The End of WWI

Transcription

1 The End of WWI World War One began in It ended in It might have ended earlier. In 1916 the Central Powers suggested a peace agreement. People were getting tired of the war, and Germany had achieved some of its goals. But the other side, the Allies, were not interested. The U.S. planned to enter the war soon on their side. The Allies were sure they would win. They were not interested in a compromise. They made severe demands. The Central Powers refused and the war continued. Russia, one of the Allies, left the war in It had lost an important battle with Germany, and there had been a revolution in their country. Even with Russia out of the war, the Central Powers were losing. By 1918 it was obvious that Austria-Hungary could not fight much longer. The Germans knew their situation was hopeless. The Kingdom of Bulgaria was the first Central Power to sign a cease-fire agreement on September 29. This gave the Allies control of Serbia and Greece. The Ottoman Empire gave up on October 20, Austria- Hungary gave up on November 3, Germany kept fighting, but it knew it would lose soon. It was running out of food and other supplies. The U.S. was sending thousands of fresh troops to fight it every day. Some German troops refused to serve. There was a revolution in the country. A German republic was declared on November 9, It replaced Imperial Germany. A cease-fire agreement was signed on November 11, It went into effect the same day. The war officially ended on June 28, 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles. The victors wanted to make sure that Germany would never fight another war. The treaty said Germany could not have a large army. It said it could not have equipment such as tanks, warships, and submarines. Germany had to take the blame for the war and pay for damages. WWI changed much in Europe, Asia and Africa. New countries were created, and old ones disappeared. International organizations were founded. People debated old and new beliefs like nationalism, internationalism, and pacifism. Four empires broke up, and many new smaller countries were created in Europe.

2 Name Date Germany lost land to other countries including Poland, Belgium, and France. Germans were unhappy about the tough terms of the Versailles Treaty. The new German government printed more money to pay its debts. This caused high inflation. Prices rose so much that people s money was almost worthless. Many Germans were unhappy. They later supported Adolf Hitler because he criticized the treaty. The hardships of World War I helped cause the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the Russian civil war. The Russian civil war killed more than 5.5 million people and caused much destruction. Many new states were formed from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They included Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. The last three united with Serbia to form Yugoslavia. The Ottoman Empire also broke up. It was replaced by Turkey. Like the other empires, it also lost territories. Parts became what is now Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The breakup of the Ottoman Empire led to the creation of the modern Middle East. British Commonwealth nations also saw changes. Fighting in the war was a source of national pride. They were no longer happy to be controlled by Britain. In the coming years they grew more independent. The same was true for colonies such as India and Nigeria. They tried harder to win independence from Great Britain. Whole societies suffered from the war, especially in central Europe, Russia and France. WWI was touched the lives of millions of people. Many lost their optimism and hope for a better future. Men who fought in the war were called "the Lost Generation" because they never got over their experiences. Many people thought nationalism had helped cause the war. They wanted the world to be more international. They created international organizations like the League of Nations. Pacifism also became popular. However, other people believed that only a strong military would protect their country. WWI lasted five years and killed 15 million. People had hoped it would be a war to end all wars. Instead, it led to another even worse world war.

3 Name Date ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE END OF WWI 1. When did the Central Powers first want to end the war? a b c d Why did the Allies make demands the Central Powers rejected? a. Out of a sense of honor b. Because the Central Powers started the war. c. Because they believed they would win. d. The article does not say. 3. Which country quit the war first? a. Germany b. Austria c. The United States d. Russia 4. Which Central Power gave up first? a. Bulgaria b. The Austro-Hungarian Empire c. The German Empire d. The Ottoman Empire 5. Why was there inflation in Germany after the war? a. Hitler came to power b. Nationalism was strong c. Germany lost territory to Poland d. The government printed money to pay its war debts 6. Why did many people oppose nationalism after the war? a. Nationalism was one of the reasons the war started b. Nationalism failed to end the war c. The war was traumatic d. Nationalism was strong in Germany

4 Name Date Write complete sentences to answer the questions below. 1. Imagine you are a soldier who has survived a long and terrible war. How would you feel about war? 2. Tell how the story of Germany fighting a war it knew it would lose reminds you of an experience you have had. 3. After reading the story what do you think is meant by inflation? 4. What did you learn about the end of WWI that you did not know? How will you use that new information?

5 Name Date Answers to THE COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN WWI Multiple-choice questions 1. b 2. c 3. d 4. a 5. d 6. a Short-answer questions 1. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers. 2. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers. 3. Inflation = rising prices 4. Answers will vary. Accept logical, realistic answers.