Category: World War 1

The period after World War I can be discussed as rather challenging for the development of the countries which were defeated during the war. As the main aggressor, Germany faced the most dramatic consequences of World War I and experienced the political, economic, and social collapse.

The state developed as the superpower before the progress of the war, and the aftermath of World War I for Germany was in the necessity to pay reparations and to realize the required disarmament. From this point, it is necessary to examine the consequences of World War I for Germany and to contrast the aspects of the countrys political, economic, and social development before and after the war.

In spite of the fact that Germany was one of the most powerful European states before the wars start in 1914, World War I led to the political, economic, and social decline in the country during the early 1920s; the contrast was caused by the inability of Germany to realize its intentions to become the extended superpower while using the means of war and by the inability to follow the conditions mentioned in the Versailles Treaty regarding reparations and disarmament.

How Germany Lost Its Position of the Superpower and Became the Weak European State

The end of World War I was associated with signing the Treaty of Versailles and with the necessary armistice based on a range of stated conditions. The Allied Forces concluded that Germanys intentions and military actions were the main causes for the progress of World War I.

As a result, the Allied Forces concluded about Germanys responsibility for compensating the losses caused by the dramatic war conflict and for paying reparations to the countries winning in the war. This decision was one of the main causes for the countrys economic decline during the period of the 1920s.

Furthermore, the costs of the war and human and economic losses should also be discussed as significant reasons to speak about Germanys decline after World War I. Developing the potential as the European superpower, Germany focused on the war conflict as the way to expand the territories and to gain more resources while occupying the French territories. As a result, a lot of money was spent for mobilizing troops.

The focus on the war became the priority for the German government, and significant material resources were spent to satisfy the needs of the troops. Much attention was paid to the aspects of the mobilization and militarization in order to contribute to the further progress of the German state.

However, the expected results were not achieved. Germany was the economically and socially prosperous state before World War I, but the focus on the war led to the decline in industries and agriculture because of losses in territories and resources. The shift from the superpower to the weakened state was rapid and impetuous, and the defeat in World War I was the main cause for the process.

Differences in the German Economy before and after World War I

Germany was discussed by politicians and economists as the real threat to the stability and power of Britain and France before World War I because of the intensive economic development.

Despite the fact that the history of the united country was extremely short, the economic and political potential of Germany was significant. Thus, the German lands were united in the 1870s to build the powerful state, and the countrys potential was stated during the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s when France was defeated, and new industrial territories were occupied.

During the period before 1914, Germany developed as one of the most powerful industrial states because of the focus on producing steel. Having occupied the defeated French territories of Alsace-Lorraine, the country received a lot of resources to produce steel and to develop different industries during the early part of the twentieth century.

The industrial progress and economic stability led to the development of Germany as one of the main naval European countries. Germany developed its potential as the naval state in several years, and this situation became the real challenge for Britain which took the position as the most powerful naval country in Europe.

The other field for the progress was associated with the development of the German colonies and with the countrys aggressive approach to provide stability in the African colonies and oppress the revolts. Thus, the economic development of Germany before World War I could be characterized by the stable growth and orientation to the progress.

The situation can be discussed as quite opposite while discussing the aftermath of World War I. The defeat of Germany was connected with significant human and material losses, and moreover, the states defeat meant that Germany was ordered to pay reparations in more than $30 billion.

Thus, the Allies made extortionate reparation demands which caused a balance of payments deficit and resulted in a disastrous fall in the exchange rate. However, according to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany lost the French industrial territories and the other occupied territories that supported the industrial development of the state.

Germany lost such territories as Upper Silesia, Alsace-Lorraine, the Saar district, most of Posen and part of west Prussia, Schleswig, Danzig, the Baltic part of Memel, the Western frontier districts of Eupen and Malmedy and a small area near Troppau; and Germany became depended on foodstuffs and raw material imports, because the regions lost were particularly rich in agricultural and industrial resources.

Thus, Germany lost 15% of the arable land and 75% of the iron ore deposits. The impossibility to reorganize and restructure industries because of the lack of necessary resources caused the impossibility to pay reparations.

The shift to the new economic order was problematic, and the instability of the German economy along with the growth of the reparation debt resulted in hyperinflation. According to Hetzel, in 1913, total currency in Germany amounted to just 6 billion marks. Nevertheless, the situation changed dramatically after the war and in 1923, a loaf of bread cost 428 billion marks and a kilogram of butter almost 6,000 billion marks.

It is possible to determine several causes for such economic decline in Germany during the period of the 1919-1923. Thus, the economic cause of hyperinflation was the monetization of public and private debt by Germanys central bank, the Reichsbank. The political cause lay in the inability of a fragile democracy to impose the taxes necessary to pay war reparations. Inflation of 1918-1919 became the hyperinflation of 1920-1923, and the extreme measures were necessary to stabilize the situation.

If the period after World War I was discussed as contrasting to the period before the Great War, the situation changed in 1924 when Germany asked the US financial assistance. According to the Dawes Plan, the United States provided the necessary loans for Germany in order to guarantee the payment of reparations.

In spite of the fact the conditions of the plan were rather unfavorable for Germany, this plan contributed to stabilizing the economy, to developing the industries, and to improving the social sphere. $25 billion provided by the United States contributed to the reconstruction of Germanys status as the economically stable state, but the crisis of 1929 led to one more extreme economic decline.

The Political Situation in Germany of the 1920s in Contrast to the Pre-War Situation

Before 1914, Germany was the imperialistic and autocratic superpower which also influenced the distribution of powers in Europe. The focus on imperialism and militarism was associated with the countrys significant plans to gain the European strategically and economically important territories and to state the political and economic domination not only in the region but also on those continents where Germany had the colonies.

It seemed that there were not boundaries for the progress of the German Empire, and the German monarchy was oriented to dominating Europe as the most powerful naval and industrial state. That is why, the German monarchy chose to focus on occupying more territories and developing the plans for the military invasions.

Nevertheless, World War I caused by the aggressive actions of the German monarchy did not lead to the progress of the state, but instead, the war resulted in the German Empires collapse. In 1918-1919, the German state experienced the challenging revolution which symbolized the shift to the new political order.

The Social Democrats became the leading party in the country, and the period of the Weimar Republic began. From this point, one of the main consequences of World War I for the progress of the German state is the shift from the German monarchy to the democratic rule.

Nevertheless, comparing and contrasting the periods before and after World War I, it is important to note that the imperialistic Germany achieved more significant results, and the German monarchy was associated with the idea of the political stability when the first years of the Weimar Republic were associated with the periods of the political and economic instability.

The period of 1924-1929 is often discussed as the Golden Years of the Weimar Republic because of the authorities reliance on the economic assistance of the United States. However, it is impossible to speak about the political stability in the country during the interwar period because many different parties, including the extremist ones, received the opportunity to enter Parliament and to influence the political development of the country.

This aspect was discussed as positive during the post-war period, but it became the threat for the states political stability in the late 1920s. From this point, the German monarchy can be discussed as more stable in comparison with the German democracy of the 1920s.

The Aspects of the Social Life in the Country before and after World War I

In spite of the developed imperialism, the German Empire before 1914 was the prosperous state where the aspects of the social life were closely associated with the continuous economic progress because of the increased industrialization and development of agriculture. On the contrary, the first years after World War I were characterized with references to the destroyed industries, economy, and agriculture. The problems in heavy industries led to the significant unemployment rates, and inflation made the situation worse.

Many people suffered from the lack of money, impossibility to find work, and from drastic living conditions. Although the democratic rule was stated in Germany after World War I, middle and low classes suffered from poor living conditions and poverty more dramatically than during the worst years of the empires development.

The authorities reacted to the publics struggles and focused on the social spending, but this approach led to the increase of the financial debt because of inflation of the German currency. The concentration on the transportation projects and on ways to modernize the low percentage of industries was not effective, the unemployment rate increased, and the municipals capitals were not enough to change the situation for better.

