The Versailles

Treaty as a Cause

of World War II

Palace of Versailles Today

The Hall of

Mirrors in the

Palace of

Versailles (18

miles SW of

Paris). This is

where the

treaty that

ended WWI was

signed.

ALLIES IN WWI CENTRAL POWERS IN WWI

Serbia Guatemala Austria-Hungary

Russia Nicaragua Ottoman Empire

France Costa Rica Bulgaria

Belgium Haiti Germany

Britain Honduras

Montenegro

Japan

Italy (started in Central Powers)

San Marino

Portugal

Romania

United States

Panama

Greece

Cuba

Thailand

Liberia

China

Brazil

Sarajevo

Fighting WWI 1914 – 1918

Major nations on the side of the ALLIES = Britain,

France, Russia, and the United States (did not

enter until 1917)

Major nations on the side of the CENTRAL

POWERS = Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the

Ottoman Empire

America was neutral in WWI until 1917. During

the first 3 years of the war, America sold

enormous quantities of supplies to both sides in

the war and made LOTS of money.

Trench Foot

Geography Impacted the Fighting of WWI

More American supplies reached the ALLIES

because they were on the outside of the

continent (Europe) and easier to reach.

Far less American supplies reached the CENTRAL

POWERS since they were located in the middle of

the continent and it was harder to get ships to

them.

By 1917 the CENTRAL POWERS declared war on

the U.S. because its supplies were helping the

ALLIES win.

British Naval

Blockade of Central

Powers

(DO NOT WRITE!)

**1917 Russian Revolution

Tsar Nicholas II was the “Tsar” (King)

of Russia during WW1.

Russia had a Absolute Monarchy as its

form of government. This gov’t gave

special treatment to the aristocracy

(rich) and to the Russian Orthodox

Church.

Russia consisted mostly of poor

peasants who were taxed at a very

high rate and treated poorly!

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

October 1917 - - Communist leader, Vladimir Ilych

Lenin returned to Russia (he was in Switzerland)

and started the Communist Revolution. Russia

had to get out of World War 1.

Now the U.S. worried that without Russia the

Allies would not be able to win World War 1.

April 6, 1917 - - the U.S.

declared war and entered

WWI!

General John J. Pershing

was the commander of

American forces in WW1.

President Woodrow Wilson

President

Woodrow Wilson

created **the

Fourteen Points

as the basis for a

peace treaty to

end WW I. These

were 14 fair ideas

to end the war.

He did not want

Americans to get

slaughtered in

trenches!

World War I Casualties

0

1,000,0002,000,000

3,000,0004,000,0005,000,000

6,000,0007,000,000

8,000,0009,000,000

10,000,000Russia

Germany

Austria-Hungary

France

Great Britain

Italy

Turkey

US

SUMMARY OF WILSON’S

FOURTEEN POINTS

• No secret agreements between

nations.

• Freedom of the seas.

• General reduction of armaments.

• Self-determination – allow people

of the same culture & language to

be together in one nation.

• Creation of the **League of

Nations to keep peace.

**Kaiser Wilhelm

II, Leader of

Germany

January 1918 - - the Allies offered to

have a truce and base the peace

agreement on the **Fourteen Points.

The Germans refused because they

thought they could win the war!

June 1918 - - 1.7 million fresh and well

equipped American soldiers began to

fight in the trenches. Now the

Germans realized they would be

defeated.

November 11, 1918 - - when the Allies

were ready to invade & destroy

Germany, the Germans accepted a

truce based on the Fourteen Points in

order to avoid having any damage in

their country!

France

France After WWI

1. Bankrupt

2. 20% of land

totally

destroyed from

trench warfare

(shown in red)

3. Winner in WWI

Britain

Germany

Much of France was totally destroyed during WWI

France

Germany

Britain After WWI

1. Bankrupt

2. Winner in WWI

Britain

France

Germany

Germany After WWI

1. Most powerful

military in Europe

2. Best economy in

Europe

3. Loser in WWI

4. Promised a fair

treaty based on the

14 Points

**The Versailles Treaty (1919) is the agreement that ended

World War 1. The Central Powers (losing side) were not

allowed to participate in the Paris Peace Talks, but they

were told the treaty would be based on the Fourteen Points.

Most Damaging Parts of the Versailles Treaty:

1. War Guilt Clause - - said that Germany ALONE caused

WW I. This was a total lie to destroy Germany financially.

If they caused it, they should have to pay for the damage.

2. **Reparations {aka the Blank Check Clause} - - since

Germany caused the war, they had to pay the Allies for all

the damages. No specific amount was given. Germany

was told that she would have to pay whatever amount the

Allies decided on! Final amount was $ 124 Billion

Reichsmarks {$ 33 billion American dollars}!!

WW I = 9,000,000 Dead!!!!

116,516

Americans

Adolf Hitler as WWI Courier

1. Explain how Kaiser Wilhelm II used

the Fourteen Points (created by

American President Woodrow

Wilson) to create the main problem

at the end of World War I.

2. Why did Britain and France change

the Versailles Treaty to make it

destroy Germany?

Rhineland

Polish Corridor

The

End!!