TREATY OF VERSAILLES, the agreement that ended the First World War, was signed on June 28, 1919 in the suburbs of Paris, in the former royal residence. The truce, which effectively ended the bloody war, was concluded on November 11, 1918, but it took the heads of the warring states about another six months to jointly develop the main provisions of the peace treaty.
The Treaty of Versailles was concluded between the victorious countries (USA, France, Great Britain) and defeated Germany.
Russia, which was also part of the coalition of anti-German powers, had previously concluded a separate peace with Germany in 1918 (according to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk), and therefore did not participate in either the Paris Peace Conference or the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. It is for this reason that Russia, which suffered enormous human losses in the First World War, not only did not receive any compensation (indemnity), but also lost part of its ancestral territory (some regions of Ukraine and Belarus).
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles Main provision of the Treaty of Versailles - unconditional recognition of Germany's guilt in "causing the war." In other words, full responsibility for inciting the global European conflict fell on Germany. The consequence of this was sanctions of unprecedented severity. The total amount of indemnities paid by the German side to the victorious powers amounted to 132 million marks in gold (in 1919 prices). The last payments were made in 2010, so Germany was able to fully pay off the “debts” of the First World War only after 92 years.
Germany suffered very painful territorial losses.
All German colonies were divided between the countries of the Entente (anti-German coalition). Part of the original continental German lands was also lost: Lorraine and Alsace went to France, East Prussia to Poland, Gdansk (Danzig) was recognized as a free city. The Treaty of Versailles contained detailed requirements aimed at demilitarizing Germany and preventing the re-ignition of military conflict. The German army was significantly reduced (to 100,000 people). The German military industry was actually supposed to cease to exist. In addition, a separate requirement was stated for the demilitarization of the Rhineland - Germany was prohibited from concentrating troops there and military equipment. The Treaty of Versailles included a clause on the creation of the League of Nations, an international organization similar in function to the modern UN.
Impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the German economy and society
The terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty were unjustifiably harsh and harsh; the German economy could not withstand them. The direct consequence of fulfilling the draconian requirements of the treaty was the complete destruction of German industry, total impoverishment of the population and monstrous hyperinflation. Moreover, the offensive peace agreement affected such a sensitive, albeit insubstantial, substance as national identity. The Germans felt not only ruined and robbed, but also wounded, unfairly punished and offended. German society readily accepted the most extreme nationalist and revanchist ideas; This is one of the reasons that the country, which just 20 years ago ended one global military conflict with grief, easily got involved in the next one. But the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, which was supposed to prevent potential conflicts, not only did not fulfill its purpose, but also to some extent contributed to the outbreak of World War II.
POLITICAL RESULTS
Six months later, Germany was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919), drawn up by the victorious states at the Paris Peace Conference, officially ending the First World War.
Peace treaties with:
Germany (Treaty of Versailles)
Austria (Treaty of Saint Germain)
Bulgaria (Treaty of Neuilly)
Hungary (Treaty of Trianon)
Turkey (Treaty of Sèvres).
The results of the First World War were The February and October revolutions in Russia and the November revolution in Germany, the liquidation of four empires: the Russian, German, Ottoman empires and Austria-Hungary, and the latter two were divided.
Germany is no longer a monarchy and was reduced territorially and weakened economically. The difficult conditions of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany (payment of reparations, etc.) and the national humiliation it suffered gave rise to revanchist sentiments, which became one of the prerequisites for the Nazis coming to power and unleashing World War II.
Territorial changes as a result of the war:
annexation:
England- Tanzania and South-West Africa, Iraq, Transjordan and Palestine, parts of Togo and Cameroon, North-Eastern New Guinea and Nauru;
Belgium- Burundi, Rwanda, Eupen, Malmedy districts, annexation of the Moresnet territory;
Greece- Western Thrace;
Denmark- Northern Schleswig;
Italy- South Tyrol and Istria;
Romania- Transylvania, Southern Dobrudzha, Bukovina, Bessarabia;
France- Alsace-Lorraine, Syria, Lebanon, most of Cameroon and Togo;
Japan- German islands in Pacific Ocean north of the equator (Carolina, Marshall and Mariana);
an occupation France Saarland;
accession
Banat, Bačka and Baranja, Slovenia, Croatia and Slavonia, Montenegro to the Kingdom of Serbia with the subsequent creation of Yugoslavia;
accession
South West Africa to the Union of South Africa.
independence declared
Belarusian People's Republic, Ukrainian People's Republic, Hungary, Danzig, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland;
founded Republic of Austria;
German Empire
became a de facto republic;
demilitarized
Rhineland and Black Sea straits.
