Figure 1.--The Germans with their front line collapsing asked for an Armistice. It went into effect November 11, 1918. Among the the terms of the Armistice was the immediate evacuation of German troops from occupied Belgium, France, and Luxembourg as well as Alsace-Lorraine within 15 days. Unlike World War II the Allies did not disband the Imperial Government, the German people did in a Socialist led revolt leading to the Weimar Republic. And unlike World War II the whole country was not occupied by the Allies, but the Rhineland was. American, Belgian, British and French forces moved into the Rhineland briefly. This is an Ortsgemeinde in the Westerwaldkreis within the Rhineland-Palatinate. Here are American occupation soldiers on the street of Eitelborn with children. French forces continued to occupy the Rhineland untill the end of 1930 and the Saarland until the 1935 plebecite.

World War I was a turning point in European history. It was with the War that Europe lost the innocense with which it entered the 20th century. Many of the countries involved have never fully recovered and most were irevivably changed. The casulaties sustanined by the major combatants, except for Russia, were substantially greater than in World War II. It is difficult for Americans to understand this as our experience in the War was much different. America entered the War in 1917, 3 years after the War began and American forced were not heavily commited until 1918. While substantial, American losses did not approach the level of the other major combatant countries. There were single battles in World War I where the losses exceeded entire wars that had been fought previously. Americans visiting Britain should stop a moment at virtually any village church they chance upon. Inside they will find a large opened book. The books is a list of the fallen of World War I. When one stops to think of similar books throughout Britain, one begins to comprehend the enormity of World War I losses. The huge losses were comparable throughout Europe in a variety of ways, most importantly causing European to question liberal democracy. This led to the rise of totalitarian solutions. The Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, establishing a Communist police state based on Marxism which develped a Lennist overlay. And in the West, many turned to Fascism, first in Italy and then in Germany. Communist and Fascism parties gained strebgth in maby other countries as well. Here the Depression was a factor, byt far from the only driving force. Too often the Communism and Fascism are seen as opposite ends of the political sprectrum. Nothing can be further from the truth. It is true that Fascism and Commuinsm competed with each other and had some differences, but basically they were very similar. They both grew out of the Socialist movement. They both instituted police states and restricted citizen participation in government. They both free thought and the rule of law. And they both murdered in the millions. The Fascists killed mostly foreigners, the Communists both their own people as well as foreigners. And both were committed to war as a major tool of national polict. In the democeacies the aftermath was fundamentally different because citizens could make their opinions known. The huge losses fundamentally affected European thinking. It promoted pacifist thinking in the West which eaised preventing another war to the major goal of national policy leding to Appeasement. This mean that during the inter-War era, the totalitarian powers would gain the dominant military position on the World stage. The result would be killing on a farlarger scale than World War I--this tome targetting civilians.

America

America for the first century and a half of its ecustence was largely isolationist. World War was the country's first foray into Europen affairs. Most Americans wanted no part of the war. Only incredibly stupid Germany policies managed to bring America into the war. One reason the Germans decided to risk American involvement is that America did not have a substabtial military force. The U.S. army totaled only about 0.1 nillion and was lightly armed. It had not fought a major battle since the Civil War (1861-65) and more recently seemed to perform poorly even in nearby Mexico (1915-17). The Americans after declaring war had to ship untrauned men to France. By Spring 1918 there were over 1 million Americans in France and more were on their way. European impressions varied. The French did not understand tht Ameruica dud not have an army in being, but welcomed the cocky, enthusiastic doughnoys. The British and French commabders saw them as notably more enthusiastic than their men, but oorly disciplined. Most Amerucans saw themselves as coming to Europe to clean ip the mess. The Germans were agast. One historian writes that they 'were now confronted with an army whose soldiers sprang in uncountable numbers, as if from soil sown with dragon's teeth." [Keegan] And if that was not bad enough, more were training in America waiting for transport to France. In addition, the vast power of American industry was gearing up to support the Allied war effort. The British who had labored mightily to bring ameriva into the War would after the War complain that the Americans took too much credit for the Allied victory. Lundendorf wrote after tge War that it was the Anerican infabtry that decided the issure on the Wesrern Front. American deaths totaled over 0.1 million. Almost all occurred in 1918, most in a 7 month period from April to the begining of November when the Armistice was declined. This number is much smaller than the other conbatant countries, but when prorated out for the short period of combat is basically similar. It is difficult for Americans to understand this as our experience in the War was much different. America entered the War in 1917, 3 years after the War began and American forced were not heavily commited until 1918. While substantial, American losses did not approach the level of the other major combatant countries. There were single battles in World War I where the losses exceeded entire wars that had been fought previously. The huge losses were comparable throughout Europe. Even befire the Doughboys were home, many Amerucans had beguin to regret entering the War and vowed that it would never happen again.

