Treaty of Versailles

Question 1

which nations were not present at the Paris Peace Conference

Answer 1

The defeated nations (including Germany) and Soviet Russia

Question 2

When did the Paris Peace Conference begin

Answer 2

January 1919

Question 3

Who were the Big Three

Answer 3

GB: PM Lloyd-George
France: PM Clemencau
USA: President Woodrow Wilson

Question 4

What were Clemenceau’s priorities

Answer 4

Defending France

• return of land previously lost to Germany
• action regarding Alsace-Lorraine, the Saarland and the Rhineland
• Germany to be punished harshly + prevented from waging war again

Question 5

when did France originally lose land to Germany

Answer 5

1871 Franco-Prussian war

Question 6

What were Lloyd-George’s priorities

Answer 6

• “just and firm” peace that did not create a desire for revenge in Germany
• Germany to pay for starting the war (he insisted on chairing a committee at Versailles to investigate how much Germany should pay)
• a share of Germany’s territories to strengthen Britain’s global position
• strengthen Britain’s navy which was important for protecting their empire (therefore he supported restricting Germany’s navy to 36 ships)
• economic revival in Europe (Germany included), which would prevent war

Question 7

what did Woodrow Wilson want

Answer 7

• peace based on his 14 points

- increased international cooperation and negotiating rather than using violence as a tool to settle differences

Question 8

what were Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points

Answer 8

1. No more secret agreements between countries. Diplomacy shall be open to the world.
2. International seas shall be free to navigate during peace and war.
3. There shall be free trade between the countries who accept the peace.
4. There shall be a worldwide reduction in weapons and armies by all countries.
5. Colonial claims over land and regions will be fair.
6. Russia will be allowed to determine its own form of government. All German troops will leave Russian soil.
7. German troops will evacuate Belgium and Belgium will be an independent country.
8. France will regain all territory including the disputed land of Alsace-Lorraine.
9. The borders of Italy will be established such that all Italians will be within the country of Italy.
10. Austria-Hungary will be allowed to continue to be an independent country.
11. The Central Powers will evacuate Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania leaving them as independent countries.
12. The Turkish people of the Ottoman Empire will have their own country. Other nationalities under the Ottoman rule will also have security.
13. Poland shall be an independent country.
14. A League of Nations will be formed that protects the independence of all countries no matter how big or small.

Question 9

What was the Peace Settlement of 1919-1920

Answer 9

The 5 peace treaties signed with the defeated powers after WW1:

Versailles (Germany)
St Germain (Austria)
Trianon (Hungary)
Sevres (Turkey)
Neuilly (Bulgaria)

Question 10

What was the Peace Settlement of 1919-1920

Answer 10

The 5 peace treaties signed with the defeated powers after WW1:

Versailles (Germany)
St Germain (Austria)
Trianon (Hungary)
Sevres (Turkey)
Neuilly (Bulgaria)

Question 11

What was anschluss

Answer 11

the term given to the unification of Germany with its neighbour, Austria

Question 12

What were the main terms of the treaty of Versailles (7 points)

Answer 12

• war guilt clause (Germany must take full responsibility for starting the war)
• Germany must accept liability for the damage caused by the war and pay reparations (£6,600 million)
• Rhineland must be demilitarised
• Anschluss was forbidden
• disarmament: army limited to 100,000 men, conscription was banned, navy limited to 36 warships, forbidden from possessing any tanks or airforce
• loss of territories in Europe
• Germany’s colonies became mandates of the League of Nations

Question 13

The treaty of Versailles was negotiated with Germany. True or False

Answer 13

False. The terms of the treaty were presented to the German delegation at the peace conference in May 1919

Question 14

Describe the military restrictions placed on Germany as a result of the treaty of Versailles

Answer 14

army limited to 100,000 men, conscription was banned, navy limited to 36 warships, forbidden from possessing any tanks or airforce

Question 15

How much was Germany meant to pay in reparations

Answer 15

£6,600 million

Question 16

Describe the Germany’s territorial losses in Europe according to the TOV (4 points)

Answer 16

• lost land to France (Alsace-Lorraine), Belgium (Eupen and Malmedy) and Denmark (North Schleswig)
• also lost land to newly created states: Poland (West Prussia, Posen and parts of Upper Silesia) and Lithuania (Memel)
• Saarland to be given to the League of Nations for 15 years and then a plebiscite will decide its fate
• Danzig became a free city administered by the League of Nations

Question 17

What aspects of the TOV was Clemenceau most happy with (4 points)

Answer 17

Return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
Reparations
Weakening of Germany’s military
Increased security for France as Rhineland was demilitarised

