The end of wwi
The End of World War I
The Treaty of Versailles marked the end of the conflict that had taken millions of lives from both sides of the trenches. June 28th, 1919 was the date that the Allied Powers signed the treaty into effect. Germany was not enthused by the signing of the treaty and did very little to help the process move more smoothly. They were given plans to do their part in reparations as the damages to many cities were very substantial, and yet Germany decided to cancel their agreement as Hitler became the new force to be reckoned with. The signing of this document outraged many different terrorist groups inside the German borders, as politicians were assassinated for taking part in the betrayal as they seen it. France wanted to be certain that Germany could not start a conflict such as this ever again, wanting them to be dismembered (Anonymous, 2009). The Treaty of Versailles was a vision for renewal and hope for the end of the conflict that had raged through Europe and taken many lives in the process, but it did not meet those expectations for everyone involved. Germany was still on a fuel powered tear towards world domination, a piece of paper with a few signatures was not going to stop them from achieving what they wanted. The Fourteen Points to Peace Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States during this brutal time of The Great War, wanted there to be peace throughout Europe and devised a plan in order to achieve it. The outline used for this attempt at harmony was deemed the “Fourteen Points.” The terms of peace were unselfish and did not favor a particular entity, but the world as a whole. The ocean waters would no longer be attached to a certain group and the smaller territories that had been taken over during the conflict would be restored to their proper places. The League of Nations was created during these points; an association that would ensure that all states, no matter the size or military status, would be able to have political independence and the lines that deemed where their territory lied would be protected from outside enemies. The Great War destroyed more than just cities and the lives of the soldiers and their families involved, it completely eradicated the balance of power when it pertained to Europe and its many countries. Politics were changed forever due to Woodrow Wilson and his fourteen points, as the speech was delivered to countries in Europe, translated into their native languages and played a significant role in the truce between Germany and Austria-Hungary in November 1918. The points of Wilson were a mirror image of his character, fair and obtainable, though he was less worried about the means of achieving the goals his words of inspiration were enough to spark the souls of those who dared to listen. Though the words were strong as he met with the League of Nations, it would not be enough to sway congress, leaving his vision to collapse right in front of him (Anonymous, 2009). If the vision would have went on to completion in the eyes of Woodrow Wilson, the possibility of the Second World War establishing could have possibly been neutralized. The rise of German power and Hitler’s will to remove all that opposed him from existence may have not been the attempt at domination that it was. There is no telling what may have transpired if congress would have ratified, but the First World War may have been the last. |
The Politics of War
The United States came out the better compared to the other parties involved in the conflict. They were the last to join the battle, thus allowing them to keep more men alive during their time involved. Changes were made during this time, politically, economically and socially. America was viewed as a military and industrial leader of the world. Many cities in Europe were destroyed and barren due to the war. There were toppled buildings, a crushed infrastructure and fields that would never appear as they used to. Technology was rising and this boded well for America, as electricity was becoming more of asset and steel was used in more and more construction. Women became more than what they once were in the eyes of those that did not see them as greater than the house wife and mother. During the times of war the jobs that their husbands, uncles and fathers left behind to join in the effort were given to the same women that used to be looked down upon as unneeded in those situations; and on June 4th, 1919 women were congressionally given the right to vote for whomever they saw fit in elections. But not all of the changes were for the good, as race riots ensued in many cities, most famously in Chicago as soldiers were returning home with no jobs to go back into. Inflation increased the cost of the living, as many African-Americans went north, causing more outrage among the returning countrymen (Alchin, 2017). Europe was having an even more intense time when it came to politics, as four monarchies went into extinction. The Ottoman empire collapsed in 1922, preceded by Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary, which was now two separate countries due to the Treaty of Versailles. The end of the war played part in Russia being taken over by the Bolsheviks and gave the win to fascism in Italy. As America rose to power, the decrease in the same industrial and political prowess lead to many murders in Turkey and an outbreak of the flu virus that would claim many millions of lives across the planet (Mintz, 2009). The war was brutal and claimed the lives of many men that fought for their countries. The land was marred and the concrete and wood that once stood as buildings in the cities were rubble against the cracked roads. The aftermath of the war did just as substantial damage to many places inside the European spectrum. Powers that had ruled for many years were taken away from certain areas, as other powers came into existence and changed the landscape of those countries forever. |