The document discusses the costs and consequences of World War I. It describes the immense human costs of the war in lives lost and refugees created. It also discusses the financial toll of reconstruction and reparations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. Politically, empires collapsed and new nationalist movements emerged. The document outlines Wilson's Fourteen Points and goal of establishing the League of Nations. However, the Treaty of Versailles was opposed by many as too harsh on Germany, sowing seeds for future conflict. Key weaknesses included humiliating Germany and excluding Russia from the peace negotiations.

1. World War I
The League of Nations

2. Today We Have
 The Treaty of Versailles
 Wilson’s Attempts to Create the League of
Nations
 Consequences of Wilson’s Efforts

3. Costs of War
 Wilson was certain that he could solve the
problems of Europe. “Tell me what is right
and I’ll fight for it.”
 Sadly it would not be that easy, Europe was a
shattered continent.
 Its problems would not be solved at the Paris
Peace Conference or for many years
afterward

4. Costs of War
 Financial Toll
 From France to Russia homes, churches,
factories and roads had been destroyed
 With the war over people had come back and
started to rebuild but the cost of
reconstruction hit them hard
 People everywhere feel bitter about the war
 Allies blamed the losers and insisted they pay
reparations (war damages)

5. Costs of War
 Political Turmoil
 Governments had collapsed in Russia,
Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman
Empire
 Political radicals dreamed of a new social
order
 Conservatives warned against communism
 Colonial troops realized Europe was not as
strong as it looked and returned home in
hopes of independence

6. Cost of War
 Human Costs
 WWI lasted four years and involved more
than 30 nations
 Deaths numbered at 26 million
 Half of them were civilians who died from
disease and starvation
 20 million people wounded
 10 million people became refugees
 Economic Cost - $350 billion

7. End of WWI
 Collapse of Germany
 November 13 1918 German sailors refused to
set out to sea because they believed that there
was no use in fighting anymore
 This sentiment spread across Germany and
soon and groups of soldiers across Germany
started revolutions
 German war machine and economy could no
longer support a war
 Germany agrees to a cease-fire (Allies see it as
a surrender)

8. Rejoicing the End of the War
 The trenches erupted, men in uniforms of all colors
poured out of the trenches. They threw their helmets
in the air, discarded their guns and waved their
hands.
 The different groups of soldiers were hesitant at first
but soon they began approaching each other, dancing
and jumping
 Americans were passing out cigarettes and chocolate.
After four years of slaughter and hatred they were not
only hugging each other but kissing each other on
both cheeks

9. Paris Peace Conference
 Victorious Allies met at the Paris Peace
Conference
 Discuss the fate of Europe
 Central Powers were not allowed to take part

10. At Versailles…
 Wilson tried to persuade the Allies to
construct a just and lasting peace agreement
 He wanted to achieve this goal by
establishing the League of Nations
 Members would be bound to protect any
nation that was attacked by another
 Wilson did not anticipate rejection after the
warm “hero’s” welcome that he received

11. Fourteen Points
 Wilson presented his plan for world peace
which was outlined in his Fourteen Points
Speech
 Points were divided into three groups, with
the first five points being the reasons that
caused the war

12. First Five Points
 Nations should only engage in open agreements.
No secret treaties
 Freedom of seas should exist for all
 Tariffs and economic barriers to trade should be
eliminated in order to foster free trade
 Army’s should be reduced to the lowest point
consistent with domestic safety so that militaristic
impulses would lesson
 Colonial policies should consider the interests of
colonial people as well as the interests of the
imperialist powers

13. Next Eight Points
 Dealt with specific boundary changes
 National groups who claimed distinct ethnic
identities were to decide for themselves what
nations they would belong to

14. Fourteenth Point
 Creation of an international organization
called the League of Nations
 Forum for nations to discuss and settle their
grievances without having to go to war
 Allies reject Wilson’s plan
 Italy, France and England did not have any
sympathy for the Germans
 British prime minister had just won re-election
with the slogan, “Make Germany pay!”
 Wilson gave up on thirteen points in return for
the League of Nations being accepted

15. Treaty of Versailles
 Participants
 Big Four (Wilson (US), Clemenceau (France),
Lloyd George (England), Orlando (Italy))
 Leaders of defeated nations
 Treaty of Versailles…
 Established nine new nations
 Shifted boundaries of nations
 Carved four areas out of the Ottoman Empire
(Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Jordan)
 Gave these areas to GB and France

16. Treaty of Versailles
 Treaty of Versailles…
 Demilitarized Germany
 Required Germany to pay $33 billion in
damages to the Allies (2.7 trillion today)
 War Guilt Clause
 Germany alone was responsible for the war
What were the points
laid out by the
Treaty of Versailles?

17. Weaknesses of the Treaty
 Humiliation of Germany
 The negative treatment towards Germany did
not allow this to be a long lasting peace
agreement. This weakness would provide the
seeds for WWII
 Exclusion of Russia from Peace Treaty
 Russia had been on the side of the Allies yet
they were not included in the peace treaty
even though they suffered more casualties
than any other nation.

18. Weaknesses of the Treaty
 Debate over Colonial Territories
 Germany was stripped of its colonial
possessions which might have helped it pay
its reparations to the Allies

19. Opposition to the Treaty
 When Wilson returned to the US many
thought the treaty was too harsh
 Economic consequences alone will pull down
all of Europe and injure the US.
 Treaty was a sellout to imperialism because it
just exchanged the hands of power
 Biggest debate was over the League of
Nations

20. Debate Over League of Nations
 League would threaten US policy of staying
clear of European entanglements
 Congress did not support the idea either
 Wilson decided to appeal to the public
 Went on an 8000 mile tour, delivered 35 speeches
in 22 days explaining why the US should join the
League
 He collapsed during a speech and was rushed
back to the White House where he suffered a
stroke
 Senate did not ratify the treaty
What were the
weaknesses of the
Treaty of Versailles
and why were so
many opposed to it?

21. Legacy of War
 Because the Germans had censored
newspapers during the war most Germanss
were unaware that the Allies had been pushing
their soldiers back and that even the German
Generals were demanding an end to the war
 Postwar economic conditions were overall bad
in Europe but terrible in Germany
 Many Germans looked to someone to blame.

22. Legacy of War
 Adolf Hitler blamed the Jews and socialists
 1933 Hitler wins control of the government
 Most Americans did not want to be bothered
by the future of Europe
 War had strengthened their desire to stay out
of European affairs