The economic problems and the results of the war affected different categories of the German population. Many people lost not only the members of their families and their jobs but also houses. The housing problem was critical during a long period of time, till the housing project was developed during the mid-1920s.

The dramatic consequences of the war influenced the representatives of the upper middle and high classes who became bankrupts because of the hyperinflation; the war affected workers and representatives of the lower classes who became suffering from unemployment, inability to work in industries, and from the housing problem; and the aftermath of the war was also dramatic for farmers because the whole system of agriculture was destroyed because many economically significant lands were given up.

The situation began to improve in 1924 when the first financial resources were received as the US assistance for Germany. The introduced social reforms contributed to improving the populations living conditions.

Furthermore, the programs for overcoming the unemployment problem were implemented along with the multiple housing programs which were worked out because of the necessity to create the stable situation for the societys development. However, the progress was not long, and the crisis of 1929 threw all the social achievements back to the post-war period when the social life of the German population was described as full of sufferings and challenges.

Conclusion

During the period of 1870-1914, Germany was the prosperous empire which used the imperialist approaches in order to state its domination in Europe. In spite of rejecting the principles of democracy and the active use military means, Germany was described as the superpower because of the stable political approach to resolving the challenging situations and because of the focus on the economic progress. Germany concentrated on the industrial development and became the powerful naval state. The opposite situation is observed during the period of 1918-1923.

World War I influenced the development of the German country significantly, and the effects were negative because the war led to the challenging revolution, to the significant losses in human and material resources, and to the obvious economic ad social decline. From this point, the focus on expanding the states impact in Europe led to the great military conflict and to the dramatic negative consequences for Germany because the empire was defeated and ordered to pay significant reparations to the winning countries.

References

Braun, H. (2012). German economy in the twentieth century. USA: Routledge.

Hetzel, R. (2002). German monetary history in the first half of the twentieth century. Economic Quarterly, 88(1), 1-35.

Owen-Smith, E. (2002). The German economy. USA: Routledge.

Retallack, J. (2006). The German Right, 1860-1920: Political limits of the authoritarian imagination. USA: University of Toronto Press.

Temin, P., & Toniolo, G. (2008). The world economy between the wars. USA: Oxford University Press.

Introduction

World War I (WWI) occurred between 1914 and 1918, which involved 32 nations, resulting in various social impacts and demographic changes in Europe. The social effects include deaths, the emergence of technology, modern medication, defined social classes, and changes in womens rights. Demographically, Europe was divided and reshaped to establish new territories due to numerous factors, including military forces, nationalism, and imperialism. Several nations were created from the collapse of four European empires, which included the Russian, Ottoman, German, and Austria-Hungary empires, which reshaped the entire map of Europe. This paper reviews how these empires collapsed during and after WWI and which regions were created from the downfall. It also attempts to explain how factors in WWI led to changes in the territorial borders of Europe.

Growing Nationalism

Rising nationalism in the Balkan region brought tension in the different minority ethnic groups, leading to the Balkan war during WWI and the emergence of nationalist groups. The Balkan region was located between the Austria-Hungary, Russian and Ottoman empires, a strategic location for hiding and ambush and prided efficient transportation through the water. The area was part of the Ottoman empire, but it remained a source of interest for many strong powers like the British and French. Aside from this, the region had numerous challenges of its own. A perfect example is the existence of many ethnicities, which resulted in nationalist groups. The Balkans nationalist groups led a revolution against Russian imperialism, leading to the expansion of Serbia and the creation of countries known today as Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland.

Imperial Rivalry

The European empires had a great rivalry among themselves as each territory aimed to conquer more colonies and expand their imperialism. The Ottoman kingdom faced extreme imperialism rivalry from the Russian empire, which gave rise to WWI, where the two fought on opposing frontlines. By picking sides with Germany, the Ottoman Empire suffered great defeat during the war at Gallipoli Peninsula, which caused many lives and a retreat from the battle. Ottoman power was also rivaled by the British and French, who wanted imperial control over their territory. When the supremacy of the kingdom weakened, the other imperial solid realms that won victories took control and made decisions regarding peace treaties that led to the division of territories. The ottoman empire retained the country of Turkey after giving most of its land to the Middle East and Southwest Asia.

Increased Militarism

Nations that held power during WWI relied on their military ability to conquer and retain lands. During the skirmishes, most military forces spent substantial resources obtaining more men and advanced weapons to gain more victories. Each resilient empire believed that having the most powerful military enhanced the acquisition of world power. With the belief, competition rose, and with increasing antagonism, more finances were used, leading to economic instability. Germany suffered the greatest financial depression because of fines for reparations and compensation after WWI. The economic strain led to the weakening of the German rule on its colonies. As a result, the colonies used the opportunity to create riots and socialist revolutions, hence gaining independence leading to the creation of Czechoslovakia, Poland, and the expansion of Belgium, France, and Denmark.

Although historians claim that the boundaries established after WWI are more political than economic, which had only created new problems between the countries, the war played a significant role in shaping Europe today. Empires were destroyed along with ideologies of militarism, nationalism, and imperialism, which were socially and economically oppressive. The creation of new nations brought peace, economic stability, and embracing of peoples culture that was otherwise suppressed. From these events in history, mankind has learned that although adverse effects characterize war, it can also result in some positive outcomes.

Before world war I Britain was an industrial power and had some of the greatest inventions of the age. Great Britain was a great state before the war.“ however the world pretends to divide itself, there are only two divisions in the world today -human beings and germans’ Rudyard Kipling 1915. The impact of world war 1 on Great Britain is seen through the fluctuating economy, changes in the workforce, and medical advancements. The economy before the war was an industrial power despite the rapid advance of nations like the United States and Germany. Despite Britain’s industrial and naval strength they tried to avoid wars before world war 1 happened. Britain’s main rival in the 19th century was Russia. They also got into a small war in South Africa when the Afrikaans-speaking farmers challenged British authority leading to the “Boer war ( 1899-1902)” (alphahistoy.com). Britain’s economy during world war 1 was a lot different than before.” Britain fell into a food crisis during the war” (Imperial War Museum). Britain introduced rationing in 1918 and extended it nationwide by the summer. The price control in Britain in WW1 was administered by several agencies of which three, the ministry of supply, the ministry of food, and three board of trade. The effects of Britain after the war left the U.S. the leading industrial power. The war cost Britain a lot of money. “Various political, economic, and social problems ensured that the peacetime conditions was not a soft landing” (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk).

The number of British workers involved in strikes unemployment reached its highest in 1921 reached its highest point. The British economy after World War 1, incurred 715,000 brutal deaths from the military. It destroyed 3.6% of its human capital, 10% of its domestic, and 24% of its overseas assets. All this can lead to a downfall in the economy because all these aspects are needed to help a community to go on. Just like many other countries that were affected by world war 1 great sorrow fell upon the British economy after losing such valuable necessities. Men had always been the backbone of our community because they are relied on as strong, and dependable, but what most people don’t notice is the women’s roles in World War 1. For example, large numbers of women were recruited into jobs vacated by men who had gone to fight in the war. The economies also created jobs for the women to be able to keep their households in shape, as the men did. This was a great movement towards women’s equality, and this proves that World War 1 had very few, but some good things for the world. New jobs created for women during the world war helped many families. Men, at that time, were looked upon to carry their families through and make all the money. When the men had been drafted, and the families started running low on the currency the women had to step in and be the “men” of the household. This was a great step toward many new concepts for the economy. Women had never been looked at to do a “man” job, frantically because they aren’t cut out for it. Little did they know, the women could do just as good as the men.

