Woodrow Wilson,
1919
“I can predict with absolute certainty
that within another generation there will
be another world war if the nations of
the world do not concert the method
by which to prevent it."
Highlights of the
Treaty of Versailles
•Germany had to return Alsace Lorraine to
France—Germany had taken it during the Franco
Prussian War
•France gained control of Saar region—heavy
with coal mines
•Germany gave up all of its overseas possessions
German Demilitarization
German territory on both sides of the Rhine
river was to remain free of military
personnel and no fortifications.
Military was limited to 100,000 men—only
volunteers.
No heavy artillery, planes, tanks, or
submarines.
Article 231-German War Guilt
German War Guilt Clause—the
Versailles Treaty blamed the war
on “the aggression of Germany
and her allies.”
German Reparations
To punish Germany—the treaty made
Germany pay reparations
Reparations are war debts to other
nations.
Germany had to make up for the loss
of property, factories, war ships, and
other things destroyed in war.
Total Cost—33 billion dollars
New Nations are Created
Nationalities in Austria Hungary
were given their own nations:
-Czechs and Slovaks form
Czechoslovakia.
-Croats and Serbs form
Yugoslavia
-Hungary gains independence
New Nations are Created
-Poland becomes independent
nation
-Hungary becomes
independent
-Italy and Romania gain land.
-Ottoman Empire only
controls area of Turkey.
League of Nations
-Created to help settle disputes
between nations.
-60 nations joined
-The goal was to promote
international cooperation and
maintain peace by settling
disputes and reducing armaments
League of Nations
-The League’s ultimate goal
was to include every
independent nation.
-Nations promised to not go
to war instead to submit any
dispute to the world court
and the League.
Why did the US Reject the Treaty of
Versailles?
Critics of the Treaty believed that the League
would drag the US into future European wars
Americans were “war weary” and wanted to return
to isolationism
 Wilson suffered a stroke and was unable to sell
the treaty to the people
 The US refused to join the League of Nations,
making the League a “paper tiger” or weak on the
world stage.

Causes of WWI
•Nationalistic pride
•Competition for colonies
•Military buildup
•Tangled web of alliances
•Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Effects of WWI
•Destruction in Europe
•Boom in American economy
•Suppression of dissent in the U.S.
•Allied victory
•Defeated empires lose their colonies
•The U.S. emerges from the war as a
world leader and an economic giant