Austria

The Ausrtro-Hungarian Empire sustained huge casualties in the War, over 1.1 million lilled. The number of Austrians is much smaller. Because of the conscription system and drafting ofrural workers, harvests declined sharply. Severe food shortages occurred throughout the Empire. Austria for centuries had been one of the great European powers. Suddenly after World War I, Austrian was a tiny Alpine state. Not only did this affect the outlook of many Austrians, but it had huge economic imppications. Vienna was no longer the center of a huge European empire. Many Austrians desired Anschluss (union) with Germany, but this was prohinited by the Versailles Treaty.

Belgium

The Belgians sustauned casualties of about 60,000 men killed. Most of the casualties were susyained in the firest two months of the War (1914). It was then that the Bekgisn Army was in heavy contavt with the German army as it drive south toward France.

Britain

Nearly 0.9 million British military personnl were killed durng the War. Americans visiting Britain should stop a moment at virtually any village church they chance upon. Inside they will find a large opened book. The books is a list of the fallen of World War I. When one stops to think of similar books throughout Britain, one begins to comprehend the enormity of World War I losses. Dreams of imperial glory faded in Flabders in battles like the Somme. After the War, the Brutish public as the built war memorials asked how their government had allowed this to happen. The overwealming feeling was that it must never happen again. Few in Britain had the emotion of having achieved something very important. In addition, Brtain was broke. The costs of fghting the War forced enormous cut backs, including the Royal Navy. Britain ended its long-standing policy of outbuilding it nearest two rivalries. Rather Britain accepted the ability of the United states to out build it.

France

The French as a result of World war I reported 1.4 million military personnel killed, most on the Western Front. Tht was an astinishing 4 percent of the population. The losses were especially concentrated in young men age 19-22 years when the War broke out. They were the conscripts that fouught the early battles. An estimated 35 percent of that cohort was killed--essentially destroying a generation of French men. Actually the number was even lrger when the numbers of those with dehabilitating batlefield wounds were included. The Germans set out to break the French Army at Verdun. They almost suceeded. Casualties were enormous and led to a mutiny. Marshall Petain help put down the mutiny. The French Army held, but was never again capable of major offensive opetations again. And of course these enormous casualties rippled throughout the French popultion. Men were the family's principal bread winners. At the end of the War there were over 0.6 million widdows few of which were capable for themselves or their children. The two boyshere were some of the 10s of thousands who lost their fathers (figure 1). The French cultural, political, and societal outlook was fundamentally altered. Alsace-Loraine was recovered, but the French public became understandably obsessed with the enormous cost in blood and treasure. The public as in other beligerant countries came to see the War as a great mistake, largely ignoring the potential consequemces of a German victory, both to France and individuals. The French public from the working class to the upper-class in a rare common commitment were determined to avoid another war. War became the great evil in the popular mind, especially among workers and socialists who blamed the War on the ruling clsses. Socialits saw war as the end result of both capitalism and imperialism. Pacifism and anti-military feeling were widespread. Thus France's Socilist parties resisted military spending or policies toward Germany that might lead to war. Few stoped to think about what would have resulted had the Germans won the War even after Hitler began his meteoric rise in Germany. The French peoplw would learn the consequences of defeat. and as bad as they were, Hitler was limiting his actions against France nd the rench people until after he won the War xomething of which many French people today are unaware.

Germany

The Germans with their front line collapsing asked for an Armistice. It went into effect November 11, 1918. Most Germans were stunded with the Armistice was announced (Novenber 1918). Only shortly before they had achieved victory on the Eastern Front. Among the the terms of the Armistice was the immediate evacuation of German troops from occupied Belgium, France, and Luxembourg as well as Alsace-Lorraine within 15 days. Unlike World War II the Allies did not disband the Imperial Government, the German people did in a Socialist led revolt leading to the Weimar Republic. And unlike World War II the whole country was not occupied by the Allies, but the Rhineland was. American, Belgian, British and French forces moved into the Rhineland briefly. This is an Ortsgemeinde in the Westerwaldkreis within the Rhineland-Palatinate. Here are American occupation soldiers on the street of Eitelborn with children. French forces continued to occupy the Rhineland untill the end of 1930 and the Saarland until the 1935 plebecite. Military casualties totaled 2.1 million men. Civilian dearhs totaled 0.4 million. Many Germans wanted no part of another war. Others wanted revenge. The Germany Army were stunned that they had failed. The Army was limited by the Versailles Treaty, but this did not prevent the military from assessing what had gone wrong and how to correct it. Some could not believe that the Army could have failed and began to seek out scapegoats. German diplomats were able to prevent occupation. This is essentially kept from the German people how badly they had been defeated.

Italy

Serbia

Soviet Union

The casulaties sustanined by the major combatants, except for Russia, were substantially greater than in World War II. Even so, the Russians sustained the largest casualtuies of all the countries involved in the War. Over 1.8 million Russians were killed. Conscription had substantially reduced the fural work force causing severe food shortages. These developments resulted in the iverhriw of the Tsar and subsequently the November Revolution in which the Bolsehevicks seized power. Thies inevitably led to the Stalinist ductatorship and cthe murder of millions and the Gulag slave labor system.

Created: 1:30 PM 4/19/2016
Last updated: 1:30 PM 4/19/2016