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The Treaty of Versailles
June 1919
The Big Four
Woodrow Wilson USA
David Lloyd-George Great Britain
Georges Clemenceau France Vittorio Orlando Italy
The Big Four at Versailles in 1919
What did France want from the treaty?
Security
Revenge
Reparations
Clemenceau : The Tiger
David Lloyd-George
In public Lloyd-George said he wanted to punish the Germans. The British public was very anti-German at the end of the war.
In private he realized that Britain needed Germany to recover because she was an important trading partner.
What did Britain Want?
Woodrow Wilson
What did America Want?
Woodrow Wilson wanted the treaty to be based on his Fourteen Points
He believed Germany should be punished but not severely. He wanted a just settlement that would not leave Germany feeling resentful
Wilson Presents His PlanWilson Presents His Plan Fourteen Points-Plan for Fourteen Points-Plan for
World PeaceWorld Peace Fourteen Points speech given Fourteen Points speech given
before Congress, points before Congress, points divided into three groupsdivided into three groups
First 5 points Wilson believed First 5 points Wilson believed had to be addressed to had to be addressed to prevent another warprevent another war
14 POINTS14 POINTS1.1. There should be no secret treaties There should be no secret treaties
among nations.among nations.2.2. Freedom of the seas should be Freedom of the seas should be
maintained for all.maintained for all.3.3. Tariffs and other economic barriers Tariffs and other economic barriers
among nations should be lowered or among nations should be lowered or abolished in order to foster free trade.abolished in order to foster free trade.
4.4. Arms should be reduced “to the lowest Arms should be reduced “to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety, point consistent with domestic safety, thus lessening the possibility of military thus lessening the possibility of military responses during diplomatic crisesresponses during diplomatic crises
5.5. Colonial policies should consider the Colonial policies should consider the interests of the colonial peoples as well interests of the colonial peoples as well as the interests of the imperialistic as the interests of the imperialistic powerspowers
14-points continued14-points continued 6-13 dealt with boundary 6-13 dealt with boundary
changeschanges 1414thth point called for a creation of point called for a creation of
and international organization and international organization to address the diplomatic crises to address the diplomatic crises like those that had sparked the like those that had sparked the warwar
League of Nations-League of Nations- provide a provide a forum for nations to discuss and forum for nations to discuss and settle their grievances without settle their grievances without warwar
The Allies Reject Wilson’s The Allies Reject Wilson’s PlanPlan
Peace Conference did not include Peace Conference did not include Central Powers or RussiaCentral Powers or Russia
Treaty of Versailles-created new Treaty of Versailles-created new nations, shifted boundaries, and nations, shifted boundaries, and barred Germany from maintaining barred Germany from maintaining an Armyan Army
Germany made to pay Germany made to pay reparationsreparations--pay war damages amounting to 33 pay war damages amounting to 33 billion billion
Treaty’s WeaknessesTreaty’s Weaknesses Flaws in the treaty sowed the seeds Flaws in the treaty sowed the seeds
of postwar international problems of postwar international problems that eventually lead to WWIIthat eventually lead to WWII
Treaty humiliated GermanyTreaty humiliated Germany War-Guilt ClauseWar-Guilt Clause-forced Germany to -forced Germany to
admit sole responsibility for starting admit sole responsibility for starting WWIWWI
No way Germany could pay the billNo way Germany could pay the bill Russia was excluded from the peace Russia was excluded from the peace
conference and lost more territory conference and lost more territory than Germany (Russia had the most than Germany (Russia had the most causalities in war and fought for 3 causalities in war and fought for 3 years) years)
Debate of the TreatyDebate of the Treaty Some believed treaty was too Some believed treaty was too
harshharsh A few felt that the League of A few felt that the League of
Nations threatened US Nations threatened US isolationism and the constitutional isolationism and the constitutional right of Congress to declare warright of Congress to declare war
Wilson set out in the US and spoke Wilson set out in the US and spoke about the League of Nationsabout the League of Nations
Became ill on October 2, 1919 and Became ill on October 2, 1919 and suffered a strokesuffered a stroke
US Senate rejected the League of US Senate rejected the League of Nations and signed a separate Nations and signed a separate treaty w/ Germany in 1921treaty w/ Germany in 1921
THE LEGACY OF THE WARTHE LEGACY OF THE WAR Many Americans looked forward to Many Americans looked forward to
return to “normalcy”return to “normalcy” World War I had many changes in the World War I had many changes in the
U.S.U.S. Strengthened militaryStrengthened military Social change for African Americans Social change for African Americans
and Womenand Women Called WWI “the war to end all wars”Called WWI “the war to end all wars” Treaty of Versailles settled nothingTreaty of Versailles settled nothing Adolf Hitler emerged as an angry WWI Adolf Hitler emerged as an angry WWI
vet and rose to power in Germanyvet and rose to power in Germany
Territorial Losses
Germany lost ALL of her overseas colonies
Alsace-Lorraine was given to France
Posen was given to Poland so that she would have access to the Baltic Sea. This area became known as the Polish Corridor. It meant that East Prussia was cut off from the rest of Germany.
The Rhineland was to be de-militarized
The Saar coalfields were given to France for fifteen years
The port of Danzig was made a Free City under the control of the League of Nations
"The Allied and Associated Governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her Allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associate Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of a war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her Allies."
Article 231
The War Guilt Clause
GERMANY ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR STARTING THE WAR
REPARATIONS
Germany agreed to pay for the damage caused by her armies during the war. The sum she had to pay was later fixed at £6,600 million
Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria
How did Germans React to the Treaty?
Germans thought the Treaty was a “diktat” : a dictated peace. They had not been invited to the peace conference at Versailles and when the Treaty was presented to them they were threatened with war if they did not sign it.
The Treaty was NOT based on Wilson’s Fourteen Points as the Germans had been promised it would.
Most Germans believed that the War Guilt Clause was unjustified. The French and British had done just as much to start the war
The loss of territory and population angered most Germans who believed that the losses were too severe.
Many Germans believed the German economy would be crippled by having to pay reparations.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919. It officially ended the 1st World War. Many historians
believe that it was a major cause of the 2nd World War.Most Germans were horrified by the harshness of the
Treaty. There was anger amongst all groups in Germany, no matter what their political beliefs. Some German newspapers called for revenge for the humiliation of
Versailles.However anger was also directed against the government
in Germany. Already there was a myth growing in the country that the German army had been “stabbed in the
back” by politicians…the so called “November Criminals”. Now these same politicians had signed the “Diktat”, the dictated peace. The new democracy in Germany was now
closely linked with the humiliation of Versailles.