A Flawed Peace

•A conference to decide the outcomes of the war was convened in Paris Jan 1917•Although 32 countries had representatives, only the big 4 mattered (Wilson, the US President, Great Britain, France, Italy)

Woodrow WilsonHis proposal

included:• No secret treaties• Free trade• Reduce armies &

navies• Self-

determination – people decide what type of government they wish to live under

The U.S. Congress wanted to

change/alter much of Wilson’s 14 Points

and in the end voted against ratifying it

Woodrow Wilson, US President & Lloyd

George, PM of Britain. George believed that

Germany must repay all costs of war, including war

pensions. Wilson believed in a world of peace and wasn’t

for punishing Germany. Wilson & Clemenceau argued for almost a year. George said it was

like being “…seated between Christ &

Napoleon”

Georges Clemenceau – French Premier. Believed in punishing Germany. Feared them & predicted trouble by 1940

German Political Cartoon

It Says “As soon as we

pay 100 Million marks we can

eat”

•All of Germany’s territories in Africa & the Pacific were

declared mandates, to be administered by the League of

Nations (Wilson thought colonies

had no say in future so no real

change)

• The most important clause in the Treaty of Versailles was Article 231, which reads, "The Allied and Associated Governments affirm 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.

• This is known as the “war guilt” clause

• President Wilson’s 14President Wilson’s 14thth point was that point was that a international body be created that a international body be created that would over act to protect the smaller would over act to protect the smaller nations, and do humanitarian efforts nations, and do humanitarian efforts around the world.around the world.

• Germany & Russia were not invited to Germany & Russia were not invited to join (Germany, obviously because she join (Germany, obviously because she was being punished for the war, and was being punished for the war, and Russia because it left the war early Russia because it left the war early and now was being run by and now was being run by revolutionaries.revolutionaries.

• It was never effective in stopping It was never effective in stopping fighting because it didn’t have its own fighting because it didn’t have its own army.army.

• It would be replaced by the United It would be replaced by the United Nations after World War II Nations after World War II

An Optimistic view about the

League of Nations

Oddly, Wilson’s idea about the League of Nations wasn’t popular with the American isolationists and the U.S. never

joined the League