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Paris Peace Settlement: Background (Context (Russia was to have no say in…
Paris Peace Settlement: Background
Background Information
convened in Paris in 1919
in an attempt to resolve the problems caused by WWI (August 1914-November 1918)
war had seen huge economic effects in all of the involved countries
peacemakers wanted revenge
but also needed to support long lasting peace
huge empires had collapsed
the map of Europe needed to be redrawn
Causes of WWI
alliance system
decline of Ottoman Empire - power vacuum in the Balkans
Imperial rivalries
aggressive foreign policy of Kaiser Wilhelm II
Course of WWI
Germany declared war on France and Russia in 1914
expected a short, victorious war
Germany tried unrestricted submarine warfare from 1917
in an attempt to starve Britain
it failed
only succeeded in dragging the USA into the war
Russia dropped out of the war at the beginning of 1918
Spring of 1918, Germany launched a huge offensive against the allies
made huge gains
Britain and France hit back summer-autumn
Germany surrendered in September
Context
Germany had made Russia sign the very harsh
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
in March 1918
Germany imposed tougher conditions on Russia than she was made to sign in Versailles
the Slav states had begun to declare themselves independent
Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated 9th November 1918
Germany seemed as if it would follow Russia and have a socialist revolution
emerging Socialism at the end of the war
In January 1918, the Startacists staged a rising in Berlin
clashed with the Freikorps (e.g. left clawing bloodily with right)
Russia was to have no say in the Paris Peace Conferences
did not join the League of Nations
because Bolshevik's Civil War opponents (the Whites) had received help from the USA, Britain, France and Japan
intervened because:
initially to help restore Russian government that would help in war against Germany
worried about the possibility of a communist revolution spreading outside of Russia