The life of a soldier can be hard and put more stress on someone, more than a regular person could handle. Many people often wonder what brave, professional, and conscripted soldiers go through each day. Even if soldiers don’t have to go out to the battlefield, they still have to get up a train to be able to defend their country. Being a soldier in WW1 had to be a burden. Imagining what they had to see and go through can send a shiver through someone’s spine. Everyone should be very grateful for their soldiers because they are courageous and strong for us to live. World War 1, was a brutal battle there was more than just bloodshed. People lost different types of body parts such as; arms, legs, hands, and much more. Doctors and surgeons of WW1 had to come up with a way to prevent infection and the peculiar look of the missing limb. Doctors made artificial limbs for the soldiers to wear, so they feel, and look normal. Palmer’s arms and legs aided those injured servicemen who escaped or survived the infection and gangrene that killed many amputees. This created a modern turning point in WW1, when people found out about prosthetics they finally felt as if they could feel normal and look like a “normal person.” (yale.edu)

Soldiers in battle got all kinds of medical issues including displacement of bone and skin. What is now a multibillion-dollar industry, arose back near a century ago to reconstruct the faces of soldiers disfigured WW1 soldiers. Outside of London’s Queen’s hospital, they had reserved places for men with shattered faces and crushed dreams. Most of the soldiers that sat on the bench and waited for plastic surgery were wounds on the western front that had never been seen before in warfare. All soldiers that had the opportunity to get such a service done to them were very grateful. ( Britishlibarary.com)

The reconstruction aides, civilian women who served in WW1, are credited with an influential role in the development of occupational therapy. The concept of occupational therapy was to aid those who had been wounded in battle, while many professionals for occupational therapy are therapists, there were also many; teachers, artists, and craftspersons. This helped people by allowing them to have services done to them by helping others.

It is only fair that the people that the veterans protected during rough times give back thanks in many ways, and a good way to show that is through medical appliances. The veterans have shown their respect to the country, and the only way to respect that is to show respect back. Many people have lost a lot from the tragedies of this war. Looking back and noticing all the hard and brave work done by the courageous people that we should respect, is truly amazing. Those people should be praised forever, and infinity, because they have done a lot for their country.

To sum up, the terrible World War 1 caused many families heartbreak and sorrow. WW1 affected the economy in ways such as; prices, lives, families, and the land that the economy depends on. WW1 also led to some great discoveries and inventions including; plastic surgery, prosthetics, and therapy. It led to new jobs for women and new experiences for women such as; living a man’s role in the family. Without this war, some of these things might have never been discovered. World War 1 was a brutal and nasty war with many disgusting outcomes and few good outcomes but without all the tragedies of this war who knows what could be of the country today?

Some states made dissatisfied treaties such as the Treaty of Versailles as a result of World War 1 and this caused another war. The Second World War lasted between 1939 and 1945 and millions lost their lives in this war. Nuclear weapons were used only in this war. Italy, Germany, and Japan were called the Axis power. England, France, Russia, and the USA called the Allies power. After World War 1 and the Great Depression Nazi regime rose in Germany. The Nazi government in Germany defended the idea of the superior German race and declared that did not recognize the Peace Treaty of Versailles and started occupations. After Hitler took the power, Germany developed the war industry, especially in the armored units, there was a very serious war force in Germany, and Germany’s army was the most powerful army during that era. Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and Germany progressed until 1941. They captured or suppressed many lands with treaties or wars. But Hitler could not secure victories in the long run. England resisted the German army in 1941 at that time Hitler planned Russia’s war plan because he was confident and thought that we can quickly win the British war. In 1942, Hitler dismissed his general and take command of the army. He did not listen to generals’ suggestions. Because he was a narcissist. ‘’His persistent sense of self-importance and entitlement makes it likely that he would have had a narcissistic personality disorder’’. Hitler made the wrong decisions. It was Hitler’s extreme narcissism that eventually led to his collapse as can be seen in his attack on Russia in winter and declaration of war on the USA and his underestimated England army.

Hitler thought that England was a weak opponent and not invincible, he underestimated England’s army power and overestimate German army power. There was a reason for his idea. The reason for this Germany invaded France, Netherlands, and Belgium easily and quickly at that time. Netherlands and Belgium was not the target but made easier for the invasion of France. Germany had only one target because France was out of war. Hitler offer the peace agreement, but England refused without any conditions. After that Hitler started the British war to invade England or compel them to accept the agreement. Churchill did not accept the agreement. Hitler thought that was a bluff because he was a narcissist. British prepared for war and took precautions. The British radar system was developed and obtained information about German bombardment. British air force resists the German air force. Eventually, Germany had to retreat and canceled the invasion of England. Hitler believed that invaded England easily, but he did not invade and he had to turn his route into Russia. It was a mistake they had to war on two fronts because of his narcissism, normally they should have avoided fighting on two fronts it was a trap. According to Jeffrey Record opponents were surprised ‘’ Hitler was so reckless to start a war with the Soviet Union before he had first finished off Britain’’. According to Jeffrey Record if Hitler knows Germany’s army power they would win the war. Also, he mentions that Germany was defeated because of a lack of strategy and this reflects the battle of Britain. However, Hitler was very confident and narcissistic. He wanted more than he could and he did not see the reality.

Hitler attacked Russia in the winter because of narcissism. He was self-confident and this made her make mistakes. This operation is known as Barbarossa. Hitler underestimated the Russian army’s power. Hitler thought that the red army was not a threat to Germany. In her opinion German army was better than the Russians and they could defeat easily. Nazis spent a lot of money on their army. Nazi management believed that they could defeat Russia in the summer. That’s why they did not prepare the winter equipment for the army. The nazi invasion started in 1941. Two years ago before the attack, Russia and Germany signed an agreement not to attack each other. German army moved into Russia’s land and Russia did not resist the German army. However, when came winter German army had to retreat because they had not had enough equipment for winter. ‘’Hitler did not order the issuance of winter gear and clothing to the German Army in Russia either because he thought the war would be over before the first snowfall or because he thought it would demoralize the troops or both’’. Rundstedt suggested that we could not defend the South and that we should back but Hitler did not listen to him. Also, ‘’Hitler persisted in overruling the tentative opposition of the general staff to his strategy’’. These situations show his narcissism. According to Jeffrey Record Germany underestimate Russia and they were confident because Russia could not stop Aryan German. Russian army stops the German army in winter. German army retreated until the Russian army captured Berlin in 1945. Hitler made the most fatal military mistake by attacking Russia. He defeated his ego. He lost a lot of soldiers. If Hitler had not been defeated by his ego and had not attacked Russia, he would have won the war.

Hitler declared war on United State because of narcissism. He thought the Americans had a lower racial status than the Germans. That’s why he thought that the American army was not a perfect army and that the American army lacked a number of soldiers. Hitler was angry with the United States because the United States provide food to England and protect England’s ships in the Atlantic Ocean. Hitler found the perfect opportunity for declaring war against the United States after the Japanese air force bombed Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941. Hitler had not declared war on the United States but he was a narcissist. As I said he underrated the American army and race. Hitler made another fatal mistake by declaring war against the United States. ‘’When the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour provoked Hitler, very mistakenly, to declare war on the United States’’. On the same day, President Roosevelt declared war on Germany. This declaration exhausted the German army force. Because Germany had a war on many fronts and their economy was not good. ‘’ America’s participation in the war had largely determined the defeat of Germany’’. Hitler had to war against three military power, that is the British, the Russians, and the United States.

Hitler was defeated in World War II because of his narcissism which made him attack the Russians without preparing winter equipment for his military, declaring war against the United States and underestimating the military power of England. During the Nazi invasion of Russia, Hitler underrated the military power of the Russian army. He assumed that the German army capture the Russian land quickly. That’s why, Hitler did not prepare any military equipment for winter conditions. Also, Hitler’s narcissism made him make a quick decision in declaring war against the United States of America. This made his military fight an unnecessary war against the United States. They should have avoided this war. Hitler underestimation of the military power of the British Royal Air Force. Eventually, Hitler’s narcissism led to his collapse. Germany was defeated in 1945 because of Hitler’s narcissism and wrong decisions.

