2.11 End of War Flashcards
Who was Russia’s tsar in WWI?
Tsar Nicholas
What were the two major events that caused the tides of war to shift?
The Russian Tsar abdicating, and the US seeking vengeance for the sinking of neutral ships (ie, Lusitania -> which besides having no weapons, also harboured many US citizens, including celebrities)
What happened to Tsar Nicholas in the Spring of 1917
Like the other members of the Triple Entente, Russia
dedicated its resources to the war. Thousands of soldiers died
fighting along the Eastern Front. At home, supplies and food
were limited and prices soared. People became increasingly
frustrated.
A series of revolutions forced Tsar Nicholas to
abdicate in March of 1917
How did the Russian Government change after Tsar Nicholas left?
The Provisional Government was formed, but the Russian people
were still dissatisfied with it. In October 1917, socialist revolutionaries, called Bolsheviks, overthrew the Provisional Government promising the war-weary public “peace, land, and
bread.” They began negotiating with the Central Powers to end
the war.
While Russia’s internal politics weakened the Allies on the
Eastern Front, another important event of early 1917 shifted
power on the Western Front
Why did the US decide to go against the Germans?
The United States, still angered by the sinking of neutral ships
such as the Lustania, learned that Germany promised to support
Mexico if it attacked the United States
On April 2, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. In
eight months, American soldiers reached the Western Front
The Hundred Days Campaign -> background
Who?: Canadian and allied forces
What?: A series of battles where the allies pushed the Germans back
Where?: From Amiens, France to Mons, Belgium
When?: August 8 to November 11th 1918
Why?: To regain territory, push the Germans back, and eventually get Germany to surrender
The Central Powers Collapse olukityjrgbsfdnh
Their final offensive in France and the battles of the Hundred
Days Campaign exhausted the Germans and the rest of the Central
Powers. They had no reserves and could not continue without
fresh troops, food, and supplies. The Central Powers collapsed
one by one.
The Central Powers Collapse nmthebrgfdvsacvfbnhet
In November 1918, the German Kaiser abdicated and fled to
Holland and Austria-Hungary agreed to a ceasefire
An armistice, or truce to end the war, on the Western Front was
finally signed in a railway car in France at 5:00am on November
11, 1918. The war was to stop at 11:00am
Paris Peace Conference mnuhtefbgrsdv
After signing the armistice, the leaders of the Allies and the other
countries that won the war met in Paris in 1919 to discuss the
terms of a peace agreement.
The Paris Peace Conference lasted for six months and resulted in a
number of treaties that defined new borders and compensation for
losses suffered during the war
Paris Peace Conference muthnrdgfbvs
More than twenty countries attended the conference, each with
their own agendas
Germany and its allies were not allowed to participate
Russia, which had already negotiated the treaty of Brest-Litovsk
with Germany in 1918, was not involved
Canada’s Emerging Autonomy muthnrgfdvsc
The Paris Peace conference marked an important moment in
Canada’s emerging autonomy from Britain. Because Canada had
contributed so much to the war and its soldiers had fought under
Canadian leaders on the battlefields, Prime Minister Borden
demanded Canada have its own seat at the conference
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson opposed Canada’s participation.
He thought that Britain should vote on behalf of the British
Empire and that a separate vote for Canada was really just another
vote for Britain
Canada’s Emerging Autonomy umnthgfbdvsc
But British Prime Minister Lloyd George reminded Wilson that
Canada had fought longer and supplied more than other countries.
In the end, Canada won a seat at the conference and Borden
insisted that he be included among those leaders who signed the
Treaty of Versailles. For the first time, Canada gained
international recognition as an independent nation
The Treaty of Versailles -> background
Who?: Over 20 nations including
Canada - NOT Germany or Russia
What?: Official document ending
WWI
Where?: Palace of Versailles,
France
When?: Signed June 28, 1919
Why?: Significance - Canada signs
individually; Germany lost territory
and all colonies and had to reduce
military to 100,000 men, changed
borders across Europe, created the
League of Nations, and eventually
led to WWII
