CORE 1: Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair? Flashcards
How many states attended at the Versailles Conference?
32 (two thirds of the world’s population)
Who was not invited to the Versailles Conference?
The defeated powers (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey) and Soviet Russia (Communist following the Bolshevik Revolution of Oct 1917)
Who were the ‘Big Three’ at the Versailles Conference ?
Prime Minister George Clemenceau - FRANCE
President Woodrow Wilson - USA
Prime Minister David Lloyd George - UK
What were Clemenceau’s aims at the Versailles Conference?
Ensure the future security of France;
1 Permanent disarmament of German army, navy & air force
2 High reparations with a figure in the treaty
3 The return of Alsace-Lorraine
4 A significant proportion of Germanies colonies
5 The Rhineland to become an independent state
6 The Saar Basin to be transferred to France
7 The Port of Danzig to Poland
Why did the French want a harsh treaty at Versailles?
- Stop German invasions (1914 WWI and 1870 Franco Prussian War)
- Shared a common border without natural frontier
- Loss of life (1.4m soldiers, 0.3m civilians, 4.3m wounded)
- Destruction of France in WWI and ‘scorched earth’ retreat
What were Wilson’s aims at the Versailles Conference?
14 Points;
1) No secret treaties
2) Freedom of the seas
3) The removal so far as possible of all economic barriers
4) The reduction armaments for all countries
5) Impartial adjustment of all colonial claims
6) Germany leaves Russian territory
7) Independence for Belgium
8) Alsace and Lorraine to France
9) Readjustment of the frontiers of Italy
10) Self determination for Austria-Hungary
11) Evacuation of Balkan countries
12) Self determination for Turkish Empire
13) An independent Poland to be established, with free and secure access to the sea
14) Establishment of the League of Nations”
Why did Wilson have a more detached view of the treaty and hoped for a ‘fair and lasting peace’?
- America hadn’t declared war on Germany until April 1917
- No US territory was invaded
- Relatively few civilian fatalities <800
- War had been profitable for US manufacturers, merchants and financiers
What were Lloyd George’s aims at the Versailles Conference?
A moderate peace in Britain’s interests;
1 Germany to pay reparations (not so high as to stop economic recovery)
2 Germany needs a wealthy industrious Rhineland to trade with Britain
3 Most of Germany’s colonies
4 A strong Germany as a barrier to the spread of communism
5 A treaty not so harsh it is hated and overturned
Why did Lloyd George want a moderate peace settlement at Versailles?
In the November Election of 1918 he wanted a harsh treaty reflecting public mood;
- Direct attacks on Britain (Naval bombardment of Yorkshire 1914 & Zeppelin attacks on London 1915-18)
- Heavy casualties (0.9m soldiers, 0.1m civilians, 1.7m wounded)
- Britain’s economy was weakened
From January 1919 he wanted a moderate peace;
- Economic revival depended on a strong Europe and a strong Germany who had been no.1 customer before 1914
- Stop the spread of communism
When was the Treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
What were the terms of the Treaty of Versailles? (hint: LAMBS)
Land Lost Army decreased Money to pay Blame for WW1 Sign the covenant of the LoN
How much did Germany have to pay in reparations?
£6.6 billion in gold, coal and commodities decided by the Reparations Commission in 1921 (£284 billion in 2020)
What was Article 231?
War Guilt Clause - Germany and her allies had to accept total responsibility for starting the war
How was Germany’s military restricted in the Treaty of Versailles?
- Army restricted to 100,000 men (no conscription)
- No tanks, armoured vehicles or heavy artillery
- No military air force
- Only 6 battleships, 12 destroyers, 6 light cruisers, 12 torpedo boats, no subs
- Rhineland demilitarised
What colonial territories were taken away from Germany in the Treaty of Versailles?
All of them as mandates of the League of Nations;
- German East Africa to Britain
- Togoland and Cameroon to France
- Rwanda and Burundi to Belgium
- German Samoa to New Zealand
- German New Guinea to Britain
- Mariana, Caroline and Marshal Islands to Japan
What was decided about the Saar Basin in the Treaty of Versailles?
Administered by the League of Nations with its coal profits to France. After 15 years plebiscite would decide whether it should belong to France, Germany or the League.
What independent states were set up by the cancellation of the Brest-Litvosk Treaty (Russia’s surrender to Germany in 1917)?
Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania
What ‘new’ states were set up in Eastern Europe?
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania
Which countries were forbidden from unifying under the Treaties of Versailles, Saint Germain and Trianon?
Germany and Austria (Anschluss)