Bibliography

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In the 20th century the world was faced with the two World Wars. They both started in Europe but affected everyone in the world. There were many factors that contributed to the wars, but there are some that stand out. For example, that led to World War I and World War II, but the most important ones were alliances, imperialism and nationalism.

Alliances of countries in Europe and the world were one of the causes that contributed to the first and second World Wars. Countries during this time wanted to be in alliances due to the fact being in an alliance would help them in military and economically. During World War 1 there were two major alliances one was named the Allies which consisted of Great Britain, France, and Russia. The Allies went up against the Central powers which included Germany, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary. However, during World War 2 there were also two main alliances which were the Allies against Germany, Japan and Italy. The Alliance arrangement made the war expand from a regional conflict into a global war. Alliances caused a lot of tension and anxiety between nations, because countries grew suspicious of the intentions of the alliances. Both World Wars had alliances but the difference was that there were different countries in WWI and in WWII but they served the same purpose. The formation of alliances were one of the causes for both World Wars.

Another main factor that helped contribute to both World Wars was imperialism. Imperialism is when a nation or empire expands their territory by Invading other civilizations and conolising them. Before World War 1 a lot of European countries wanted to expand their empire by colonising places like Asian and African countries, due to the fact colonies can provide an empire with cheaper materials. With that being said the particular reason for imperialism causing the World Wars was that countries would be jealous over other nations success. For example Germany wasn’t pleased with the amount of countries they’ve colonised because they did not have as much as other european countries at the time. This actively demonstrates the fierce competition each country had in order to take over countries. On the other hand imperialism also played a huge role in World War II. The Germans and Italians wanted to take over eastern Europe while the Japanese also wanted to take over neighbouring Asian countries. To sum everything up that has been stated so far imperialism did play a huge role in both World Wars. European nations like the central powers fought long and hard to colonise and take over countries while the Allies fought to stop them from taking over Europe. Both World Wars had imperialism but during World War I Most of Europe were consoling countries but colonization reduced drastically when World War II came around.

Finally, Nationalism was another significant factor and cause that led to both World Wars. Nationalism is all about loyalty and pride for one’s country. This extreme sense of pride causes a nation to be very sensitive about their country and they will react violently to anything criticism or threat. The sense of Nationalism was very important in Germany in both World Wars. Germany wanted to be superior to other countries. According to World War One Facts The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28th of 1914 is the event that sparked WW1. The Slavs killed Franz Ferdinand because they were motivated by nationalism to unite the area called Greater Serbia. That assination due to nationalism was a major cause for the start of WWI. After this assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand this made a lot of the major European military powers angry and less willing to work differences out peacefully. Nationalism in World War II however was more about Germany being the superior race and group of people. Hitler desired a strong government and military that was part of his ideology. Hitler through nationalism changed Germany like no other and convinced the majority of the population especially the younger generation into nationalists and extremists. On the other hand, Nationalism was different in both World Wars. In WWI the assassionation of Franz Ferdinand provoked a response, while in World War II the Nazi ideology was the reason behind Nationalism which was a major cause for second World War.

Conclusion

In conclusion there were many reasons for both World Wars but, the most important ones were alliances, imperialism and nationalism. Due to all these reasons the war started in Europe but then affected everyone in the world.

World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII), were vastly different from each other due to the use of technology. The nature of War in WWI was between countries to acquire colonies, territory and resources. In WWII the nature of the war was war of ideologies, such as Fascism and Communism. There were major advances in weaponry and communications which not only effected the way the war was fought but also the outcome. WWII was especially devastating due to the genocide of the Jewish people committed by the Nazis. WWII was indefinitely more technologically advanced, for instance the invention of radar, the inventions of many new deadly types of bombs, the advancements in tanks, aircraft and the invention of enigma.

Radar was a new technology that was developed before WWII in 1935, by the British Physicist Sir Robert Watson-Watt. In 1939 before the start of WWII, England had established multiple radar stations along the south and east coast to detect radio waves off invaders in the air and in the sea. The invention of Radar helped the British fight off the Germans in the Great Battle of Britain. In WWI radar had not yet been invented therefore making it an advancement of WWII. In WWI airplanes had played a very small role and were mainly used for reconnaissance. The Airforce had become one of the most important parts of the military during WWII. Whoever had control of the air, often won the battles on the land. There were multiple planes that were designed for specific types of tasks. Planes in WWI mostly had single engines, with thin wooden or canvas skin, they also had machine guns mounted to the plane. During WWI, the Dutch aircraft designer Anthony Fokker designed the Interrupter Gear. This turned airplanes in weapons instead of scouts, the gear was designed so that a machine gun would fire when propellers were out of the way. One of the most famous pilots from WWI was the Red Baron, he was a German fighter pilot who is considered to be “the deadliest flying ace of WWI’. Throughout his career he shot and killed 80 enemy pilots, while flying a Red Fokker Dr. Triplane. In WWII planes used metal skins which made them more resilient to gun fire, the planes in WWII were more streamlined and aerodynamic. Many different types of planes were designed in WWII for specific tasks, there were small, fast fighter planes which were designed for air to air combat. There were also large bombers which dropped huge bombs on enemy targets, certain planes were also designed to land and take off form aircraft carriers, and large transport planes used to deliver supplies and soldiers. Other important advances in aircraft include the 1st military helicopters and the 1st jet powered fighter planes. Aircraft Carriers were one of the biggest changes in naval technology in WWII, they had become the most important ships in the navy. They were able to launch air attacks from anywhere in the ocean.

Although tanks were first used in WWI, it was during WWII that tanks had become a major military force. Hitler had utilized tanks in his fast-moving panzer divisions. They enabled him to quickly take over much of Europe using a tactic called “Blitzkrieg”, meaning “lightning war”. Some of the most famous tanks from WWII include the Germans Tiger tank, the Soviet Unions T-34 tank and the USA’S Sherman tank. Throughout WWI French tanks were the most involved, ahead of Britain and America. Germany was slow to adapt to the idea of tanks, Germanys presence of tanks in WWI was essentially non-existent. During WWI there were multiple methods of warfare, during WWII all these methods were more advanced. WWI was fought from the trenches and was supported by artillery, machine guns, infantry, assault tanks, poisonous gas and early airplanes, throughout WWI mobility was minimal. During WWII nuclear power was invented and missiles were used, submarines and tanks had also become heavily used. Modern concepts of covert and special operations were introduced, and encryption codes for secret communication became more complex. In WWII, in order to keep communications secret, both sides developed their own secret codes. This allowed people in the war to communicate with one other, without fear of messages being easily intercepted. The Germans used a machine called the Enigma Machine, this allowed them to code and decode their messages, this gave them an upper hand as the enemies were unable to gain valuable information. However, the Allied scientists were able to crack the code giving them advantages in battle.

WWII brought the invention of multiple new, deadly bombs, perhaps the greatest leap in technology during WWII was the atomic bomb. The Germans invented the long-range flying bomb called the V-2, the Allies developed the bouncing bomb that would bounce across water and explode once it hit a dam. Other specialized bombs include the bunker busters and cluster bombs. The atomic, and nuclear bombs are impressive weapons with immense power. These bombs use nuclear reactions as their source of explosive energy. Scientists had first advanced nuclear weapons technology during WWII. The atomic bombs have only ever been used twice in war, both times by the US against Japan. The bombs were dropped at the end of WWII on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Manhattan Project was the code named used for the American-led project to develop a functional atomic bomb during WWII. The Manhattan Project started as a response of fear that German scientists had been working on a weapon using nuclear technology since the 1930’s. By 1945, scientists had developed two distinct types of atomic bombs, a uranium-based bomb called “the Little Boy” and a plutonium-based bomb called “the Fat Man”. On the 6th of august, 1945, the US dropped its first atomic bomb “the little boy”, from a B-29 bomber plane, over the city of Hiroshima. The “Little Boy” exploded and killed 80,000 people instantly, tens of thousands of more people would soon die from radiation exposure. When the Japanese didn’t surrender immediately, the US dropped the second atomic bomb three days later on the city of Nagasaki. It is estimated that the “Fat Man” killed 40,000 people on impact. After viewing the devastating impacts of the atomic bombs, the Japanese Emperor Hirohito declared his country’s surrender on august 15th, this day would be known as V-J Day, this declaration of defeat ended WWII.

