The First World War Part 2

On January 17th, 1917, the Germans would send a telegram to Mexico telling them to invade and take back territory they lost to the United States. However, the British would intercept this telegram and show it to the Americans. This event, coupled with the Germans’ unrestricted submarine warfare which caused the sinking of the Lusitania, would be the final straw and would bring the United States of America into the First World War.

Ordered by Russia’s Minister of War, Alexander Kerensky despite massive calls for peace (perhaps because there was a certain revolution happening at the time), this battle fought against both the Germans and Austrians. Though the Russians see initial gains, the Germans and Austrians launch a counter-attack leading to the retreat, revolt, and disintegration of the Russian Army.

After the horrible attempt at an offensive by the Russians, their army revolts and the revolution known as the Russian Revolution culminates with the Bolshevicks overthrowing the Provisional Government which overthrew the Tsar. The Bolshevicks signed the treaty with the German Empire and it gave Germany land spanning from the Black Sea in modern day Ukraine to modern day Estonia. It was a massive victory for the Germans. Additionally, they could move troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. However, the Americans are now in the war and the Western Front is becoming difficult.

After the Germans get extra troops from the Eastern Front to help in the West, they launch an offensive and it is their single biggest territorial gain in the Western Front, however this new advance would not last long because the Allies within a week would regroup and grind it to a halt.

The Ludendorff Offensive was a series of attacks on the Western Front, and even though they claim a brief victory, they do not have long term gains. American soldiers arrive on the Allied Front, and the Germans are internally exhausted. The writing is on the wall, and a few months later, with Allied armies pushing on all fronts of the Central Powers, Germany officially surrenders. The war is over.

For every country that fought against the allies there was a treaty that either forced them to pay reparations, cede territory, or both. The Ottoman Empire had to be abolished from the treaty of Sevres, Austria and Hungary had to give up huge amounts of land for their respective treaties (Saint-Germain & Trianon) and Bulgaria even had to give up some land as well. A lot of these treaties had some questionable parts to them, but none of them would leave an impact like the treaty presented to the German Empire; The Treaty of Versailles.

A full circle moment it is, that Germany would sign an incredibly harsh and detrimental peace treaty in the same place they proclaimed the creation of their new empire just 48 years prior. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to give up territory to Poland, France, and Denmark. It also forced Germany to pay huge amounts of reparations which they did not have the money to pay for, as well as reducing their army to only 100,000. On top of that, for French security, they had to demilitarize the Rhineland. It was horrible for the Germans and would have lasting effects.

What followed the war was different for many countries. For the Germans the 20’s and 30’s would be a time of difficulty, partly due to the demands of the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty would ultimately be a driving force for a new generation and a new movement that would engulf Germany in the 30’s that would lead to the onset of another world war. For the United States and for other countries the 20’s were pretty good but the 30’s had the Depression, for Russia it would be civil war and then growth during the 30’s under the new Soviet regime.

World War One was fought not for ideology but for honor and furthering the expansion of one’s empire. It also could have very well been avoided if it weren’t for the poor diplomacy every country in Europe engaged in. It was the biggest war in history up until that point. And, ironically, it was given the name: “The War to End All Wars.” If only the people of that time knew what was to come. But that’s for a different time.