Conflict and Tension (End of WW1) Flashcards
Aims of France in ToV
France:
France had been most effected in war with 750,000 homes destroyed with half a million soldier being killed. had a huge financial burden from the war. + humiliated in Franco-German war
French wanted German to suffer, French Prime minster Georges Clemance was determined to see Germany punished. He wanted to guarantee France would be safe from Germany
Wanted Rhineland back to prevent attack in future, he also wanted to occupy Alsace-Lorraine and other parts of Germany.
Aims of USA in Tov
USA only joined war in 1917 so had suffered very little damage
They made a big profit out of the war supplying war materials to Britian and France.
Woodrow Wilson was determined to create a ‘just,’ peace under his Fourteen points made in the Armistice.
Woodrow Wilson believed in self determination so did not want other countries to govern others. Because they lent so much money their words carried great weight
Aims of Greak Britain in ToV
War cost UK £850,000,000 from US Banks. Also lent £1,750,000,000 to Russia which was not returned by Bolsheviks. Britian lost 704,000 men in the war.
Lloyd George promised to ‘Make Germany Pay.’ However in Versailles he realised that if Germany was pushed too hard, then there would be trouble in the future.
He also wanted Germany as a trading partner.
So he wanted Germany to recover
Terms of the ToV
- **Germany lost 10% of land **
Alsace-Lorane given back to France
Polish Corridor created
Land given to Belgium, Denmark and Czechoslovakia - German armed forced reduced to 100,000 men and conscription was banned. Navy reduced to 6 ships
- Rhineland was to be demilitarized. Allies would occupy it for fifteen years
- Germany had to pay £6.6 billion in war reparations.
- Germany was made to accept blame for war, alone
- Russia and Germany could not join Leauge
+ Germany expected terms to be based off Wilsons 14 points but treaty heavily influenced by Clemenceau’s desire to make Germany pay
Strengths and weaknesses of Treaty of Versailles
- No one got what they really wanted
- Italy was not given the Adriatic coast they had been promised by Britan and France. Since Woodrow Wilson did not like imperialism
- France would not be allowed to occupy the Rhineland since Lloyd George believed it would antagonise the Germans
- Woodrow Wilson would not be able to achieve freedom of the seas since Lloyd George wanted to maintain British supremacy.
- League of Nations formed
Why was Italy and Japan angered about their treatment at Versailles
Italy promised land in Balkans but was not allowed. Promise broken, and Italy was only given a little bit of land in the north
Japan expected to have been given Manchuria for their support.
Since China joined war on allies’ side consequently Japan only received the former German territories in the pacific
Why did Germans resent the Treaty
- Germany signed an armistice in November 1918, but it was not an unconditional surrender — they expected a fair peace based on Wilson’s 14 Points.
- Germany had suffered the worse than other country except possibly Russia.
Two million Soldier had been killed and the economy had been ruined by the allied blockade. - In Versailles the 14 points were not followed and Germany received a harsh punishment