MILITARY RESULTS
Entering the war, the general staffs of the warring states and, first of all, Germany proceeded from the experience previous wars, victory in which was decided by the destruction of the army and military power of the enemy. The same war showed that from now on world wars will be of a total nature, involving the entire population and straining all the moral, military and economic capabilities of states. And such a war can only end unconditional surrender defeated.
First World War accelerated the development of new weapons and means of combat. For the first time, tanks, chemical weapons, a gas mask, anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, and a flamethrower were used. Airplanes, machine guns, mortars, submarines, and torpedo boats became widespread. The firepower of the troops increased sharply. New types of artillery appeared: anti-aircraft, anti-tank, infantry escort. Aviation became an independent branch of the military, which began to be divided into reconnaissance, fighter and bomber. Arose tank forces, chemical troops, air defense troops, naval aviation. The role of engineering troops increased and the role of cavalry decreased. “Trench tactics” of warfare also appeared with the aim of exhausting the enemy and depleting his economy, working on military orders.
ECONOMIC RESULTS
The enormous scale and protracted nature of the First World War led to an unprecedented militarization of the economy for industrial states. This had an impact on the course of economic development of all major industrial states in the period between the two world wars: strengthening state regulation and economic planning, the formation of military-industrial complexes, accelerating the development of national economic infrastructures (energy systems, a network of paved roads, etc.) , an increase in the share of production of defense products and dual-use products.
On July 28, 1914, one of the most widespread conflicts in the history of the Earth began. 38 of the 59 states that existed at that time became participants in the First World War of 1914-1918. This war forever changed the political map of the world and the course of human history.
Countries participating in the First World War
It is difficult for a modern person to imagine how many countries participated in the First World War. To do this, we will get to know all the participating countries, dividing them into opposing sides.
Rice. 1. Flag of the Entente.
Triple Alliance
- German Empire . During the war years, more than 13.25 million people were mobilized.
- Austria-Hungary . During the entire war, more than 7.8 million people were mobilized to fight for the emperor of the “patchwork empire.”
- Ottoman Empire . During the entire war, more than 3 million soldiers loyal to the Sultan stood up to defend the Sublime Porte.
- Bulgaria fielded more than 1.2 million of its soldiers and officers against the Entente.
Rice. 2. Countries of the Triple Alliance.
In total, the Triple Alliance mobilized more than 25 million bayonets and sabers, not counting the rear units.
Entente and its allies
- During the war years, the Russian Empire mobilized over 12 million people.
- The British Empire and France fielded approximately the same amount - more than 8.5 million soldiers each.
- Italy, which fled from the Triple Alliance to the Entente, fielded 5.6 million bayonets and sabers.
- The United States has mobilized more than 4.7 million soldiers since entering the war
- Romania was able to field more than 1.2 million people.
- The armies of other states had less than a million soldiers.
Rice. 3. Entente countries.
Although officially the Entente included only three countries (France, Russia, Britain), by the beginning of the war more than 12 states had gathered under its wing, and the term “Entente” began to be used for the entire coalition against the Triple Alliance.
Neutral countries
Throughout the war, there were states that could have taken part in the war, but avoided it. Thus, Albania, Luxembourg and Persia were officially neutral, although fighting took place on their territories. Argentina had several incidents with both sides of the conflict, but never entered the war on either side.
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In addition to these four countries, the following remained neutral from the beginning to the end of the war: Afghanistan, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden, Tibet, Venezuela and which later became a traditional supporter of world peace wars Switzerland.
