Treaty of VersaillesParis Peace Conference
January 18 – June 28, 1919
Canada• The British Dominion governments were not originally granted
separate invitations to the conference, but rather were expected to send representatives as part of the British Empire delegation.
• Convinced that Canada had become a nation on the battlefields of Europe, its Prime Minister demanded that it have a separate seat at the conference. This was initially opposed not only by Britain but also by the US, who perceived such a delegation as an extra British vote. Borden responded by pointing out that since Canada had lost a far larger proportion of its men compared to the U.S. in the war, Canada at least had the right to the representation of a "minor" power. British Prime Minister eventually relented, and convinced the reluctant Americans to accept the presence of separate Canadian delegate.
The Treaty Of VersaillesOn 28 June 1919, the victors met at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, and forced two Germans to agree to the terms of peace.
Germany and its allies were not allowed to send any delegates, and had no choice but to accept whatever was decided.
The first 26 Articles of the Treaty set out the Covenant of the League of Nations; the rest of the 440 Articles detailed Germany's punishment.
What did the winners want?France• Prime Minister Clemenceau
wanted to punish Germany; Made 3 demands to ensure war never happened again:– Return Alsace-Lorraine
(taken during Franco-Prussian War)
– Pay reparationsreparations to cover the entire cost of rebuilding
– Give up RhinelandRhineland so Germany cannot attack France again
England• Many in England wanted to
punish Germany too: “Squeeze ‘em until the pips squeak”; but Prime Minister David Lloyd George disagreed:– If Germany was treated too
harshly it will cause more trouble in the future; Germany should be allowed to recover
– Rhineland should be demilitarizeddemilitarized (military removed), not taken over
Italy• Prime Minister Orlando had
agreed to leave the Triple Alliance (with Germany & Austria-Hungary) & fight for Allies after France & England secretly promised to give Adriatic Coast to Italy after the war; Italy’s only demand:– France & England should
keep their promise to give this land to Italy
USA• President Woodrow Wilson
came up with 14 Points of Light to restore Europe:– Europe should have
freedom of seas, free trade; Reduction of weapons; Divide all colonies
– Self Determination—countries should have right to choose their own type of government
– Create a League of Nations to prevent future wars
The Treaty Of VersaillesThe main points of the Treaty [BRAT]
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The Treaty Of Versailles1. War Guilt Clause - Germany had to accept the Blame for starting the war.
The Treaty Of Versailles2. Germany had to pay £6.6 billion (called Reparations) for the damage done during the war.
The Treaty Of Versailles3. Germany was forbidden to have submarines or an air force. She could have a navy of only six battleships, and an Army of just 100,000 men. In addition, Germany was not allowed to place any troops in the Rhineland, the strip of land, 50 miles wide, next to France.
The Treaty Of Versailles4. Germany lost Territory (land) in Europe. Germany’s colonies were given to Britain and France.
Also, Germany was forbidden to join the League of Nations, or unite with Austria.
The Treaty Of Versailles
The Treaty Of Versailles
What did Germany have to say?Germany had no choice but to agree to the above terms – No debating, or compromising.
“The criminal madness of this peace will drain Germany's national life-blood. It is a shameless blow in the face of common-sense. It is inflicting the deepest wounds on us Germans as our world lies in wreckage about us.”
from a speech made by a German MP in the Reichstag in 1919.
Results of Versailles
• Treaty of Versailles created more problems than it solved
• Riots, debt, humiliation in Germany will allow leaders (Hitler) to rise to power by promising revenge
• Italy was not given land it was promised; economic problems will lead to strong leaders who promise a return to glory (Mussolini)
The Treaty Of Versailles
The Failure of the Treaty =
