Treaty of Versailles Flashcards
Effect of WW1 on France
Worst of the fighting took place on their territory
Effect of WW1 on Britain
Some air raids by planes and airships killed over 1,000 people.
Britain had NOT been invaded.
Effect of WW1 on Germany
On its knees by Nov 1918
Mines, factories and farms were exhausted
Food shortages when British navy blockaded ports - starvation resulted in riots in the streets.
Effect of WW1 on Belgium
Germans took over their factories, mines and farms and used their goods and raw materials to make weapons and feed their army.
Flanders was ruined due to fighting.
How many countries were at the Paris Peace conference?
27
When was the treaty of Versailles signed?
28th June 1919
What did Britain want from the TofV? (4)
Worried about punishing Germany too much as GB needed a good trading partner. = Expand British Empire, maintain control of the seas and increase trading.
Germany’s navy and colonies.
Justice not revenge.
David Lloyd George was a realist, between Clemenceau and Wilson:
“Not badly considered I was seated between Jesus Christ and Napoleon”
What did France want from the TofV? (3)
Permanently damage Germany by splitting it in 2.
Compensation and revenge for the Franco Prussian war and Alsace-Lorraine.
George Clemenceau was known as the extremist:
“America is far away, protected by the ocean. Not even Napoleon himself could touch England. You are both sheltered; we are not.”
What did America want from the TofV? (4)
Peace in Europe.
Published ‘the 14 points’ to state what he wanted.
Points 4 & 14 were very important for Woodrow Wilson to achieve world peace and self-determination:
4. All countries to work towards disarmament
14. League of Nations to be set up.
Woodrow Wilson was known as the idealist.
Strengthen democracy & self-determination in Eastern Europe.
What were the terms for the TofV?
GARGLE
Guilt: Germany to take the blame for the war
Armed Forces: Army limited to 100,000 men, conscription banned, Rhineland demilitarised and navy only allowed 6 warships.
Reparations: £6.6 billion to the allies for damage.
German Territories: Germany’s overseas empire was taken away and former colonies were to be controlled by the L of N such as The Saarland.
LE – League of Nations: International police force. Germany not invited to join the league until it was a peace-loving country.
What was the overall German response to the TofV?
Large feeling of injustice in Germany, hated that none of their allies disarmed to the same extent.
Why did Germany hate the guilt clause?
believed the guilt could be shared
Why did Germany hate the armed forces in the TofV?
their army was the symbol of their national pride.
Why did Germany fear the reparations in the TofV?
feared it would cripple them, German economy was already in tatters
How did Clemenceau respond to the TofV?
Wasn’t harsh enough, voted out of the French General Election in 1920