Chronology of entry into the war
As you know, after the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28 and Russia immediately declared mobilization, for which it received an ultimatum from Germany to stop it. On August 1, Germany declares war on Russia, and on August 3 on France. A day later, Berlin also entered the war with Belgium, and Britain with Germany.
On August 12, Britain and Austria-Hungary became enemies, and a day earlier France did the same. So the main participants in the First World War officially declared each other enemies.
British statesman Neville Chamberlain after Russian events 1917 said: “Russia has collapsed. One of the goals of the war has been achieved."
Throughout the four years of the war, more and more new states declared war on the Triple Alliance, trying to get their dividends from this war.
The last countries to enter the war against Germany were Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras and Romania, which entered the war from April 23 to November 10, 1918.
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Both sides pursued aggressive goals. Germany sought to weaken Great Britain and France, seize new colonies on the African continent, tear Poland and the Baltic states away from Russia, Austria-Hungary - to establish itself on the Balkan Peninsula, Great Britain and France - to retain their colonies and weaken Germany as a competitor in the world market, Russia - to seize Galicia and take possession of the Black Sea straits.
Causes
Intending to go to war against Serbia, Austria-Hungary secured German support. The latter believed that the war would become local if Russia did not defend Serbia. But if it provides assistance to Serbia, then Germany will be ready to fulfill its treaty obligations and support Austria-Hungary. In an ultimatum presented to Serbia on July 23, Austria-Hungary demanded that its military units be allowed into Serbia in order to, together with Serbian forces, suppress hostile actions. The answer to the ultimatum was given within the agreed 48-hour period, but it did not satisfy Austria-Hungary, and on July 28 it declared war on Serbia. On July 30, Russia announced general mobilization; Germany used this occasion to declare war on Russia on August 1, and on France on August 3. Following the German invasion of Belgium on 4 August, Great Britain declared war on Germany. Now all the great powers of Europe were drawn into the war. Together with them, their dominions and colonies were involved in the war.
Progress of the war
1914
The war consisted of five campaigns. During the First Campaign, Germany invaded Belgium and northern France, but was defeated at the Battle of the Marne. Russia captured parts of East Prussia and Galicia ( East Prussian operation and the Battle of Galicia), but was then defeated as a result of the German and Austro-Hungarian counter-offensive. As a result, there was a transition from maneuvering to positional forms of combat.
1915
Italy, the disruption of the German plan to withdraw Russia from the war and bloody, inconclusive battles on the Western Front.
During this campaign, Germany and Austria-Hungary, concentrating their main efforts on the Russian front, carried out the so-called Gorlitsky breakthrough and ousted Russian troops from Poland and parts of the Baltic states, but were defeated in the Vilna operation and were forced to switch to positional defense.
On the Western Front, both sides fought a strategic defense. Private operations (at Ypres, Champagne and Artois) were unsuccessful, despite the use of poison gases.
On the Southern Front, Italian troops launched an unsuccessful operation against Austria-Hungary on the Isonzo River. German-Austrian troops managed to defeat Serbia. Anglo-French troops successfully carried out the Thessaloniki operation in Greece, but were unable to capture the Dardanelles. On the Transcaucasian front, Russia, as a result of the Alashkert, Hamadan and Sarykamysh operations, reached the approaches to Erzurum.
1916
The city's campaign is associated with the entry of Romania into the war and the waging of a grueling positional war on all fronts. Germany again turned its efforts against France, but was unsuccessful at the Battle of Verdun. The operations of the Anglo-French troops on Somna were also unsuccessful, despite the use of tanks.
On the Italian front, Austro-Hungarian troops launched the Trentino offensive, but were driven back by a counter-offensive by Italian troops. On the Eastern Front, troops of the Southwestern Russian Front carried out a successful operation in Galicia on a wide front stretching up to 550 km (Brusilovsky breakthrough) and advanced 60-120 km, occupied the eastern regions of Austria-Hungary, which forced the enemy to transfer up to 34 divisions to this front from the Western and Italian fronts.
