THE BIG THREE

Question 1

What country was apart of the Big Three?

Answer 1

France, USA and United Kingdom

Question 2

Who was the president of the USA in 1919?

Answer 2

Woodrow Wilson

Question 3

Who was the president of France in 1919?

Answer 3

Georges Clemenceau

Question 4

Who was the president of the UK in 1919?

Answer 4

David Lloyd George

Question 5

What where Wilsons ideas?

Answer 5

• Don’t be too harsh on Germany
• Strengthen democracy in defeated countries
• Give self-determination to small countries that had once been a part of the European empires
• International co-operation

Question 6

What was the point Wilson’s 14 points?

Answer 6

he drew up the 14 points as the basis for ending a war and preventing another from happening

Question 7

Why did Wilson think that they shouldn’t be too harsh on Germany?

Answer 7

• he believed that Germany should be punished
  however not to the extent that they would somehow recover and seek revenge
• he was also concerned that extremist groups (communists) would exploit the resentment and gain power (like the Russian Revolution of 1917)

Question 8

Why did Wilson want countries to be self-determined (the Poles, Czechs & Slovaks)?

Answer 8

Wilson wanted them to be independent instead of being apart of the Austria-Hungary empire

Question 9

How did Wilson think international co-operation would be achieved?

Answer 9

Through the League of Nations (his most important point from the 14 points)

Question 10

Did everyone agree with Wilson

Answer 10

• As Wilson talked about lasting peace no one would say anything against that
• But many doubted Wilson and the likelihood of achieving his ‘goals’

Question 11

Which of Wilson’s ideas were doubted?

Answer 11

• ‘self-determination’
  why: it would be difficult to give
  those people the opportunity to rule themselves because many where scattered around other countries

Question 12

Did the UK agree with the USA

Answer 12

• in public, yes. in private, less positive.
  -agreed with Wilson on many issues (Germany should not be punished too harshly)
• Also concerned about the treaty leading to a communist revolution.

Question 13

What did the UK want to achieve in the conference

Answer 13

-Wanted Britain to become trading partners with Germany (was their 2nd largest partner before the war)
- Wanted Germany to lose its navy (to gain naval supremacy)
- Wanted Germany’s land and colonies in Africa

Question 14

What pressures was Lloyd George was under?

Answer 14

• public pressure (people/ citizens –> they had no sympathy for Germany –> he also promised to make Germany pay)
• Had to find a balance

Question 15

Did Clemenceau agree with Wilson?

Answer 15

• agreed with long-lasting peace
• but he thought lowly of the 14 points (even said ‘even God only needed Ten Commandments’)
• The French saw the treaty as an opportunity to cripple Germany and not to be fair

Question 16

What pressures did Clemenceau face?

Answer 16

The war had affected land, the people of France
- Many French thought of Germany as a huge threat
- The French wanted to weaken Germany as much as possible
- Some of the French gov members wanted Germany to be broken into smaller states