9.3 The War Ends

I. A Flawed Peace

A. Delegates met at the Paris Peace Conference at the Palace of Versailles (Jan. 1919)

1. Conference led by the Big Four - U.S., G.B., France, & Italy

GEORGE ORLANDO CLEMENCEAU WILSON

I. A Flawed Peace…

B. Wilson’s peace plan was known as the Fourteen Points

1. #1-5 focused on eliminating the causes of the war & promoting peace

2. #6-13 addressed boundary issues through the right of national self-determination

3. #14 wanted to create a League of Nations

a. “general association of nations” to preserve peace

I. A Flawed Peace…C. Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919

1. Boundaries were redrawn, leading to 9 new European countries

2. Germany was forced to assume guilt & pay reparations

3. Created Wilson’s League of Nations

I. A Flawed Peace…

D. Members of Congress debated over joining the League

1. Irreconcilables were anti-imperialists who didn’t want to defend European countries & would rather make reforms at home

2. Reservationists supported the League but didn’t like that the League would tell them when to enter a conflict

WILSON PROMOTED THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

SOME BELIEVED THE LEAGUE WAS NECESSARY

OTHERS BELIEVED THE LEAGUE WOULD NOT WORK

I. A Flawed Peace…

E. Senate voted against the League & therefore didn’t sign the Treaty of Versailles

1. U.S. signed a separate treaty with Germany (1921)

CARTOON SHOWS WILSON TRYING TO PROTECT THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

FROM THE SENATE.

"That the state of war declared to exist between the Imperial German Government and the United States of America by the joint resolution of Congress approved April 6, 1917, is hereby declared at an end…” - U.S. Peace Treaty with Germany, 1921

TREATY OF VERSAILLES,

EUROPE

1914 1919

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE WAS BROKEN APART

AND SEVERAL NEW COUNTRIES EMERGED:

SYRIA, JORDAN, SAUDI ARABIA AND IRAQ

GERMAN WAR GUILT CLAUSE

The Allied and Associated Governments confirm and Germany accepts the

responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to

which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.

TREATY OF VERSAILLES,

GERMAN ARMAMENT LIMITATIONS

TYPE AMOUNT ALLOWED

PLANES 0

WARSHIPS 6

SOLDIERS 100,000

CONSCRIPTION BANNED

League of Nations

In 1919, President Wilson returned from the Paris Peace Conference to try and get Congress to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Debate developed over the League of Nations and whether or not the U.S. should join. The U.S. never joined the League of Nations, as they did not want to be tied to Europe’s problems.

Above: Senator Henry Cabot Lodge spoke against the League of Nations, claiming “if you tangle her in the intrigues of Europe, you will destroy her powerful good, and endanger her very existence.”

Below: Senator Gilbert Hitchcock supported the League of Nations and was frustrated with those who were against it. “The trouble with Senators who oppose the League of Nations is that they are thinking of the days that are gone and gone forever.”