The Armistice - Aims of the Peacemakers Flashcards
When was the Paris Peace Conference?
January 1919.
Who led the discussions at the Paris Peace Conference?
Britain, France and the USA.
Who was the Prime Minister of France?
George Clemenceau.
Who was the Prime Minister of Britain?
David Lloyd George.
Who was the President of the USA?
Woodrow Wilson.
What were Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson collectively known as?
The ‘Big Three’.
Where had much of the fighting in WW1 taken place?
France, particularly in the north-east.
Give 3 types of places which Germany had destroyed in France:
-Mines
-Railways
-Factories.
Which country had suffered the most deaths from WW1?
France.
Who pressured Clemenceau to get revenge on Germany?
Many French people.
What 3 things did Clemenceau want to do to Germany?
-Cripple them - to make sure that it was never powerful enough to attack France again
-He also wanted to have its armed forces dramatically reduced
-Germany’s borders to be pushed back to the Rhine in Eastern Germany and taking away its defences.
What did David Lloyd George promise to the British Public?
‘Make Germany Pay.’
In what way was George more cautious than Clemenceau?
He was concerned if Germany was treated too harshly it could lead to Germany wanting revenge and starting another war.
Why did George want to keep Germany quite strong?
-So that Britain could trade with it
-To stop other countries in Europe from becoming too powerful
-To gain German colonies if he got the opportunity to increase the British Empire.
What did George need to keep powerful if he wanted to keep the British Empire safe?
The British Navy.
What did George see as a good opportunity to reduce the Germany Navy rivalling Britain’s?
The peace talks.
Give 2 reasons why America didn’t see the need for revenge:
-No fighting took place on American soil
-America made lots of money selling weapons to the allies.
Why was Wilson concerned about being too harsh on Germany?
Like George, he worried it could lead to another war.
Wilson was an idealist. What did this mean?
He was a dreamer who wasn’t very practical. He wanted a future where everyone would be treated fairly.
What world parliament did Wilson suggest to set up?
The League of Nations.
What was Wilson’s ‘freedom of the seas’ idea about?
It meant that everyone could sail trading ships wherever they wanted.
What were Wilson’s Fourteen Points about?
His ideas for a better world.
Name 3 of Wilson’s Fourteen Points:
-No secret treaties
-Disarmament
-Alsace-Lorraine returned to France
What is an armistice?
An agreement that countries at war make to stop fighting.
