Chapter 14 - Peacemaking 1919-23 Flashcards
What happened in 1919 in Paris?
Delegations representing 32 of the nations of WW1 went to the Paris Peace Conference to negotiate several peace settlements
Who were the talks initially to be led by?
The Big Five - Britain, France, USA, Italy and Japan
Which of these countries withdrew from the talks though, and why?
Japan - predominantly about the fate of Europe Italy - PM Vittorio Orlando temporarily withdrew after he could not secure territorial gains for the country
Therefore, which countries were left the most victorious and influential in the negotiations?
USA, France and Britain
What was the extent of the wreckage of the war?
It was psychological as well as physical - millions had been killed or wounded, huge swathes of French and Belgian landscapes had been utterly destroyed by trench warfare and vicious fighting still continued in the east as the world leaders met in Paris. The casualty rate and destruction were deeply shocking and so allied statesmen were guided by the desire for revenge and a lasting peace from the public, who were proudly adamant that such loss should never again be tolerated
Which country experienced the most casualties in WW1?
Germany - 2 million dead and 4.2 wounded
What did the democratic nature of each of the Big Three mean?
They had to reflect the attitudes of their electorates as well as their own personal views - if the general public did not feel their interests had been represented they were likely to vote their leaders out of office. This was particularly significant in Britain, which had a General Election in December 1918 and France, who had a legislative election scheduled for late 1919
Who was Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929)?
He entered politics when he saw France defeated and occupied by the Prussians. He was nicknamed “The Tiger” and had a reputation for toughness and harboured deep resentment and fear of Germany. He was the PM of France from 1917, but disliked President Poincare. He was defeated in the 1920 presidential elections and died in 1929 after predicting another war with Germany
What were the aims of Georges Clemenceau?
- Had witnessed 2 German invasions of France and viewed Germany as a dangerous power who would threaten France again later if its strength was not crippled. Amongst the French public, there was a strong desire for revenge - France had suffered the worst destruction and casualties on the allied side, provoking a strong desire for revenge and compensation from Germany. 25% of French male population aged 18-30 were dead or wounded - Was sceptical of Wilson’s 14 points, believing him to be too high minded and idealistic - Clemenceau was pragmatic and wanted Germany to be dismembered with the Rhineland made into a separate state to create a physical border between Germany and France. He was not convinced that Lloyd George and Wilson sympathised with the French fear of German invasion - Rather than a neutral location, Clemenceau insisted the conference be held in Paris as recognition of French sacrifices in the war
Who was David Lloyd George (1863-1945)?
British PM since Dec 1916 - known for his flexibility and integrity. A liberal and had manoeuvred politically to pass progressive legislation and his pragmatism at the conference meant he acted as a conciliator between the vengeful Clemenceau and idealist Wilson. Expressed disappointment with the ToV and became a critic of the appeasement of Hitler
What were the aims of Lloyd George?
- Had been elected 1918 with slogans like “hang the Kaiser” and promises to squeeze Germany financially “until the pips squeak”. Many British people expected Germany to pay reparations as the war had cost almost a million British and empire lives. Lloyd George also wanted to make sure Germany wouldn’t threaten British naval dominance and security of empire again - Privately, LG believed Britain would benefit from ensuring long term peace as the war had had a terrible impact on British trade - he recognised it could be a valuable trading partner if it was allowed to recover economically - like Wilson, he believed that punishing Germany too harshly would cause it to seek revenge in the future. He was also concerned that Germany would have a communist revolution if economic conditions were poor. The aims of punishing Germany whilst ensuring war didn’t break out in the future often conflicted with each other, causing bitter arguments among peacemakers - Like Clemenceau, LG was unenthusiastic about some of the 14 points - self-determination implied Britain would have to give up its empire - LG acted as a mediator between C and W at the conference - British and French leaders considered their aims to be more practical than Wilson’s, but LG agreed with US President’s aim of securing long term European peace
What were the aims of Woodrow Wilson?
