The Treaty of Versailles

20th Century History ProjectJoe Jacobs

3/6/12

The Paris Peace Settlement

• Representatives from 32 countries met in 1919• France, USA, and Britain – The “Big Three”• Created five treaties: Treaty of Versailles, St.

Germain, Trianon, Neuilly, Sevres• Treaty of Versailles main discussion point in the

peace settlement

Key Points

• Signed in June 1919• Treaty with Germany• Signed in Versailles Palace• Germany agreed to full responsibility to World

War I

Military Restrictions

• Military restrictions were placed on Germany• Military limited to 100,000 • No air force, only small naval fleet

Territories

• Creation of an independent Polish state• West Prussia and Posen given to Poland• Alsace-Lorraine given back to France• Germany loses colonies

Reparations

• Germany had to pay $31.4 billion (equivalent to $442 billion in 2012)

• Paid in goods and in gold• Allies struggled to get payments from

Germany

League of Nations

• USA refused to join• Collective Security• Germany and other defeated countries were

left out at first

Britain’s Aims

• Lesser reparations than France• Wanted Germany as trading partner, so they didn’t

want Germany’s economy to become too bad.• Wanted reparations paid to Britain for the

compensation for the widows, orphans, and men unable to work due to war injuries.

United State’s Aims

• United States also was interested in trading with Germany, so they weren’t too harsh in reparations.

• Woodrow Wilson put forward his Fourteen Points, a set of guidelines for war.

France’s Aims

• Used conference to restore France’s power in Europe.

• A lot of reparations due to the deaths of many citizens as well as war damage and occupation of France by Germany.

Summary

• What? : The Treaty of Versailles• Where? : Paris, France• When? : June 1919• Why? : To end war with Germany and to

determine consequences for Germany.• Who? : USA, France, Britain, Germany, and

others• Result : Germany had military restrictions,

changes in territories, and reparations for countries it harmed during World War I.

Sources

• http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm

• http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215466/treaty_of_versailles.htm

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles