Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Read the article “Armistice and the League of Nations” ---- If you have access to Google Classroom - go to Classroom to complete this assignment ---- Read the following article. Think about the relationship between European countries and the fighting and events of World War 1. How Allies felt about the Germans and other Central Power countries. After reading the article, then answer the questions that follow on a separate sheet of paper . Take a picture of your answers and email the picture to your teacher. ( [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] ) Armistice and the League of Nations What did the Paris Peace Conference accomplish? Even though Russia left the war, the Allied forces increased their pressure on Germany. The Western Front ’s long standoff was broken in 1918. The Allies advanced to the German border. The Central Powers began to crumble. The Ottoman Empire surrendered at the end of October. Austria-Hungary surrendered on November 3. Germany followed, signing an armistice, or an agreement to stop the war, on November 11. This date became known as Armistice Day. The name was later changed to Veterans Day to honor the veterans of all foreign wars. In January 1919, representatives from the Allied nations gathered to discuss terms of peace. They met in the palace of Versailles outside Paris. The conference became known as the Paris Peace Conference. The treaty the Allies wrote with Germany was called the Treaty of Versailles. The United Kingdom, France, Italy, and the United States made up the “Big Four.” Their representatives were the key players in writing the treaty. France and the United Kingdom wanted to punish the Central Powers. They wanted to make sure the Central Powers would never become a threat to world peace again. The treaties after the war broke apart the Ottoman Empire. They also divided Austria-Hungary into two independent nations. In addition, they called for reparations . That means they wanted defeated countries to pay the winners money. That would help the winners make up for all they had lost in the war. The treaty was particularly harsh on Germany. It stripped Germany of much of its territory. It also said Germany could not unite with Austria. Furthermore, it took apart the German military. It also set high reparation payments. These crippled the German economy for the next 10 years. The League of Nations The world leaders at the Paris Peace Conference wanted to do more than end the current war. World War I had been called the “war to end all wars.” The Paris Peace Conference hoped to make sure that this was the case. President Wilson suggested forming an international group that would keep the peace. It was called the League of Nations. Its purpose would be to settle international problems through means other than war, such as deals or treaties. The goal was to prevent any future wars on the scale of World War I. The European leaders at the Paris Peace Conference strongly supported the League of Nations. They officially established it in 1920. Even though the League of Nations was Wilson’s idea, he failed to convince the U.S. Senate to agree to join. After their first global war, many in the United States feared joining the League of Nations. They worried they would get mixed up in future European battles. As a result, the United States never joined the League of Nations. Writing Assignment: (on separate sheet of paper) 1. November 11 has come to signify the end of the war. Why is it now known as Veterans Day? 2. How were the following Central Powers countries punished by the Treaty of Versailles? a. Ottoman Empire b. Austria-Hungary c. Germany 3. What was the purpose of the League of Nations. .