WWII was indefinitely more technologically advanced, for instance the invention of radar and the inventions of many new deadly types of bombs. The advancements in tanks, aircraft and the invention of enigma were all key factors in WWII. WWII brought multiple new deadly bombs, and perhaps the greatest leap in technology was the atomic bomb. In WWI the war was fought between countries for colonies, territory and resources, whereas WWII was fought for more or less political reasons and power. The number of causalities in WWI is estimated to be 10 million whereas the number of causalities in WWII is over 60 million people, due to the genocide of the Jewish people. Overall WWII was definitely a more technologically advanced war due to the above stated reasons.

There has been an astronomical amount of turning points in history that have changed the world in huge and small ways. One turning point in world history was the passing of the 19th Amendment because it gave women the right to vote in the US and empowered future generations of women. A second turning point in world history was the atomic bomb droppings on Japan because the world had never seen the destruction nuclear warfare could create. A third turning point in world history is World War I because it was the First World War that consisted of major nations battling each other and it introduced a new kind of warfare. A fourth turning point in world history was the invention of the plane because it fueled a faster way of transportation.

People, especially women, protested for their voices to be heard in politics and for their right to equal rights during the twentieth century. Women did not have the right to vote, one of the many rights that they did not possess, before 1920. American women were resisting the notion of a common woman and the required characteristics like being exclusively involved in housework and family. Women became tired of their opinions being excluded in politics which were shown early in suffrage movements. Women believed that laws made by men were not justified because they excluded women’s opinions entirely. Many people saw equal rights for women as the path to a virtuous government. American women gained the right, in most states, to vote through the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited American citizens to be denied the right to vote based on sex. The battle for this ratification took decades of protests from men and women. National women suffrage groups generated marches and protests which caused disruption in Washington, D.C. It brought awareness to the lack of women’s equal rights in the nation. Women could finally express their thoughts on matters which they could not have done in the past. The Nineteenth Amendment impacted society and empowered future generations of women. Women gaining the right to vote increased their economic progress and political agenda. Women were achieving more and more feats to equality which gave them higher education so that they could pursue real professions. “Women voters were more likely than men to attach priority to issues involving children, education. And health care” (Mintz, 2). The power that American women had on politics after the nineteenth was great and influenced future decisions for the nation. Now we see more and more women involved in government with a very high possibility of a first woman president being elected within the twenty-first century.

The atomic bomb dropping during World War II, to some people, was a necessary evil to prevent the war from continuing and to force Japan to withdraw. Germany had surrendered in 1945 and the United States had to figure out a way to make Japan do the same. It can also be seen as vengeance to Japan’s pearl harbor attack that killed thousands of Americans. “Japan’s brutal conduct of war was one of the main reasons to explain President Truman’s use of the atomic bomb (Bernstein, 550)”. Japan was conducting cruel acts on Nations belonging to the allies. President Truman most likely wanted to end the war swiftly and used the “A-bomb” to instill fear into other nations to not go to war with America. The world’s first atomic bomb to drop was called ‘Little Boy’ and it detached from Enola Gay, the bomber plane, to destroy Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. Three days later the United States dropped ‘Big Boy’ on Nagasaki. Just over two hundred thousand people died because of these bombings. In all of history, the United States remains to be the only nation to use nuclear warfare. The result of these bombings was the surrender from Japan which ended World War II on September 2, 1945. The atomic bomb droppings on Japan devastated the population which shows why the world should never repeat nuclear warfare. As soon as the bombs dropped on Japan people died, got injured, and some survived this horror. “The nature of the mass injuries and deaths in Japan was completely new, however, creating ‘injuries never before seen on mortal creatures’” (Clapson, 110). Clapson then gives a disturbing description of dangling flesh, burns on people and animals who are called doomed survivors. These are terrible scenes that are difficult to imagine and put people in disbelief that this type of destruction is possible. Japanese people lost their homes and cities in a matter of seconds. This was the first time the world experienced an atomic bomb and it is evident that we do not want to see one again. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are a reminder that nuclear warfare is not of this earth and should not be used again.

Militarism, imperialism, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand ignited the start of World War I in 1914. European nations showed militarism in the early 1900s by aggressively increasing the power of their military to defend their territories. These same nations displayed imperialism in the late 1800s and early 1900s by establishing colonies in areas like Africa. European countries were racing to become the most powerful nation in the world to boast off the tremendous nationalism that they held. War was most likely to result because of this due to the tense competition in the military power and colonies. The killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a terrorist member of the Black Hand in Bosnia sparked the quick cause of World War I because it provided a reason for Austria-Hungary to take action. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia in July of 1914 marking the beginning of World War I which would last until 1918. The war involved the allied powers consisting of the United Kingdom, France, Russia, the United States, and Italy. The axis powers consisted of Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire. World War I did not include any nuclear warfare and was primarily fought with new inventions that came along with the war. The war took the lives of way over thirty-five million people which made it one of the deadliest world conflicts of all time. The United States’ very late entry into the war gave the allied powers a huge edge in winning the war because it was one of the top nations in the world. Germany finally had surrendered in 1918 which influence the axis powers to stop combating so that a peace treaty could be created. World War I officially ended in 1919 through the signing of the Treaty of Versailles at the Palace of Versailles. The peace treaty exhibited that Germany had to take the blame for starting the war, pay reparations for the war, and minimize their military arsenal. World War I spawned a new type of warfare through the latest technological inventions for the current war and for wars to come. “This was a new kind of war that made use of the new technologies of communication, transportation, and combat vehicles” (Rostker, 123). These new technologies that emerged into World War I was tanks, aircrafts, and poison gas. Tanks began armored warfare, poison gas started chemical warfare, and the use of airplanes started aerial warfare. Eliminating soldiers became easier and easier as these new innovations came into the war. These were new ways of killing the enemy that would be used in future wars like World War II.

Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright, also known as the Wright brothers, were inventors living in the United States. “Seven years after the death of Otto Lilienthal the Wright Brothers achieved what Otto attempted to do” (Dillon, 74). The young Wright brothers were inspired by Lilienthal and wanted to continue what he had started. They wanted to do what every other inventor at the time wanted to do which was to create the next invention that would change society. Their dream and mission now were to put us in the sky. “The Wright brothers took flight in their powered airplane on December 17, 1903” (Schlenoff, 94). Wilbur claimed the greatest struggle was controlling the plane which made him put more effort into working on the aerial control tasks. Their plane was called the Flyer 1 and covered 852 feet in 59 seconds. They used the Flyer 1 as a model for their future plane projects like the Flyer 2. They wanted to make sure their planes could take many short flights before putting the best one in production. The Wright brothers took a step forward in airplane technology that impacted the world forever. When we think about the first plane most of us picture the Wright brothers on their plane laying down. They invented the aerial age by creating their flyers. The Wright brothers educated pilots in flight school they made which created jobs in the aerial field. They made flying easier through their work and the work of others. The brothers inspired people to travel using planes and today we can go from North America to Europe within a day.

The 19th Amendment really showed that women were capable of achieving anything for themselves and showed that men and women should be equal. The atomic bomb displayed damage that should not be seen again and should be used in any type of war. World War I showed how early ideologies were taken to an extreme length that caused the deaths of millions. The Wright brothers’ planes helped the world take flight in a new way which created a faster way of transportation across the entire globe. These events shaped today’s society and we can look back at them in books, museums, and videos.

