reactions of victors and defeated powers in relation to the peace treaties

Question 1

Frances reaction

Answer 1

-France wanted a much harsher settlement imposed on germany. Clemenceau wanted an independent Rhineland state and wanted Germany to be be broken up in order to permanently weaken it.
-France feared that the treaty left left Germany strong enough both economically and politically to threaten French security

Question 2

Russia’s reaction

Answer 2

-Russia was not invited to send representatives to the peace conference and was not consulted about the terms of the settlement.

Question 3

Italy’s reaction

Answer 3

-To majority of Italians the paris peace settlement was a bitter disappointment.
The major decisions were taken by the ‘Big Three’ .
The italian delegation led by Prime minister Vittorio Orlando had been largely ignored and humiliated .
- Although italy gained South Tyrol, istria etc its claims to parts of Dalmatia , Albania etc had been denied

Question 4

USA’s reaction

Answer 4

-US President Woodrow Wilson had played a leading role in determining the terms of the Paris peace settlement

-However public opinion in the usa was largely opposed to the settlement.
Many Americans believed that its terms were too harsh on Germany and this would cause resentment and encourage revenge.

• They argued that supporting the peace settlement and joining the LON would involve the USA in future wars

Question 5

Bulgaria’s reaction

Answer 5

-To Bulgarians their country much reduced in size and its economy severely damaged, the settlement was seen as a national catastrophe

Question 6

Turkish reaction

Answer 6

-Turkey no longer controlled its once great ottoman empire and remained under the authority of an allied army of occupation

Question 7

Austria and Hungary reactions

Answer 7

-Austrians and Hungarians were angered by the way in which the Paris peace settlement had divided up the territories of the former Habsburg Empire between newly formed nation states.

-They argued that the First World Wars victorious nations had created new boundaries without regard to cultural , linguistic and ethnic factors.

-They’re requests that plebiscites should be held to determine the wishes of local people had been ignored

Question 8

Germany’s reaction

Answer 8

-The terms of the treaty of versailles caused great resentment in Germany.
German objections focused on two main areas :

1)German representatives were not allowed to attend the peace talks - they just had to accept the terms that were imposed on them

2) The terms were not based entirely on Wilson’s 14 points as they had hoped.