The Treaty Of Versailles Flashcards
What did Germany sign at the end of world war 1?
- They signed the armistice which said they would pay reparations, give Alsace-Lorraine back to France and move the German army out of the Rhineland.
Outline the Paris Peace conference ordeals?
- January 1919, 32 countries met in the Palace of Versailles.
- To decide terms of the final peace treaty.
- It was led by the ‘Big Three’ (George Clemenceau, David Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson).
- They were under a lot of pressure to make everyone happy in a short period of time.
What were the aims of the Paris leader?
Georges Clemenceau:
- reparations from Germany to help rebuild badly affected areas in France
- revenge for lives lost
- weaken Germany (never could attack again)
- push German border back to the Rhine so french people felt safer.
What were the aims of the British Leader?
David Lloyd George:
- cautious approach; British public wanted Germany to be punished harshly by he feared that this would only lead to Germany wanting revenge.
- Keep Germany strong for trading with Britain and for Germany to act as a buffer to communism
- Gain German colonies for their empire
- naval supremacy by reducing Germany’s naval strength
What were the aims of the USA leader?
Woodrow Wilson:
- fair peace, so Germany wouldn’t speak revenge
- Proposed the 14 points; this included the League of Nations, self determination and freedom of seas.
- however, American public did not want USA to get involved in European affairs again.
What were the terms Germany had to agree to?
- Article 231:the war guilt clause
- Article 232:reparations - 6.6 billion (set in 1921)
- Navy restricted to 15000 men and only 1500 officers
- Anschluss was forbidden
- The German navy was only allowed 6 battleships
- League of Nations was formed, but Germany couldn’t join
- Germany not allowed tanks, submarines or an air force
- Danzig was taken from Germany
- army limited to 100000 men
- Germany split in two by Polish corridor
- Conscription was not allowed
- The Saar given to League of Nations for 15 years
- The Rhineland demilitarised
- Germany’s colonies were given to the League of Nations as mandates
What was Clemenceau happy about in the Treaty?
- France gaining Alsace-Lorraine
- Germany having no army present in the Rhineland
What was Clemenceau unhappy about in the Treaty?
- thought Germany should of payed more reparations
- The fact Germany was allowed an army, even a small one
- The Rhineland not completely taken away from Germany only demilitarised
What was Lloyd George please about in the Treaty?
- Britain having naval supremacy over Germany
- The British empire gained more colonies
What was Lloyd George unhappy about in the Treaty
- Harsh reparations meant Britain would lose trade with Germany
- The threat of possible future war as Germany were so unhappy
What was Wilson pleased about in the Treaty?
- The creation of the League of Nations
What was Wilson unhappy about in the Treaty?
- Fourteen points ignored by Treaty terms
- The harshness of the Treaty Terms
Why couldn’t the big three get everything they wanted?
- Europe crumbling after war so under time pressure.
- Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empire had collapsed so they were countries with unstable Government.
- Each politician had to do what the citizens wanted as they wanted to get re-elected.
- Ordinary citizens fed with anti-German propaganda during war so felt little mercy for them.
- US senate declined Wilsons want to join the League due to isolationism.
- Wilson and Lloyd George now disagreed over original armistice Germany signed in 1918.
- They often all had contrasting views and aims - they had to compromise.
- During war they promised countries land if they joined them as allies so they had to give for example Italy land. They had to keep to these promises but was not in their best interests.
How did Britain react the Treaty of Versailles
- Propaganda during war taught the Brits to despise Germans, and lots of British soldiers were killed in war
- British people generally thought treaty was fair but could of been harsher
- Lloyd George was hailed a hero and newspapers said Britain would never be under threat form Germany again.
How did France react to the Treaty of Versailles?
- Many people in France were furious and believed the Treaty was nowhere near harsh enough and that Germany should suffer as much as France did during the war.
- Clemenceau voted out at next election as public felt he did not do enough to get revenge for France
- few terms that France liked for example gaining control of the Saar and its coalfields for 15 years