (Iraq)

• Nationalism: Local groups angry at European powers for not granting full independence

• Zionist Issue (Palestine)

• Mandates• Former Ottoman lands divided into territories under European supervision (some colonies, others puppet monarchies)

• Problems• Borders drawn without knowledge of local politics (Iraq)

• Nationalism: Local groups angry at European powers for not granting full independence

• Zionist Issue (Palestine)

South AsiaSouth Asia• India

• British leaders promise more freedoms during the war in exchange for continued support

• Rowlatt Act• After the war, British pass law curtailing Indian civil liberties

• Significance• The failure of the British to make moderate reforms provides a fresh spark to the Indian nationalist movement (and creates a new celebrity)

• India• British leaders promise more freedoms during the war in exchange for continued support

• Rowlatt Act• After the war, British pass law curtailing Indian civil liberties

• Significance• The failure of the British to make moderate reforms provides a fresh spark to the Indian nationalist movement (and creates a new celebrity)

AfricaAfrica

• Colonies• Like India, Africans had been promised better treatment in exchange for war support, only to find those promises hollow

• Significance• Nationalism: Like in India, a nationalist movements in various colonies led by Western educated individuals developed (Example: National Congress of British West Africa)

• Colonies• Like India, Africans had been promised better treatment in exchange for war support, only to find those promises hollow

• Significance• Nationalism: Like in India, a nationalist movements in various colonies led by Western educated individuals developed (Example: National Congress of British West Africa)

East AsiaEast Asia

• Japan• Western powers refuse to include a racial equality clause requested by Japanese delegation

• Significance• Japan, already on dicey relations with the West, becomes openly hostile

• China• Japan receives German territories in China

• Significance• Feeling of betrayal by the Allies gives a spark to the Communist (Marxist) movement in China

• Japan• Western powers refuse to include a racial equality clause requested by Japanese delegation

• Significance• Japan, already on dicey relations with the West, becomes openly hostile

• China• Japan receives German territories in China

• Significance• Feeling of betrayal by the Allies gives a spark to the Communist (Marxist) movement in China

RussiaRussia• Soviet Union

• Not permitted at conference, Bolshevik government (“Red Russians”) not recognized by Great Powers, still fighting a civil war with less radical groups (“White Russians”) supported by the West

• Hostility towards Bolsheviks for pulling Russia out of the war and their promotion of radical revolution among socialist groups in the West

• Significance• Mutual hostility between Soviet Russia and the West a major feature of life between the wars (more on this later)

• Soviet Union• Not permitted at conference, Bolshevik government (“Red Russians”) not recognized by Great Powers, still fighting a civil war with less radical groups (“White Russians”) supported by the West

• Hostility towards Bolsheviks for pulling Russia out of the war and their promotion of radical revolution among socialist groups in the West

• Significance• Mutual hostility between Soviet Russia and the West a major feature of life between the wars (more on this later)

AmericaAmerica

• United States • Congress fails to ratify Treaty of Versailles due to partisan disagreements

• America does not join League of Nations

• Significance• Organization missing the world’s newest “superpower” lacks the power and authority necessary to enforce the peace

• United States • Congress fails to ratify Treaty of Versailles due to partisan disagreements

• America does not join League of Nations

• Significance• Organization missing the world’s newest “superpower” lacks the power and authority necessary to enforce the peace

Coach Lerch’s Final ThoughtsCoach Lerch’s Final Thoughts

• The failure to achieve a satisfactory peace at the end of this global conflict led to long term political issues in all of the major regions and spawned a resumption of hostilities within 20 short years

• The failure to achieve a satisfactory peace at the end of this global conflict led to long term political issues in all of the major regions and spawned a resumption of hostilities within 20 short years