World War I: Causes, Alliances, and Post-War Treaties

Posted on May 10, 2025 in History

The Road to WWI: Key Factors

Underlying Causes of the Great War

Several key factors contributed to the outbreak of World War I:

  • Germany’s Rise: The emergence of Germany as a major power was perceived as a threat by established powers like France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
  • Territorial Rivalries:
    • Conflict between Germany and France over the regions of Alsace and Lorraine.
    • Tensions between Austria-Hungary and Italy concerning Italian-speaking territories under Austrian rule (e.g., Istria, Trieste).
    • Competition between Austria-Hungary and Russia for influence in the Balkans.
  • Nationalism:
    • Strong nationalist sentiment in France, particularly against Germany.
    • Slavic nationalism, led by Serbia and supported by Russia, opposing Austro-Hungarian influence.
    • Aspirations for self-determination among nations without their own states within larger empires:
      • Within Austria-Hungary (e.g., Croats, Bosnians, Hungarians, Slovaks).
      • Within the Ottoman Empire (e.g., Macedonians, Arabs, Albanians).

World War I: The Belligerents

Major Alliances in WWI

The Allies (Entente Powers)

  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Russia (until 1917)
  • Italy (since 1915)
  • United States (USA, since 1917)
  • Serbia
  • Montenegro
  • Japan
  • Portugal (since 1916)
  • Romania (since 1916)
  • Belgium
  • Greece (since 1915)
  • Others (including Albania, Peru, Brazil, Armenia, etc.)

The Central Powers

  • Germany
  • Austro-Hungarian Empire
  • Ottoman Empire
  • Bulgaria

Aftermath of WWI: Reshaping Europe

Paris Peace Conference & Wilson’s Vision

The Paris Peace Conference convened in 1919, with 32 Allied nations (the victors) participating. Key leadership roles were played by:

  • Woodrow Wilson (USA)
  • David Lloyd George (Britain)
  • Georges Clemenceau (France)
  • Vittorio Orlando (Italy)

The resulting treaties were significantly influenced by President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points. Wilson, the President of the USA, was an idealist who aimed for a more just and equitable Europe. His Fourteen Points included several key principles:

  • Abolition of secret treaties
  • Complete disarmament
  • Removal of trade restrictions
  • Freedom of the seas
  • Self-determination: The right of every nation to choose its own form of government.

The Treaty of Versailles: Terms & Impact

Signed on June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles formally ended the war with Germany. A central tenet was the “war guilt clause,” which assigned Germany responsibility for the conflict. Many European nations, especially France, sought to ensure Germany could not pose a future threat. The treaty imposed severe sanctions:

Economic Sanctions:

  • Germany was mandated to pay substantial reparations for war damages.
  • The Saar coalfields were placed under French control for 15 years.

Military Restrictions:

  • The German army was reduced to 100,000 men.
  • Germany was forbidden from possessing tanks or an air force.
  • The Rhineland, the border region between France and Germany, was demilitarized.

Territorial Losses:

  • Germany lost all its overseas colonies in Africa and Asia.
  • Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France.
  • Eupen and Malmedy were ceded to Belgium.
  • Schleswig was given to Denmark.
  • On its eastern frontier, Germany was forced to cede West Prussia and Posen to Poland, separating East Prussia from the rest of Germany.
  • Upper Silesia was divided, with the western part going to Czechoslovakia and the eastern part to Poland.

Germany widely regarded the Treaty of Versailles as a diktat (a dictated peace). Additionally, the League of Nations was established with the aim of preventing future wars.

Other Post-War Treaties & Changes

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved, its division detailed in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (with Austria) and the Treaty of Trianon (with Hungary):

  • Austria ceded Trentino, South Tyrol, Trieste, and Istria to Italy.
  • The former empire’s territories contributed to the formation or expansion of several states, including:
    • Austria
    • Hungary
    • Czechoslovakia
    • The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia).

The Ottoman Empire was also partitioned, primarily through the Treaty of Sèvres (later revised by the Treaty of Lausanne):

  • Turkey’s territory was significantly reduced, largely confined to Istanbul, its surrounding European land, and a part of Anatolia.
  • Some former Ottoman territories gained independence (e.g., Armenia, parts of Arabia).
  • Other territories became mandates under the control of:
    • The British Empire (e.g., Iraq, Palestine).
    • The French Empire (e.g., Lebanon, Syria).