The decisive Battle of Jutland took place on the Baltic Sea. As a result of the campaign, conditions were created for the Entente to seize the strategic initiative.
1917
The city's campaign is associated with the entry of the United States into the war, Russia's revolutionary exit from the war and the conduct of a number of successive offensive operations on the Western Front (Nivelle's operation, operations in the Messines area, Ypres, near Verdun, and Cambrai). These operations, despite the use of large forces of artillery, tanks and aviation, practically did not change the general situation in the Western European theater of military operations. In the Atlantic at this time, Germany launched an unrestricted submarine war, during which both sides suffered heavy losses.
1918
The campaign was characterized by a transition from positional defense to a general offensive by the Entente armed forces. First, Germany launched the Allied March offensive in Picardy and private operations in Flanders and on the Aisne and Marne rivers. But due to lack of strength, they did not develop.
From the second half of the year, with the entry of the United States into the war, the Allies prepared and launched retaliatory offensive operations (Amiens, Saint-Miel, Marne), during which they eliminated the results of the German offensive, and in September they launched a general offensive, forcing Germany to surrender ( Truce of Compiegne).
Results
The final terms of the peace treaty were worked out at the Paris Conference of 1919-1920. ; During the sessions, agreements were reached regarding five peace treaties. After its completion, the following were signed: 1) the Treaty of Versailles with Germany on June 28; 2) Saint-Germain Peace Treaty with Austria on September 10, 1919; 3) Neuilly Peace Treaty with Bulgaria on November 27; 4) Trianon Peace Treaty with Hungary on June 4; 5) Treaty of Sèvres with Turkey on August 20. Subsequently, according to the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, changes were made to the Treaty of Sèvres.
As a result of the First World War, the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires were liquidated. Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire were divided, and Russia and Germany, ceasing to be monarchies, were reduced territorially and economically weakened. Revanchist sentiments in Germany led to World War II. The First World War accelerated development social processes, was one of the prerequisites that determined the revolutions in Russia, Germany, Hungary, and Finland. As a result, a new military-political situation in the world was created.
In total, World War I lasted 51 months and 2 weeks. Covered the territories of Europe, Asia and Africa, the waters of the Atlantic, North, Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas. This is the first military conflict on a global scale, in which 38 of the 59 independent states that existed at that time were involved. Two-thirds of the world's population took part in the war. The number of warring armies exceeded 37 million people. The total number of people mobilized into the armed forces was about 70 million. The length of the fronts was up to 2.5-4 thousand km. The casualties of the parties amounted to about 9.5 million killed and 20 million wounded.
During the war, new types of troops were developed and widely used: aviation, armored forces, anti-aircraft troops, anti-tank weapons, and submarine forces. New forms and methods of armed struggle began to be used: army and front-line operations, breaking through front fortifications. New strategic categories have emerged: operational deployment of the armed forces, operational cover, border battles, initial and subsequent periods of the war.
Used materials
- Dictionary "War and Peace in Terms and Definitions", First World War
- Encyclopedia "Around the World"
The starting point in the history of the war, later called the First World War, is considered to be 1914 (July 28), and completion - 1918 year (November 11). Many countries of the world took part in it, divided into two camps:
- Entente ( block, originally consisting of France, England, Russia, which after a certain period of time were also joined Italy, Romania, and many other countries)
- Quadruple Union(Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire).
If we briefly describe the period of history known to us as the First World War, it can be divided into three stages: the initial, when the main participating countries entered the arena of action, the middle, when the situation turned in favor of the Entente, and the final, when Germany and its the allies finally lost their positions and capitulated.
First stage
War began with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand(heir to the Habsburg Empire) and his wife by the Serbian nationalist terrorist Gavrilo Princip. The murder led to conflict between Serbia and Austria, and, in fact, served as the reason for the start of a war that had been brewing for a long time in Europe. Austria was supported by Germany in this war. This country went to war with Russia 1 August 1914 , A two more days later - with France; further, the German army broke into the territory of Luxembourg and Belgium. The opposing armies advanced towards the sea, where the line of the Western Front eventually closed. For some time, the situation here remained stable, and France did not lose control of its coast, which German troops unsuccessfully tried to capture. IN 1914 year, namely in mid-August, the Eastern Front opened: here the Russian army attacked and quickly captured territories in eastern Prussia. Victory for Russia Battle of Galicia took place August 18, which temporarily ended the violent clashes between the Austrians and Russians.
