July 1914 Crisis: The Path to World War I & Its Aftermath
The March Toward War: The Crisis of July 1914
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo by a Bosnian student led Austria-Hungary to send an ultimatum to Serbia. Germany consented to an investigation demanded on the attack. Austria considered Serbia’s response unsatisfactory and declared war. Russia mobilized troops, launching the system of alliances. France and Germany decided to support their respective allies. The UK decided to intervene in the conflict following the penetration of German troops in Belgium, violating its neutrality.
The Paris Peace Conference
Woodrow Wilson presented his Fourteen Points, which included the following objectives:
- The abolition of secret diplomacy
- Freedom of international trade and navigation
- Arms reduction
- The breakup of old empires and recognition of the right to independence of ethnic and political minorities
- Creating a Society of Nations based on equality between states, regardless of their power
France demanded that Germany pay war reparations. The Paris Peace Conference prepared five treaties stipulating the conditions for peace and the new frontiers. Vanquished countries were not heard and were called to sign the treaties imposed by the Council of Four.
A Peace Treaty Imposed by the Victors
The Treaty of Versailles was the most important for regulating peace between Germany and France.
- Germany suffered territorial cuts, ceding Alsace-Lorraine to France and Posnania to Poland.
- Germany was held responsible for the war and had to pay heavy reparations.
- Germany had to abolish compulsory military service and limit its army.
A new organization of borders and the status of the Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe was established.
Political Repercussions of the Treaties
The Ottoman Empire disappeared and became a new territory. Republics were proclaimed in Germany and Hungary, and democracy spread. According to Wilson’s vision, these states were constituted: Poland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary. All of Europe except two countries became parliamentary democracies.
Demographic Consequences
Nine million people were killed in the war, and many others were wounded and maimed. Deprivation of food and lack of healthcare facilitated the spread of the flu, which caused the death of six million Europeans and 22 million in the rest of the world. This caused a decrease in the birth rate and a reduction of the workforce.
Economic Consequences
The financial costs of the war were intense and widespread. Governments increased public debt, and loans were taken from the United States. Debt was very high. World War I meant the permanent loss of European hegemony. The USA became the number one economic power in the world. Japan experienced remarkable industrial and commercial expansion. The development of its fleet enabled it to increase exports and expand its markets. Japan occupied German territories in the Pacific.
Social Repercussions
The war was marked by opposition between rich and poor. The rich amassed great fortunes thanks to the demands of the war, while the remaining population was depleted. Women took the jobs hitherto reserved for men. Once the conflict ended, the struggle was organized to achieve female emancipation. Women had their right to vote recognized.