The World War I is one of the most significant event in history both on the basis of the detrimental effects that it had brought to the society and the essential events that happened in relation to the events that transpired during that period. One of the noteworthy effects of the said war is the establishment of the anti-war movement DADA. Although, it can be considered that the WWI caused negative reinforcement to the said organization, the style that originated from the said organization can be considered notable.

The anti-war movement DADA and its objectives against the propaganda posters of the WWI is the main issue targeted by the research conducted. It can be viewed that DADA and the beliefs of the said organization is at one side while the participants of the WWI occupy the opposing side.

The Issues Related to WWI

Due to the accepted notion that the WWI is an influential and significant event marking the history of human civilization, there are different issues that can be considered pertinent to the study. These issues include the causes of the war and the kind of society during and after the war.

In relation to the causes of the WWI, these can considered as pertinent specifically on the basis that the reasons can be related to the type of society that is present during the said era. The events that transpired during the war was caused by different reasons such as arms race, distrust and mobilization, militarism and autocracy, balance of power, economic imperialism, trade barriers and ethnic and political rivalries (Bloch and Soames, 1935).

The said reasons can be considered as the overview of the events in the WWI. Primarily included in the initial event are the Austro-Serbian antagonism prior to 1914 and the Sarajevo outrage. Basically, the other events that occurred are related to the participating countries such as Germany, specifically when recommendation for immediate war was given. In addition, when Germany decided for immediate war as well as Austria, other adjacent nation took sides. The war then can be attributed to the fact that the nations that are involved wanted changes with the society. Changes are perceived important and different from the world after the Napoleon reign (Bloch and Soames, 1935).

When it comes to the generalization and view of the WWI, it can be perceived and attributed that the said war is an integration of different complicated factors emanating from the various aspects of the society including the political, social and economic facets. This can be considered as the main reasons for the changes in the outlook of the population. These changes can both be considered as both advantageous and disadvantageous. The advantages can be attributed to the fact that new outlook and views were established. On the other hand, the disadvantages can be related to the obvious aftermath of wars which are the disruption of the normal society, the traumatic effects and the casualties.

In the determination of the state of the society prior to World War I, there are different notions that surfaced relating to the causes of the said war. Basically one of the reasons for the WWI is the need for reform and change. This can be attributed to the fact that the people are not particularly contented to the conditions of the country. This can be attributed to the social, political, and economic situations (Murphy, 1979).

The Establishment of DADA

The anti-war movement DADA can be considered as one of the many effects of the World War I. It is a cultural oriented group that originated in Zürich, Switzerland which is classified as a country that does not take sides in the said war. It was considered as an organization that is aimed for the cultivation of cultural, graphic and artistic prowess. Aside from that literature and poetry and even the theater is included in the form of expression practiced and enhanced by the said organization.

What is significant though about DADA is the reason behind the establishment. Though the organization superficially aimed to be able to target the artistic capabilities of people and unite them, the said organization has a deeper agenda for the setting up. The aim to promote the artistic expression activities such as public functions and gatherings can be observed. The said organization though became the focus of attention due to the vision and subject areas explored. The main themes of the work done by the members of the DADA movement revolved on the issue related to arts, politics and culture (Hopkins, 2004)

The said main issue that can be observed is the expressed distaste for the waging of war as well as other problems in the society. Aside from the contradictions that the group expressed, the unconventional art was also explored. It can be considered that the type of art that emerged can be related to its contemporary expression which is surrealism.

Basically when it comes to arts, the WWI resulted to the disruption of the traditional beliefs of the people that resulted into the establishment of the different schools of arts that divert from the conventional art styles. These groups include a few examples such as cubism and futurism that can e recognized due to that fact that the styles that they used are eccentric (Hopkins, 2004).

Due to the rebellious style and technique of the DADA it lead to the development of movements that are also defiant of the common styles and techniques such as Avant-garde and Downtown music movements, Surrealism, Nouveau Réalisme, Pop Art and Fluxus which are of different field and areas (Hopkins, 2004).

The Definition of DADA Style

The style of DADA movement can be considered as the one that originated the development of the abstract art. It is also known as the main force that caused the development of modern art. This can be related to the fact that in the study of the evolution of art, the development of the DADA style can be considered as both disturbing and significant. Disturbing in the way that it divert from the conventional way of art, defying laws of proportion and colors and even other laws in relation to the said art (Read, 1959).

When it comes to the development of art it can be considered as adopting the laws of the predecessor while developing its own style. The style of the ancestor lessen and the own distinct identity comes out causing the growth of a new form of art. This can be the main reason for the development of the DADA style. In its quest for the rebellion against conventional ways, the resulting form of art became one of the most important developments towards modern art (Read, 1959).

The development of the Dada style can then be considered as a rebellion of artistic prowess that led to a rise of the modern form of art. Basically two sides were produced, the art and the anti-art. The art side can be considered as the conventional group that followed the strict rules in expression of art. On the other hand the anti-art devoted the expression of the rebellious art that does not follow rules.

In terms of the technique, it is in fact considered as an abomination for practitioners of the Dada and Surrealism to practice conventional techniques. The key word for their expression is free play (Hopkins, 2004).

Work of Arts

The expression of the styles of work of Dada and conventional artists of the period can be analyzed through the determination of the artists hat belong to such groups.

• The Dada Artists

One of the known Dada artists is Louis Aragon. He is a known to be a member of the communist party and the Académie Goncourt. Also, he is an active participant as a poet and novelist. From being a Dada, he later on became a Surrealist. His noted works include articles in the underground press Les Éditions de Minuit and poem such as Strophes pour se souvenir (Bohn, 1998).

The works of Aragon can be considered rebellious and anti-war basically since he expressed his views through the underground press while working for the left-wing media. In addition the poem he made was targeted to give honor to the people that joined the resistance.

Another renowned member of the Dada movement is Max Ernst who is both a painter and a poet. Together with Arp and Baargeld established the Cologne dada group and made the Fatagaga collages, which means “Fabrication de tableaux garantis gazométriques” or “Manufacture of guaranteed gasometric pictures”. This is considered as one of the significant work of the group. The dada exhibitions that he organized along with other members created antagonism from the authorities on the basis anti-moral views. He is also an active publicist of the dada group. In the development of the surrealist movement, he is one of the founding member and an active practitioner (Lieberman, 1961).

Hugo Ball is one of the most significant characters in the dada movement. He is the co-founder along with active participants such as Johannes R. Becher, Georg Heym, Richard Huelsenbeck, Klabund among others. During the war he established the “Cabaret Voltaire” in the Spiegelgasse in Zürich with the underlying mission to remind the people of the need for an “independent mind” even during the war. The main principles of the Dada movement emanated from his queries regarding the true sense of human society’s norms and values when war is considered an acceptable act. He believed that waging war is against all types of known values. This resulted to his anti-war and thus anti-norm practices. He was involved with different forms of expressions that became his way of expressing all his doubts to the norms of the society. His noted work “Die Flucht aus der Zeit” (“Flight out of Time”) is the documentation of the Dada movement in Zürich (Bell, 2006).

These are only some of the many members and practitioners of the Dada anti-war beliefs. The practitioners of the said group extended through different forms of expression such as literature and writing, journalism and visual arts which is considered as the most widely known.

• Conventional Artists

The artists that are not included in the Dada movement can be considered as the conventional ones. One of these is Claude Monet which is one of the known figures in visual arts and painting. He is the father of impressionism which at one point can be considered as a development from the conventional method. Although this is the case, he did not fully practice the anti-war beliefs. Some of his impressionist works include Rue Montorgueil which depicts the festival in Paris and the Impression, Sunrise (Impression, soleil levant) which was made during the Franco-Prussian War (Troy, 1991).

Basically, it can be considered that he is a conventional artist on the basis of the subjects he chose. Compared to the members of the Dada movement, main subjects include the issues against the war and the conventional norms and beliefs.

DADA vs. the Propaganda Posters of WWI

Based on the research that had been conducted, it can be perceived that although Dada can be considered as a non-conforming group, it can be recognized to have an important contribution to the society specifically in relation to the development of the modern art.

