Paris Peace Conference Flashcards
What was done to negotiate a peace settlement after World War I?
Allied statesmen convened in Paris
Who was present at the Paris Peace Conference?
- Representatives from 27 countries attended the Paris Peace Conference
- None of the defeated powers had representation at the conference
- Russia, under communist rule, was not in attendance either
Who were the big three negotiators?
Woodrow Wilson, George Clemenceau, and David Lloyd George
What did Woodrow Wilson want from the war?
- idealist: thought he had the secret plan to fix situations in Europe
- wanted to create a national assembly of nations that be creator of peace
- this was called the League of Nations
- brought along the fourteen points
What were some points of the fourteen points?
- would be the basis for negotiation at Paris
- open covenants, no more secret negotiations
- reducing of arms within national armaments
- elimination of economic barriers
- no more tariffs, free trade
- self-determination for various nationalities
- the return of Alsace-Lorraine back to France
- independent Poland
- with access to the sea, creation of a polish corridor
- international association of nations
- the league of nations
What did Georges Clemenceau want from the conference?
- Prime minister of France
- Brought ideas of realism to the conference
- Main goal was french security against German powers
- had an assassination attempt on his life while working on the conference
What did David Lloyd George want from the conference?
- Prime minister of Great Britain
- often acted a mediator within the negotiations
- however, took a strong stand on reparations
What were the topics of negation for the treaty of versailles?
redrawing of Germany’s borders, forbiddance of a political union or Anschluss between Germany and German-speaking Austria, severe restrictions of Germany’s military strength, and reparations
Describe redrawing of Germany’s borders
- French had received Alsace-Lorraine
- Polish corridor was built to give Poland access to the sea
- The city of Danzig had the same number of polish and Germany
- Called it the Free city of Danzig and placed it under the supervision of the league of nations
- Germany lost %13 of pre-war land and 10% of its land
Why couldn’t a political union form between Germany and German speaking Austria?
a violations towards the point of self-determination
Describe severe restrictions on Germany’s military strength
- Germany military was dropped to 100,000 men in size
- no conscription
- was only allowed to have professional, long-term soldiers
- no conscription
- Navy was downsized
- no submarines allowed
- Air force was not allowed
- commercial planes only allowed
What almost caused the Peace Conference to fall apart?
The Rhineland crisis; Clemenceau wanted Rhineland to be separate and dominated through France. Wilson protested agains this because it was made in the fourteen points
What is the Rhineland Compromise?
- agreed to the a demilitarization of the land
- Germany could not have military presence within the Rhineland
- would provide France the safety they needed
- Germany could not have military presence within the Rhineland
- Treaties of guarantee against future German aggression
- if Germany attacks France, Britain and America would come to assist
What occurred for the reparation of Germany?
Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles. it became known as the war guilt clause, Germany was responsible for WWI, and that allies had nothing to do with it
How did the Germans respond to the treaty of Versaille?
there were no negotiations, had to accept what the allies had to give. they officially signed the treaty of Versailles at a ceremony of within the treaty of palace of versailles