Serbia recaptured Belgrade, previously captured by the Austrians., after which no particularly active battles followed. Japan also opposed Germany, seizing its island colonies in 1914 year. This secured the eastern borders of Russia from invasion, but it was attacked from the south by the Ottoman Empire, which acted on the side of Germany. At the end 1914 she opened Caucasian Front, which cut off Russia from convenient communications with allied countries.
Second phase
Intensified Western Front: here in 1915 violent conflicts resumed fighting between France and Germany. The forces were equal, and the front line remained almost unchanged at the end of the year, although both sides suffered significant damage. On the Eastern Front, the situation changed for the worse for the Russians: the Germans committed Gorlitsky breakthrough, having conquered Galicia and Poland from Russia. By autumn, the front line had stabilized: now it ran almost along the pre-war border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia.
IN 1915 (May 23) to the war Italy entered. At first, she declared war on Austria-Hungary, but soon Bulgaria also joined the hostilities, opposing the Entente, which ultimately led to the fall of Serbia.
IN 1916 year happened Battle of Verdun, one of the largest battles of this war. The operation lasted from the end February until mid-December; during this confrontation between German troops, who had lost 450 000 soldiers, and the Anglo-French forces who suffered losses in 750 000 man, a flamethrower was used for the first time. On the Western Russian Front, Russian troops committed Brusilovsky breakthrough, after which Germany transferred most of its troops there, which played into the hands of England and France. Fierce battles were also fought on the water at this time. So, in the spring 1916 big thing happened this year Battle of Jutland, strengthening the position of the Entente. At the end of the year, the Quadruple Alliance, having lost its dominant position in the war, proposed a truce, which the Entente rejected.
Third stage
IN 1917 year the United States joined the allied forces. The Entente was close to victory, but Germany held a strategic defense on land, and also tried to attack British forces with the help of submarine fleet. Russia in October 1917 years after the Revolution, already almost completely left the war, absorbed in internal problems. Germany liquidated the Eastern Front by signing truce with Russia, Ukraine and Romania. IN March 1918 year between Russia and Germany was concluded Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the terms of which turned out to be extremely difficult for Russia, but this agreement was soon annulled. The Baltic states, part of Belarus and Poland were still under Germany; The country transferred its main military forces to the west, but, together with Austria (the Habsburg Empire), Bulgaria and Turkey ( Ottoman Empire) was defeated by the Entente troops. Completely exhausted Germany was forced to sign the Instrument of Surrender - this happened in 1918 year, 11 November. This date is considered the end of the war.
The Entente forces won a final victory in 1918 year.
After the war, the economies of all participating countries suffered greatly. The state of affairs was especially deplorable in Germany; in addition, this country lost an eighth of the territories that belonged to it before the war, which went to the Entente countries, and the bank of the Rhine River on 15 remained occupied by the victorious Allied forces for years. Germany was obliged to pay reparations to the Allies throughout 30 years, imposed strict restrictions on all types of weapons and army size– it should not quantitatively exceed 100 thousands of military personnel.
However, the victorious countries participating in the Entente bloc also suffered losses. Their economy was extremely depleted, all industries National economy suffered a severe decline, the standard of living deteriorated sharply, and only the military monopolies found themselves in an advantageous position. The situation in Russia was also extremely destabilized, which is explained not only by internal political processes (primarily the October Revolution and the events that followed it), but also by the country’s participation in the First World War. The United States suffered the least- mainly because military operations were not carried out directly on the territory of this country, and its participation in the war was not long. The US economy was experiencing 20- s there was a real boom, only in 30- x was replaced by the so-called Great Depression, but the war that had already passed and did not greatly affect the country had nothing to do with these processes.
