CONSEQUENCES OF WW1 Flashcards
What was the main consequence of WW1?
The Treaty of Versailles
Which were the economic consequences that weren’t part of The Treaty of Versailles?
Economy of Europe was damaged (except Britain) because factories and infrastructure (railways, roads, motorways, water and electricity supplies…)… have been bombed.
-Europe needs to be reconstructed: asked loans to US, Switzerland
US factories will supply Europe with basic products, technology… As a result US will become the first economic power
What was the Treaty of Versailles?
The Treaty of Versailles was a consequence of WW1 that took place in early 1919, it was a conference in France where the Allied Leaders met in order to agree a peace treaty: Britain, the USA and France (Germany wasn’t invited). The participants wanted to reorganize Europe, establish the culprits of the war and find a system to maintain the peace. This conference was strongly influenced by Woodrow WIlson’s (the president of the USA) transcript.
What happened with the old absolutist European Empires after the Treaty?
They dissapeared, due to Wilson’s transcript.
The Russian Empire became a Socialist Republic called the Soviet Union (due to the Russian revolution), it became smaller since some territories became independent; Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was divided in different new countries; Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia (part) and Romania (part). Therefore, Austria became a small country.
The Ottoman Empire changed its name to Turkey, and it was divided in other countries; Greece (it became independent in 1830 before WW1), Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia (part) and Romania (part).
What happened with Germany? (Treaty of Versailles)
It was declared the culprit of WW1 and so it was harshly punished.
Due to enormous economic losses, infraestructures such as railways, motorways and factories had been destroyed (particularly in Germany and France), Germany had to pay a huge war compensation (£6,600,000,000) to France and Britain.
Germany had to drastically reduce its army so that it couldn’t cause trouble in the future therefore Germany had to dismiss soldiers, growing discontent and resentment between the unemployed. The German navy was reduced, there wasn’t conscription allowed. Germany was forced to destroy its u-boats, tanks, weapons, … and also was forbidden to produce or buy weapons.
- Germany lost all its overseas colonies, which were given to Italy and Britain.
- East parts were given to Poland, Northern lands to Denmark.
- Alsace & Lorraine was returned to France (Germany took Alsace and Lorraine after defeating France at the Franco-German war, in 1871)
- Rinheland became a demilitarized zone and given to the League of Nations, France and Belgium.
Apart from that, Germany wasn’t allowed to join the League of Nations (until 1926)
