Before WW1 Flashcards
Triple Entente
1907
Triple Alliance
1890
USA gained political power with WW1
Because the US did not enter the war until 1917 its economic progress continued throughout the war and thus it emerged as the greatest economic power. Trade with Britain and France rose from $753 million to $2.75 billion between 1914 and 1916.
Severity or Britain
Took large loans to sponsor the war effort, lost its trading partners to the US and Japan, needed Germany’s money to re-start the economy, wanted its colonies and land, public opinion (December 1918)
France’s severity
Great debt to the US, most of the fighting went on in France so its land, infrastructure (roads, railways), agriculture, houses and buildings were destroyed so they needed German money and resources to rebuild them. Public expectations for Germany to be punished for its crimes (general elections November 1919).
USA’s GNI before WW1
1890 - $10 billion
1910 - $35 billion
Reparation
Compensation paid by the defeated nation/s for war damage
Interesting note
Clemenceau asked USA to cancel its war debts so it could be more lenient towards Germany however it refused
Day of armistice with Germany
November 11 1918
Terms
- Germany handed over its fleet and war materials
- evacuated all German occupied land in France and Belgium
- allowed Allied occupation of the left bank of the river Rhine
Armistice with Turkey
30th October
Armistice with AH
3rd November
The main aim of the Paris Peace Conferences
Ensuring lasting peace all over the world
Council of Four
Britain, USA, France and Italy who should have made the decisions at the PPC
Representatives of the defeated powers were not included in the main peace talk
They were to be presented with the final treaty and if they rejected it, the war would continue
British government minister speaking in the general election campaign: december 1918
Eric Geddes: All German private and State property in Allied and neutral countries should be surrendered
German foreign secretary who sent the telegram to the German ambassador in Mexico
Arthur Zimmerman
What did the Zimmerman telegram state?
It encouraged Mexico to attack the US and guaranteed German support
Fontainebleau Memorandum
Written by David Lloyd George the British PM in March 1919. In it he urged more lenient terms for Germany. German speaking peoples should stay in Germany and the reparations should not be too great.
Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow
June 1919
Armistice signed between Germany and Allied military commanders that approved the suspension of hostilities
11 November 1918
What happened after the Kiel mutiny?
By the 6th of November workers and soldiers, tired and starved by the Northern Sea blockade, took control of many German towns and set up soviets (worker’s councils) to run the country. They were aiming at stopping the war.
General strike in Berlin
9th of November
Result of the Berlin strike
Social Democrats (Germany’s largest party) announces that the Kaiser had abdicated and proclaims the establishment of a new German republic.