And, finally, briefly about the losses that the First World War brought: human losses are estimated at 10 million soldiers or so 20
millions of civilians. The exact number of victims of this war has never been established. The lives of many people were claimed not only by armed conflicts, but also by famine, disease epidemics, and extremely difficult living conditions.
(1914 -1918)
WAR YEARS 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918
The results and consequences of World War 1 are very brief point by point for Germany, Russia, etc.
- Treaty of Versailles (result for Germany)
- Brest-Litovsk separate peace (RESULT for the Russian Empire)
RESULTS (table)
- Political
- Military
- Economic
- Demographic catastrophe (number of victims of the conflict)
It will be useful for students in grades 9, 10 and 11 to prepare for lessons
Briefly, from history, the main point of the results of the First World War is considered to be the Versailles and Brest-Litovsk peace treaties
agreements.
Peace of Versailles
A truce between the countries participating in the conflict was concluded back in November 1918. However, it took the governments of these states more than six months to come to an agreement and work out the points of the peace agreement.
According to this document, signed by the heads of the United States, France and Great Britain on the one hand and the German government on the other, the latter was found guilty of inciting the conflict and had to bear full responsibility for its actions.\
RESULTS for Germany
- To compensate the victorious powers in the war, Germany had to pay an indemnity of 132 million marks in gold (the last payments on that debt were paid only in 2010).
- Also, the German territory became much smaller, most of its lands were divided among the Entente countries. So, Alsace and Lorraine again went to the French, Poland, in turn, received the lands of East Prussia, and Danzig (Glansk) was recognized as a free city.
- In addition, according to Treaty of Versailles The German army was to be reduced to 100 thousand people, and the military industry was to almost completely cease to exist.
- At the same time, Germany was strictly prohibited from concentrating troops and military equipment on the left bank of the Rhine (Rhineland) to make further attacks difficult German troops to French territory.
Brest-Litovsk separate peace
As for Russia, which, due to internal transformations in the country, stopped hostilities and emerged from the conflict earlier than other states, the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty was signed between it and the members of the Central Powers bloc on March 3.
Subsequently Soviet Russia no longer took part in either the Paris Peace Conference or the signing ceremony of the treaty at Versailles. As a result, instead of compensation for the losses suffered, it lost a number of its territories.
Listing briefly point by point, the results of the First World War for Russia were as follows:
Rejection of the provinces of the Kingdom of Poland, Ukraine and a number of other lands in favor of Germany;
- loss of a number of regions in the Caucasus in favor of Turkey;
- demobilization of the army and navy;
- withdrawal of the Baltic Fleet from Finnish and Baltic military bases;
- transmission Black Sea Fleet and all its infrastructure into the hands of the Central Powers.
As a result, Russia lost territories where about a third of the population of the former empire lived. Significant farmland, a wide railway network were also located here, almost 90% of coal was mined and more than 70% of steel and iron were smelted.
In addition, according to the agreement, Russia had high customs tariffs on the border with Germany. At the same time, Russia pledged to pay reparations and compensate for losses incurred by the German government as a result of the Russian Revolution.
In addition to the conclusion of peace agreements, the results of the First World War can be briefly divided into several more points in a small table: Politics, economics, demographics, and military results
|
Political Following the war political map the world has changed quite significantly. Four disappeared from her at once large states Austro-Hungarian, German Ottoman, and Russian Empire. |
|
Military The completed war demonstrated that now the outcome of armed conflicts cannot be decided only by the destruction of the enemy army and its combat power, but that now the entire population of the warring parties will be involved in them. The wars themselves will require maximum effort of all the forces of the participants. And such a confrontation can only end if the losing side completely capitulates. |
|
Economic The main economic results of the conflict were that most of production was adapted to military needs, which significantly influenced the development of the economies of major world powers in the interwar period. |
Demographic catastrophe
The armed forces of 38 states (out of 59 existing) took part in the hostilities. The fighting took place on several continents.
As a result, more than 10 million military personnel were killed during the war, and about 15 million civilians also became victims. About 55 million were seriously injured. Russian army lost almost 75% of its army in the First World War.