Creating a “New Europe”

The End of World War I

Treaty of VersaillesAllies made separate peace treaties

with each of the 5 Central PowersNations included:

Germany Austria Hungary Bulgaria Ottoman Empire

Treaty of Versailles Cont.Signed at Palace of Versailles, near

ParisNew German leaders forced to signTreaty was bitter to Germany:

Germany alone started the war and pay reparations

Treaty did not specify total amount of reparations

Germans at VersaillesGermany had no choice but to sign in

June 1919.Treaty provided for formation of League

of NationsMade numerous territorial adjustments

and placed restrictions on Germany

Loss of TerritoryGermans lost land in North, West, and

Eastern bordersLost overseas coloniesAlsace and Lorraine returned to FranceNo fortifications in the Rhineland, Allied

occupation hereSaar Valley coal used for reparations to

France

German Losses at VersaillesPoland restored as independent nationGermans abolish conscription No more than 100,000 soldiersNo heavy tanks, artillery, planes, gas,

submarinesSmall number of warshipsAllies lacked enforcement of these

Austro-Hungarian TerritoriesNation split as war endedSeparate peace treaties with AlliesLost territoryAustrians starved due to lack of food

Bulgaria and Ottoman EmpireLost territoriesDardanelles controlled by international

commissionSeveral New States:

Palestine Trans-Jordan Syria Iraq

New Nations in Europe4 Independent Nations from Russia

Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania

Dissatisfied MinoritiesNational Self-Determination didn’t

happen for every ethnic groupMany ethnic groups lived under

unfamiliar borders after the warThese minorities were unhappy and had

problems: Armenians, Kurds

The League of NationsPresident Wilson compromised on 14

PointsTreaties failed to create “Peace of

Justice”United States did not ratify League of

Nations

Organization of the League2 Main Aims:

To promote international cooperation To maintain peace by settling disputes

World Court established

League included all sovereign EuropeanNations

Maintaining PeaceMembers agreed not to resort to warPromised to follow World CourtPenalties for breaking League

agreements: Economic Sanctions No diplomatic relations Military force last result

League MandatesMandates are designated areas to be “administered”

Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, or Japan got German territory

Start of the LeagueU.S. never a memberU.S. fearful of entangling alliances

overseasFear of another bloody warCommitments of PeacekeepingU.S. signed separate treaty with

Germany

League Nations42 members at first meeting in Geneva,

Switzerland in Nov. 1920Germany joined 1926Russia 193459 countries eventually joined