The conflict between the Dada movement and the propaganda posters during the World War I can be attributed to the objectives in the perpetration of the said works. The main conflicting factor between the opposing sides is the affinity for war.

The propaganda posters during the war were aimed to promote patriotism and the thought that the most important resolution to international differences is to wage war. On the other hand, the Dada movement is against the war and the thought that the society openly accepts the war and sees it as the resolution to the problems of the society (Latham, 2004; Tashjian, 1996).

Basically, the Dada movement became rebellious of the whole values and norms of the society, thus, targeting the social, economic and political aspects due to the fact that it is believed that the whole society wants war. They became the minority in the issue based on the fact that the government and leaders decided to wage war. For that matter, it is considered as a consensus of the society. This is the view that cannot be accepted by the Dada movement (Latham, 2004; Tashjian, 1996).

Based on the concepts and notions that were gathered, then, the Dada movement can be considered as a rebellious movement that resulted into an advantageous development in the society specifically in the world of arts.

References

1. Bell, Fraser. “Art Is Dead to Dada.” Queen’s Quarterly 113, 2006.
2. Bloch, Camille and Soames, Jane. The Causes of the World War: An Historical Summary. London: G. Allen & Unwin, 1935.
3. Bohn, Willard. “Louis Aragon and the Critical Muse.” The Romanic Review 89, 1998.
4. Hopkins, David. Dada and Surrealism. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2004.
5. Latham, James. “Technology and “Reel Patriotism” in American Film Advertising of the World War I Era.” West Virginia University Philological Papers 51, 2004.
6. Lieberman, William S. Max Ernst. Museum of Modern Art, 1961.
7. Murphy, Paul L. World War I and the Origin of Civil Liberties in the United States. New York: W. W. Norton, 1979.
8. Read, Herbert. A Concise History of Modern Painting. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1959.
9. Rugh, Thomas F. “Emmy Hennings and the Emergence of Zurich Dada.” Woman’s Art Journal 2.1 (1981): 1-6.
10. Tashjian, Dickran. “Art, World War II and the Home Front.” American Literary History 8, 1996.
11. Troy, Nancy J. “Esprit de Corps: The Art of the Parisian Avant-Garde and the First World War, 1914-1925 by Kenneth E. Silver. The Art Bulletin 73.1 (1991): 156-158.

Introduction

The Treaty of Versailles can variably be described as the pact of peace that was enforced or signed between Germany and its allies immediately after WWI that came to an end in 1918. The title given to this treaty was coined from the fact that it was signed in Versailles Palace in Paris. This particular venue was selected because of its capacity to accommodate the hundreds of people who participated in the preparation process including the actual signing that took place in the Hall of Mirrors. Some of the most important dignitaries that graced this occasion included Woodrow Wilson the president of the US, George Clemenceau who was the French Senior representative, and lastly was David Lloyd George the British Prime Minister.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919 immediately after the end of the First World War. Although on 11th November 1918 the Armistice treaty had been signed that had brought an end to the war, the conclusion of the peace treaty took six months. The treaty of Versailles had many provisions, the essential one was the requirement of Germany to fully accept that they caused the war, “disarm, and make considerable boundary concession and pay for damages to certain nations that had formed the Entente powers”. Starting the year 1922 the particulars on the treaty began to be undermined and by the mid-thirties, it was greatly done away with. The reason why the treaty fell was that the Nations that had won the war were involved in competitions among themselves and had a different goal. The differences among the winners of the war, later on, led to the emergence of more conflicts simply because Germany was not fully weakened; it is believed that the conflicts between these nations were the cause of the second world war.

Negotiations of the Versailles treaty

Negotiations of the treaty began on 18th January in the sale de L’Hologe in Paris France. The negotiations were carried out by seventy delegates that represented all the allied nations. Germany, Hungary, and Austria did not participate in the negotiations because they were defeated in the war. Russia on the other hand did not participate because earlier on in the year 1918 they had signed a different peace treaty with Germany, which saw Germany gaining a large part of Russian land and resources.

Until March 1919, the most complicated and hard terms of the peace treaty were negotiated by the major five victor Nations which were the United States, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Japan. Japan, later on, left the main meetings leaving the great four to carry out the negotiations the reason Japan left was that they felt that the whole decision-making was too formal to come up with an effective decision. “Italy territorial claims were rejected and this led them to also leave the negotiations but to only return on June. The final conditions of the treaty were finally agreed by the big three nations which were Great Britain, United States, and France”.

The reaction of the treaty in America

On February 14th, 1919 President Wilson arrived in the United States from Paris. He vowed to protect the national league which he viewed as the key figure of the Versailles peace treaty which was aimed at preventing the occurrence of another war. He gave his speech on supporting the league on 15th February in Boston. On his return home, he also began a cross-country tour to promote the treaty. He made a statement to the Americans that the treaty’s aim was to put an agreement of the League of Nations and will also promote the Austrian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Turkey treaties and that all the treaties will contain the agreement of the League of Nations. In his speech, he stated that all the treaties cannot work on themselves without the agreement of the League of Nations.

Before Americans engaged themselves in the First World War its citizens supported the British and the French. They totally agreed on the allied nation’s idea after the war declaration but after the war, the citizens’ opinion changed. The reason for their change in opinion was the wrangles between the European countries and the United States that existed during the signing of the treaty. The Americans thought that the signing of the treaty was a conspiracy by the Europeans rather than a peace settlement that would see the unlikely occurrence of another war. Many Americans believed that the British propaganda is what made them participate in the war and that they were rushed to participate in it. The other factor that affected the American attitude was the support of communism and socialism by European immigrants who had settled in America. This and many other reasons made the Americans feel that it was better not to participate in any European affairs and return to the state of normalcy where they only concentrated on their own affairs. The idea formed the basis of the presidential Warren Harding campaign.

The acceptance of the treaty required two-thirds of members of the state’s approval. On March 2nd, 1919 Wilson lost the motion. This was because of the 96 members who made up the senate, 33 voted against the motion. Wilson however never gave up on the issue of the League of Nations and on March 4th, 1919 he made a speech in New York insisting that the Versailles treaty and the League of Nations were unbreakable. In the same year, he went back to Paris for the remaining part of the peace conference. In an effort to concur with his critics “Wilson pushed for some amendments in the covenant. The amendments made stated that no league member had to accept a mandate, domestic affairs were to be excluded from the league affairs, the acceptance of the Monroe doctrine which and the permission of league members to leave after giving a two years notice”.

The 66th congress met on May 19th. There were diverse reactions from the members regarding the league. Of all the members of the congress, twenty-seven Democrats sided with Wilson who constituted a fourth of the Senate. Eight republicans led by Butler and Taft opposed Wilson’s idea. The remaining number of the Senate which was made up of forty Republicans and Democrats were mild preservationists. This group was led by Senator Hitchcock.

The Versailles treaty was signed on June 28th, 1919. Wilson came back home arriving on 8th July. On July 10th he presented the treaty to the senate. Senator Lodge brought on the idea of reading the whole two hundred and forty-six pages of the treaty to the Senate members; this was to run from July 14th to 28th. From July 31st to 1st September, Lodge carried out hearings, on which he called 60 witnesses. On September fourth, Wilson began an eight-thousand-mile tour to advertise the league and the treaty of Versailles to the American citizens. During the tour, he gave out forty speeches, in twenty-nine cities that lasted for twenty-two days. On September 10th senators Borah and Johnson began their tour that spread malice regarding the league and the treaty. Still, on September 10th, the Senate foreign relation committee proposed forty-five changes and four reservations. All the changes were beaten by the whole senate members and the Versailles treaty was taken back to the committee. It was during this time that Wilson collapsed while giving a speech in Colorado. Later on, on October 2nd he suffered a stroke that made him lay in bed for seven months, which made it impossible for him to actively participate in the motion.

