Karen's View of World History - part III

Karen’s View of History - World War I part III

World War I ended almost in a tie.  

There is the adage, “A tie is like kissing your sister”

For four years, German and the allies of Great Britain and France had trenches that faced each other.  Any time one side or the other tried to storm the other side, there was generally a slaughter.  America was neutral for most of the war, but when Germany proclaimed they would torpedo any allied ships, it brought the United States into the fray - and brought an end to the war.  

But ending warfare is the beginning of a new world.  In this case, a world where Germany was humiliated and forced to pay reparations since they ‘lost’.  There was gloating on the parts of the English, French, and Russians as Germany lost their eastern lands to a new Poland, and lost its western lands of Alsace-Lorraine.  About 20 million people (mostly men) died, and about 23 million wounded.  All because of a Serbian nationalist killed (or assassinated) an Austrian noble.  

Kings suffered maybe the most.  The Tsar was gone from Russia; the Kaiser was gone from Germany; the King of Austria-Hungary eventually was deposed. Austria-Hungary was divided into Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and some land was ceded to Romania.  

In Great Britain, the King lost more power, the House of Lords lost power, and the House of Commons grew in power.  And women and more men got to vote in elections (one of the few bright spots).

Humiliated Germany as a republic without ‘teeth’ soon had hyper-inflation.  A loaf of bread in Berlin that cost around 160 Marks at the end of 1922 cost 200,000,000,000 Marks (2 billion Marks for a loaf of bread!!); by late 1923. By November 1923, the US dollar was worth 4,210,500,000,000 (4.2 billion) German marks.  People literally had to take wheelbarrows of money to use for shopping.

“To the victors go the spoils”. But soon Germany could no longer pay off the debt and reparations.  Conditions in Germany were dire - until a National Socialist Party under Adolf Hitler took over with promises to restore Germany.  (And we know how that all worked out!!)

The American President, Woodrow Wilson, proposed 14 points for peace. (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_Points) 

(Aside, Wilson was elected in 1912 and was re-elected in 1916 on the slogan “He kept us out of war”.  My father was born in October 1912, and his name was “Woodrow Wilson White”!!)

While I do not want to look at all 14 of Wilson’s points, let’s look at some in a summary:

I. Open covenants of peace

II. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas.

III. The removal of all economic barriers and the establishment of an equality of trade conditions

IV. National armaments will be reduced to the lowest point.

V. A free, open-minded, impartial adjustment of all colonial claims

Let us give a quick analysis.

-1 Point 1 attempts to undermine the various alliances - and to have frank diplomacy.  There had been many alliances between countries that lead to “you hurt my friend, therefore you hurt me”.

-2 Great Britain was the ‘owner’ of the seas - dating back to the British defeat of the Spanish Armada.  This point was not acceptable to the United Kingdom.

-3 Removal of economic barriers.  (Aside - we still fight this today with tariffs and lack of “free-trade”)

-4 National armaments to be reduced - (Biblical “beat their swords into plowshares” and “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” - Isaiah 2:4)

-5 Colonies - Europe had divided the world into colonies.  “The sun doesn’t set on the British Empire” was a common phrase.  With African colonies (South Africa), India, Australia, and Canada, (and more), English had a definite world influence.  

Wilson proposed a “League of Nations” loosely based on his 14 points.  Unfortunately, the US Congress did not agree with him (the power had shifted in 1918 Congressional election).  But, eventually, thirty-years later, we got the United Nations.

And most of the reigning leaders were very leery of the Bolsheviks in Russia. Could the common man really run a country instead of a Tsar or King?

World War I brought equality of peoples into perspective.  Women voting, men voting, minorities voting - and acceptance (or at least tolerance) of people - not fully realized as Hitler blamed the Jews on the inflation, failure of World War I and almost every other evil.  

To me, that last part is still in progress.  But there is hope!!

An unrealistic peace treaty, indirectly, caused World War II.  Man’s inhumanity to fellow man still exists.  Can we all get along?  Maybe someday!!!  

Hugs!!

Karen