World War I Ended With the Treaty of Versailles
June 28, 1919
World War I (1914-1918) was finally over. This first global conflict had claimed from 9 million to 13 million lives and caused unprecedented damage. Germany had formally surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were negotiated. On June 28, 1919, Germany and the Allied Nations (including Britain, France, Italy and Russia) signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war. (Versailles is a city in France, 10 miles outside of Paris.) The United States did not sign the treaty, however, because it objected to its terms, specifically, the high price that Germany was to pay for its role as aggressor. Instead, the U.S. negotiated its own settlement with Germany in 1921.
France stopped fighting because Germany was losing. With the arrival of 2 million more American troops the allied forces began to advance steadily toward Germany. In Germany the soldiers mutinied and the public turned on the Kaiser. The Kaiser was forced to step down. A representative of the new German government met with marshall Foch and they signed an armistice or an agreement to stop fighting.
French gains from WWI include - lands along the Rhine (from Germany), also gained part of Germany's African territories, and multiple territories in former Ottoman Empire (Middle East).
French losses from WWI include - utter devastation by the trench warfare fought against the Germans on French lands; suffered a high loss of life, destroyed industrial region and economic devastation.
Total Loss of Life: 1,697,800
Military Deaths: 1,397,800
Civilian Deaths: 300,000
June 28, 1919
World War I (1914-1918) was finally over. This first global conflict had claimed from 9 million to 13 million lives and caused unprecedented damage. Germany had formally surrendered on November 11, 1918, and all nations had agreed to stop fighting while the terms of peace were negotiated. On June 28, 1919, Germany and the Allied Nations (including Britain, France, Italy and Russia) signed the Treaty of Versailles, formally ending the war. (Versailles is a city in France, 10 miles outside of Paris.) The United States did not sign the treaty, however, because it objected to its terms, specifically, the high price that Germany was to pay for its role as aggressor. Instead, the U.S. negotiated its own settlement with Germany in 1921.
France stopped fighting because Germany was losing. With the arrival of 2 million more American troops the allied forces began to advance steadily toward Germany. In Germany the soldiers mutinied and the public turned on the Kaiser. The Kaiser was forced to step down. A representative of the new German government met with marshall Foch and they signed an armistice or an agreement to stop fighting.
French gains from WWI include - lands along the Rhine (from Germany), also gained part of Germany's African territories, and multiple territories in former Ottoman Empire (Middle East).
French losses from WWI include - utter devastation by the trench warfare fought against the Germans on French lands; suffered a high loss of life, destroyed industrial region and economic devastation.
Total Loss of Life: 1,697,800
Military Deaths: 1,397,800
Civilian Deaths: 300,000