“While Wilson lay in bed sick, Lodge proposed fourteen reservations which had the intention of reducing any real commitment to mutual security. Wilson opposed Lodge preservations and told senator Hitchcock to let Lodge compromise”. On November 13th Hitchhork proposed five reservations but they were voted out by the foreign relation committee. Wilson turned on the democrats for assistance by drafting a letter to them that asked them to turn down Lodge reservations but it was clear that without Lodge’s support it was impossible for the United States to participate in the Versailles treaty and the League. However, Wilson was adamant about compromising further.

On November 19th the Versailles treaty was defeated by a wide margin, the senate members rejected it. Numerous republicans and democrats who had mild reservations in the senate managed to convince Lodge to ask for a compromise. On January 8th, 1920 Wilson insisted that the Treaty was not supposed to be changed by the Senate. Lodge formed a Bipartisan committee to make amendments to the treaty but the work of the committee was later on rejected.

The debate in America about the treaty developed a strong concern in Europe. Both the English and French said that they were ready to accept any reservations made by the United States cabinet. On February 9th the senates agreed on making amendments to the treaty and send it to the foreign relations committee. On the 10th of the same month, the committee accepted the Versailles treaty that had the Lodge reservations. However Wilson was still adamant to compromise, he still opposed the treaty that had lodge reservations. As a result, on March 19th the Senate voted against the treaty which had Lodge reservations.

The absence of the Versailles treaty meant that legally America was still at war with Germany. On May 20th the American congress was trying to bring the end to the war through a joint resolution but Wilson rejected the resolution. The Democrats nominated James Cox as their presidential candidate for the 1920 presidential elections. Cox supported fully Wilson’s idea of promoting the League of Nations. The American people on the other hand had been fed up with Wilson’s ideas because the First World War had brought up a huge amount of Loss while the Europeans had been affected mildly by the war. The republicans, on the other hand, nominated Warren Harding who promised that he will ensure that a State of normalcy will return to America. On November 2nd Warren won the elections by a landslide and he became president in March 1921. With Warren as the president, the American congress managed to end the war on July 2nd through a joint resolution. On October 13th treaties with Germany, Austria and Hungary were approved. The Versailles treaty and the League of Nations Idea were finally defeated.

Franklin Roosevelt as Wilson supported the Treaty and the League of Nations. In the 1920 general elections, he was nominated as the Democratic vice president. He campaigned fully for the league. The democrat lost in the 1920 general elections but in

1932 Roosevelt was elected as the president. Roosevelt however was unable to make the League of Nations idea a reality because of the adverse effects it had brought to the country. After the Second World War, Roosevelt thought that the refusal of the Americans to participate in the League of Nations is what caused the war. He, later on, brought into life the idea of the League of Nations in the United Nations. Roosevelt’s health condition began to deteriorate that he could not participate actively in the formation of the United Nations; however, his wife Eleanor played a crucial role in the formation of the United Nations after his death.

Conclusions

President Wilson strongly supported the Versailles treaty fully, but he was unable to gather support from the Americans who rejected it because it supported the formation of the League of Nations which would see America participate in many European issues. According to the Americans participation of Americans in the First World War had brought losses to the country, while the Europeans were not greatly affected by the war. Another reason why the American citizens opposed the formation of the League of Nations is that European immigrants in their country supported the idea of communism and capitalism which they rejected and finally the Americans thought that they would not benefit from the formation of the League of Nations since it was a European conspiracy against them. Wilson on the other hand thought that the support of the Versailles treaty and formation of the national league would prevent the world from going into another war. Wilson however did not manage to convince the members of his government to rally behind him; most of them opposed his ideas. Though there were reservations that were made on the treaty by the senate members, Wilson remained adamant about making any changes to the treaty this is what made it impossible for the treaty to become a reality. However, after the world war, two Roosevelt managed to push for the formation of the League of Nations. Wilson’s dream, later on, came to a reality when the United Nations was formed.

References

Chace, J, (1953), “The Election that Saved the Country” Oxford press, pp 22-50.

Wells, H.G (1971), the Outline of History: The Whole Story of Man (Doubleday & Co.: New York, pp 3-11.

Wilson, W (1962,) “Speech at Pueblo, Colorado, September”, pp 19-25.

Manfred, F, (2008), “The treaty of Versailles: A reassessment after 75 years”, Glaser, pp 25-34.

Maynard, K, (1991), “Economic consequence of the peace”, New York, pp 30-53.

Georges, C, (1921), “The truth about the Versailles treaty”, Merrill, pp 22-34.

David, A, (2007). “A Shattered Peace: Versailles 1919 and the Price We Pay Today”, John Wiley & Sons Publishers, pp 19-29.

Demarco, N, (1987). “The World This Century: Working with Evidence”, Collins Educational, pp 20-23.

Nicholson, H, (1933), “Peacemaking, 1919, Being Reminiscences of the Paris Peace Conference” Houghton Mifflin, pp 101-115.

Introduction

According to (Thomas, 2004), although the First World War began in 1914, America had decided to stay out of this war as she thought that, by engaging in it, the nations dignity would be lowered. America isolated itself as it considered taking the position of keeping and maintaining peace among the warring parties. At that particular time, America was under the reign of Woodrow Wilson as the president. Wilson wanted to secure American presidency during the next elections and used neutrality policy to gain popularity as the ideal president for America which he truly did. However, there were attempts from the warring parties that were aimed at engaging America in war. Germany put a lot of effort in trying to provoke America and after several attempts, she finally succeed in 1917 when America decided to get into war.

Events That Led America into the First World War

One of the events that led America into the First World War was when a liner belonging to the British was sunk by the U-boat belonging to Germans. However, President Wilson declined demands from Roosevelt and other Americans who thought that this was some form of piracy and would have been a good reason to fight against Germany. Wilson insisted that America would be going against the country’s human rights as well as international law if she got involved in submarine warfare. Another event that led America into war was the explosion of Black Tom which took place in 1916. The explosion was considered as a sabotage of ammunition supplies of America which was conducted by Germans. Germans had found that, America was supplying some weapons to some of its allies for use in war. Therefore, they plotted a plan to destroy the ammunition supplies so that they could not be used against them by allies. Before the attack, ammunitions had been put ready waiting to be shipped to Britain. Information licked to Germans who used some two guards to cause an explosion that would destroy the weapons and their supplies. The explosion not only destroyed the supplies but also caused great damages in the adjacent areas (Thomas, 2004).

According to (Fort, 2006), after destroying Black tom, Germany arranged another plot to attack the Kingsland. This was a company that was located in Montreal which was involved in the transportation of shells and ammunitions. Germans saw Kingsland as a threat because; ammunition factories used the company to transport weapons that were to be used to fight against them. Their plan was to explode it and it succeeded since there was an explosion that was fiercer than the one they had caused at Black Tom. Hinsch who was a leader of the group that was carrying out the sabotage asked Thorne whose real name was Thummel to seek employment at Kingsland. Thorne succeeded and was given the task of managing the human resource department as an assistant. He took advantage of his position to hire some other operatives who were sent to him by Hinsch their leader. The crew carried on their plan whose climax was an explosion that destroyed the company.

Another event that provoked America was a telegram where Berlin was requesting Mexico to be part of Germans ally against America in case America decided to get involved in war. This telegram provoked America’s President Wilson, which made him decide that America should get involved in the First World War against Germany (Fort, 2006).

Conclusion

Evidence shows that, America had used so much effort to keep the policy where it isolated itself from war and maintained a neutral stand. However, Germany did not seize to provoke America as it considered it as an enemy even though it was not directly involved in war. The fact that America supplied ammunitions to parties that were against Germany was enough reason to worry about. Germany finally managed to directly engage America in the First World War which was its main objective. (Fort, 2006)

References

1. Thomas J. (2004): The Illusion of victory: Perseus Books Group pp. 12-15
2. Fort J. (2006): Britain and America in the Great War: George H. Doran Company pp23-26