- Hoped results of Peace Conference would convince voters the war had been worth fighting in - many Americans had favoured neutrality instead of involvement - treaties emerged had to be based on American ideals like freedom from foreign oppression - shaped 14 points Jan 1918 - One of the principles behind increasingly popular policy of isolationism in the US was that European wars were almost inevitable due to “old world” bitterness and rivalry - view particularly prevalent amongst Republican senators and congressmen - Wilson was a Democrat, so his political career was at stake - a settlement providing long term peace essential - Establishment of League of Nations important to W - hoped would prevent future conflict by setting up negotiations and arbitration between countries in the event of disputes - Self-determination for smaller states formerly part of Habsburg, Russian and Ottoman Empires = principle guiding W
What were Wilson’s 14 Points?
- Peace treaties open, no more secret alliances 2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas 3. The removal of economic barriers are the establishment of free trade 4. Disarmament with just enough weapons to secure domestic safety 5. Self-determination for colonies 6. Germany must evacuate all Russian territories and allow Russia to develop politically 7. The evacuation and freedom of Belgium 8. All French territory freed and Alsace-Lorraine returned to France 9. Italy’s borders should be adjusted to take Italian nationality into account 10. Autonomy for the nationalities within the AH empire 11. Romania, Serbia and Montenegro to be evacuated, Balkan nationalities to receive independence 12. Turkey should be consolidated as a state but the Ottoman Empire to be broken up and its nationalities given independence 13. Poland to be established as an independent state with access to the sea 14. The establishment of a general association of nations must be formed to guarantee political independence and territorial integrity for large and small states
How did the Big Three ensure that their influence was felt over the conference?
- Each of the Big Three exerted influence over the aspects of the settlement which they felt most affected the interests of their own countries - After the delegations of the 32 represented countries, the Big Three discusses the eventual TOV terms which dealt with Germany and the LON - The subsequent treaties settling disputes in Eastern Europe and Turkey were shaped by a series of compromises
Which two powers were not invited to the conference?
- Germany as the defeated side - Russia mistrusted and sidelined as a communist state
When did the Paris Peace Conference begin?
18th January 1919
Where did divisions occur between the Big Three in the agreements?
- Clemenceau demanded more security for France against Germany in the form of a barrier in the Rhineland and French control of Saar coalfields - This was rejected by Wilson and Lloyd George as it contradicted self-determination and Britain and the USA had the seas as a natural barrier against a resurgent Germany - Lloyd George predicted that by confiscating more German territory there would be a new revanchism and continued bitterness between Germany and France
What happened in March 1919?
- The negotiations had reached a stalemate and the conference appeared likely to collapse - Lloyd George issued the Fontainebleau Memorandum, setting out the extent of principles acceptable to the British
What did Lloyd George achieve with the Fontainebleau Memorandum?
- He persuaded Clemenceau to accept a more balanced treaty which would not leave Germany unable to recover economically, and convinced him to accept the League of Nations - With Clemenceau’s agreement to these key principles secured, Lloyd George then persuaded Wilson to accept the “War Guilt” clause
What were the unavoidable concerns around Europe’s borders during the talks and how were these resolved?
- The redrawing of Europe’s borders would mean some people would now find themselves part of a country they did not want to live in - The peacemakers tried to ensure protection for minorities, such as freedom of religion and language
What was the problem with self-determination for former empires?
- It did not extend to these former empires - For Germany’s former colonies, already under possession of Allies, as well as the former territories overseas of the Ottoman Empire, a system of mandates was introduced - It was widely felt that countries like Cameroon and the Samoan Islands were not yet mature and civilised enough to rule themselves, so they would be governed by Europeans until they had “matured into nationhood” - According to Wilson, mandates were unnecessary for Europeans when it came to the former Habsburg Empire
What is meant by the term “mandate”?
Territories (particularly overseas colonies) transferred to the control of a different country until they were thought capable of governing themselves
Who led the Arabian delegation?
Prince Faisal and advised by Thomas Edward Lawrence (known to posterity as Lawrence of Arabia)
