Treaty of Versailles

Question 1

What was the treaty?

Answer 1

It was a WW1 peace treaty with Germany.

Question 2

When was it signed?

Answer 2

28th June, 1919.

Question 3

Who was it dominated by?

Answer 3

The big 3 - Clemenceau (France), PM Lloyd George (Britain) and President Woodrow (USA).

Question 4

Why did Germany sign the treaty?

Answer 4

They had no choice but to sign the “diktat”. If they did not, the allies would invade Germany and Germany was in no state to fight again.

Question 5

Was the treaty fair on Germany?

Answer 5

No - the Germans felt it was very harsh and thought they were betrayed by Woodrow Wilson’s “14 points to peace” speech.

Question 6

Who and why were they the big 3?

Answer 6

Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson - they were the big 3 as they set themselves with the task of making sure that a terrible war would never happen again.

Question 7

What were the aims of Clemenceau?

Answer 7

Clemenceau:
To have revenge on Germany for French suffering.

To make Germany pay for the cost of the damage.

To ensure Germany would never be able to attack France again: take away German land; weaken her industries; reduce her armed forces.

Question 8

What were the aims of Woodrow Wilson?

Answer 8

Wilson:
To prevent Germany from becoming an aggressive pain.

To punish Germany for her aggression but avoid forcing her to pay heavy damages.

To base the peace treaties in the fourteen points.

Question 9

What were the aims of Lloyd George?

Answer 9

Lloyd George
To end the German threat.

To make Germany a non-aggressive country

To make sure Germany was not too weak, poor and not humiliate them and to help secure France against Germany.

Also making sure France did not become too powerful.

Question 10

What were the points of agreement were there between the big 3?

Answer 10

They all wanted to punish Germany.

Question 11

What were the points of disagreement were there between the big 3?

Answer 11

France wanted to make Germany suffer so badly that they would never be able to recover but USA and Britain wanted to punish Germany but not to the extent of France.

Question 12

What were German military losses due to the treaty?

Answer 12

Military losses 
·      Germany's army reduced to 100,000
·      No tanks allowed
·      No air-force allowed
·      Navy limited to 6 ships and no submarines 
·      Demilitarised Rhineland

Question 13

What were German territorial losses due to the treaty?

Answer 13

Territorials losses
· Stripped of 13% of her territory and 10% of her population
· Alsace-Lorraine was loss to France
· West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia lossed to Poland
· Other territory also relinquished to Belgium, Denmark and Czechoslovakia
· Germany lost all of her colonies

Question 14

What were German financial losses due to the treaty?

Answer 14

Financial losses
· Loss of rich coal mining areas of the Saar and Upper Silesia
· 75% of her iron ore deposits and 26% of her coal and potash
· Reparations to the tune of 6,000 Million pounds

Question 15

What were the general terms of the treaty?

Answer 15

General
· Germany had to accept full responsibility for the war (Article 231 – The War Guilt Cause)
· Formation of the League of Nations

Question 16

What was the 1st reason Germany was upset?

Answer 16

The territorial losses. Germans complained that the loss of seven million subjects and 13.5% of her territory was too harsh. In particular they resented the losses to Poland in the east. Germany was now split in two by the polish corridor

Question 17

What was the 2nd reason Germany was upset?

Answer 17

The Germans claimed that the allies were trying to bankrupt Germany with their high reparation claims.

Question 18

What was the 3rd reason Germany was upset?

Answer 18

The terms were worked out in secret and forced upon the Germans.

Question 19

What was the 4th reason Germany was upset?

Answer 19

All of Germany’s colonies were taken away but the allies kept theirs.

Question 20

What was the 5th reason Germany was upset?

Answer 20

The Germans hated having to accept full blame for the war.

Question 21

What was the 6th reason Germany was upset?

Answer 21

Above all, Germans hated having to disarm because this left the country defenceless against neighbouring states.

Question 22

What is a quote for Germany’s reaction?

Answer 22

Herr Schneiderman stated that “The allies are driving the knife into the living body of the German people”.

Question 23

When and who was Woodrow Wilson’s 14 point speech proposed?

Answer 23

It was proposed on January 8, 1918 to the US congress.

Question 24

What did Wilson call all countries to do in response to the speech?

Answer 24

Secret treaties

Reduce their armaments

Adjust colonial claims in the interests of both native people and colonists (reduce the size of empires)

Instigate the freedom of seas – all countries can use the seas to trade