Question 18

What aspects of the TOV was Clemenceau unhappy about

Answer 18

Saarland under the League of nations instead of being given to France

USA’s refusal to sign an Anglo-American treaty if Germany became aggressive with France

Question 19

What aspects of the TOV was Lloyd-George most happy with

Answer 19

extension of GB’s empire through mandated colonies that previously belonged to Germany

Germany not completely destroyed economically so they can still play a part in Europe’s economy

Question 20

What aspects of the TOV was Lloyd-George unhappy about

Answer 20

Many German speaking people not ruled by Germany and found themselves in other countries e.g. Poland + Czechoslovakia

Question 21

What aspects of the TOV was Wilson unhappy about

Answer 21

self-determination did not apply across the whole of Europe

treaty was much harder than his 14 points

US congress did not approve the TOV and the USA never joint the LON

Question 22

What aspects of the TOV was Wilson most happy with

Answer 22

creation of the League of nations
some degree of disarmament took place after the war
principle of self-determination resulted in the creation of new countries out of old empires

Question 23

what were mandated territories

Answer 23

former colonies of defeated countries of the Ottoman Empire e.g. Palestine, Syria and mesopotamia which were taken over by the LON and transferred to other countries

Question 24

what was the German reaction to the TOV and why

Answer 24

Strongly disliked it because:

• did not think the war guilt clause was fair as they didn’t think they were solely to blame for starting the war
  (argued that Serbia and Russia provoked Austria and Germany was merely assisting their ally)
• disarmament was a blow to national pride as the military was a source of German strength and prestige
• Germans thought they would be signing a treaty based on Wilson’s 14 points when they agreed to armistice in 1914. The TOV was much harsher
  (plus they had already given into some of Wilson’s demands eg deposed the Kaiser and technically they hadn’t even been invaded)
• The peace settlement was inconsistent: self determination for some (e.g. poles) but not germans
• it was imposed on them (a diktat)
• claimed it was impossible to pay reparations and refused to pay anymore at the end of 1922

Question 25

Describe the key points of the Treaty of St Germain with Austria

Answer 25

Disarmament: army limited to 30,000, no conscription, no navy Reparations: agreed but never set due to Austrian bankruptcy Loss of territory: Austro-Hungarian empire broken up, Anschluss forbidden New countries created from their land: Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Yugoslavia

Question 26

What was the treaty with Austria and when was it signed

Answer 26

Name: Treaty of St Germain Signed: September 1919

Question 27

What was the treaty with Bulgaria and when was it signed

Answer 27

Name: Treaty of Neuilly Signed: November 1919

Question 28

Describe the key points of the Treaty of Neuilly with Bulgaria

Answer 28

Disarmament: Army limited to 20,000, no conscription, 4 torpedo boats allowed, no air force Reparations: £90 million Territory lost to: Greece, Romania and Yugoslavia

Question 29

Describe the key points of the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary

Answer 29

Disarmament: Army limited to 35,000, no conscription, 3 patrol boats only Reparations: 200 million gold crowns Loss of territory: Fiume to Italy New countries created from territory: Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia

Question 30

What was the treaty with Hungary and when was it signed

Answer 30

Name: Treaty of Trianon Signed: June 1920

Question 31

What was the treaty with Turkey and when was it signed

Answer 31

Name: Treaty of Sevres Signed: August 1920

Question 32

Describe the key points of the Treaty of Sevres with Turkey

Answer 32

Disarmament: army limited to 30,000, 6 torpedo boats only Reparations: none as the allies didn't think Turkey would be able to pay but they did take control of Turkey's finances Loss of territory: Smyrna and East Thrace given to Greece, Rhodes given to Italy New countries created from their land: Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Kurdistan, Armenia

Question 33

Describe the viewpoint from people at the time that the treaties were too harsh

Answer 33

Lloyd-George: treaties may stir up resentment and lead to war British economist John Maynard Keynes: prevent Germany's economic recovery and impact prosperity in the rest of Europe

Question 34

Describe the viewpoint from people at the time that the treaties were not harsh enough

Answer 34

Many people in France feared that it only offered temporary protection against Germany. Wanted Germany broken into smaller states and have its industrial capacity completely destroyed Italian PM Orlando was criticised for not demanding extra territory to be given to Italy from Austria

Question 35

Describe the viewpoint from people at the time that the treaties were fair

Answer 35

``` Wilson argued that the treatment of defeated nations was appropriate Edward House (American diplomat at Versailles) said it wasn't perfect but it was the best that could have been achieved ```

Question 36

what was the Versailles settlement

Answer 36

Term used to collectively describe the entire peace settlements of 1919-1923

Question 37

when was the treaty of Lausanne signed and who was it with

Answer 37

Turkey | June 1923