Topic 1: The Armistice

Question 1

What was the armistice?

Answer 1

WW1 was fought from 1914 to 1918, and had ended with an armistice, an agreement in which both sides agree to stop fighting, rather than a surrender. For both sides, an armistice was the fastest way to end the war’s misery and carnage.
The terms were:
- Germany having to pay reparations.
- Giving Alsace-Lorraine back to France.
- Moving the German army out of Rhineland and that
- The German military surrendering war materiel such as planes, ships and machine guns. The Allies wanted to ensure that the Germans could not resume the war if the long-term peace negotiations broke down.

Question 2

What was the Paris Peace conference?

Answer 2

• In January 1919, 32 countries met in the palace of Versailles to discuss the final peace treaties. This came to be known as the Paris peace conference.
• These discussions were led by the ‘Big Three’: David Lloyd George (Prime minister of Britain), Georges Clemenceau (Prime minister of France) and Woodrow Wilson (President of the USA).
• These three leaders had to make a peace that would make everyone happy, but Europe was falling apart so they needed to act quickly.

Question 3

What were the aims of each of the ‘Big Three’?

Answer 3

David Lloyd George (Britain)
- Wanted a cautious approach as he feared a strong punishment
would lead to Germany wanting revenge.
- Wanted to keep Germany strong so it could trade with Britain and
act a shield against communism.
- Aimed to gain German colonies to add to the British Empire.
- Wanted Naval supremacy by reducing Germany’s navy.

Georges Clemenceau (France)
- Wanted Germany to pay reparations to rebuild France as it was the
country most affected by the war.
- Wanted revenge for all the lives lost.
- Aimed to weaken Germany so it could never attack again.
- Wanted to push the German border back to the Rhine so French
people would feel safer.

Woodrow Wilson (USA)
- Wanted a fair peace so Germany wouldn’t seek revenge.
- Proposed the 14 points of peace, including foundation of the
League of Nations, self-determination and freedom of the seas; but
the American public didn’t want the USA to get involved in
European affairs again.