The Treaty of Versailles(At the Paris Peace Conference)

Signed June 28, 1919—EXACTLY 5 years to the day after Franz Ferdinand’s Assassination.

The Big Four(Of the Paris Peace

Conference)

Woodrow Wilson USA

David Lloyd-George Great Britain

Georges Clemenceau France Vittorio Orlando Italy

The Big Four at Versailles in 1919

What did France want from the treaty?

Security

Revenge

Reparations

Clemenceau : The Tiger

Clemenceau wanted to make sure that Germany could not invade France in the future. He was determined that Germany should be made to pay for the damage that had been caused in northern France by the invading German armies.

David Lloyd-George

In public Lloyd-George said he wanted to punish the Germans. The British public was very anti-German at the end of the war.

In private he realised that Britain needed Germany to recover because she was an important trading partner.

He was also worried about the “disease from the east”, communism. The Russian government had been overthrown by a communist revolution in 1917. Lloyd-George believed that the spread of communism had to be stopped. A strong Germany would be a barrier against it.

What did Britain Want?

Woodrow Wilson

What did America Want?

Woodrow Wilson wanted the treaty to be based on his Fourteen Points

He believed Germany should be punished but not severely. He wanted a just settlement that would not leave Germany feeling resentful

Wilson wanted to set up an international organisation called The League of Nations which would settle disputes

The American public did not support him. They were fed up with involvement in European affairs. The USA became more isolationist.

Germany--the Biggest Germany--the Biggest Loser…Loser…

Germany’s Losses…Germany’s Losses…

B. R. A. T.B. R. A. T. B LAMEB LAME R EPARATIONSR EPARATIONS A RMYA RMY T ERRITORY (LOSSES)T ERRITORY (LOSSES)

"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 Associate Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of a war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her Allies."

Article 231

Blame--The War Guilt Clause

GERMANY HAS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR

STARTING THE WAR

REPARATIONS

Germany had to agree to pay for the damage caused by her armies during the war. The sum she had to pay was later fixed at £6,600 million

The German army was to be reduced to 100,000 men. It was not allowed to have tanks.

Germany was not allowed an airforce

The area known as the Rhineland was to be de-militarised

The Allies were to occupy the west bank of the Rhine for fifteen years

The German navy was to have no submarines or large battle-ships

Army--reductionsArmy--reductions

Territorial Losses

Germany lost ALL of her overseas colonies

Alsace-Lorraine was given to France

The Saar coalfields were given to France for fifteen years

The port of Danzig was made a Free City under the control of the League of Nations

Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria

How did Germans React to the Treaty?

Germans were NOT happy. They had not been invited to the peace conference at Versailles.

They had no choice but to sign it.

The Treaty was NOT based on Wilson’s Fourteen Points as the Germans had been promised it would.

Most Germans believed that the War Guilt Clause was unjustified.

The loss of territory and population angered most Germans who believed that the losses were too severe.

Many Germans believed the German economy would be crippled by having to pay reparations.

The League of Nations—The League of Nations—

a way to prevent all future wars?a way to prevent all future wars?

The League of NationsThe League of Nations

Encourage co-operation Stop aggression

DisarmamentImprove

social conditions

GOALS

MembershipMembership

42 members - by 1930’s 5942 members - by 1930’s 59 Defeated countries could not join e.g. Defeated countries could not join e.g.

GermanyGermany Russia excluded because communistRussia excluded because communist USA did not join - isolation from world USA did not join - isolation from world

affairsaffairs

StructureStructureThe Assembly

Each country one vote

The CouncilMet several times a year

and in emergencies5 permanent members

Each had right to veto any idea

Permanent court ofInternational JusticeBased at The Hague

Settle disputes peacefullyNo power of enforcement

Powers of the LeaguePowers of the League

If a country ignored the ruling of the If a country ignored the ruling of the League it could:League it could:

Put pressure onPut pressure on Refuse to trade - sanctionsRefuse to trade - sanctions Send in troops - member countries Send in troops - member countries

join togetherjoin together

Strengths of the LeagueStrengths of the League

Successful at firstSuccessful at first Settled some land disputes in 1920’sSettled some land disputes in 1920’s helped refugees, dealt with spread of helped refugees, dealt with spread of

disease, fought for better conditions disease, fought for better conditions for peoplefor people

Weaknesses of LeagueWeaknesses of League

USA didn’t join USA didn’t join No real power - relied on goodwill and No real power - relied on goodwill and

persuasionpersuasion No permanent armyNo permanent army Disarmament not realisticDisarmament not realistic Difficult to get countries to agree.Difficult to get countries to agree.

End of the War---Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919. ---officially ended WWI and established the League of Nations

How did Germans respond? ---Most were horrified by the harshness of the Treaty.---Some German newspapers called for revenge.

What was the impact of WWI?

Political

• The war led to the overthrow of monarchies in Russia, Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Turkey.

• It contributed to the rise of the Bolsheviks to power in Russia in 1917.

• It fanned the flames of revolts against colonialism in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Economic

• WWI devastated European economies, giving the U.S. the economic lead.

• The U.S. still faced problems such as inflation, which left people struggling to afford ordinary items.

• Farmers, whose goods were less in demand than during the war, were hit hard.

The Impact of World War IThe Impact of World War ISocial

• The war killed 14 million people and left 7 million men disabled.

• The war drew more than a million women into the U.S. workforce, which helped them pass the Nineteenth Amendment to get the vote.

• It also encouraged African Americans to move to northern cities for factory work.

Impact in EuropeImpact in Europe

• The effects of World War I in Europe were devastating.The effects of World War I in Europe were devastating.– European nations lost almost an entire generation of young men.European nations lost almost an entire generation of young men.– France, where most of the fighting took place, was in ruins.France, where most of the fighting took place, was in ruins.– Great Britain was deeply in debt to the U.S. and lost its place as the Great Britain was deeply in debt to the U.S. and lost its place as the

world’s financial center.world’s financial center.– The reparations forced on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles were The reparations forced on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles were

crippling to its economy.crippling to its economy.• World War I would not be the “war to end all wars,” as some called it.World War I would not be the “war to end all wars,” as some called it.

– Too many issues were left unresolved.Too many issues were left unresolved.– Too much anger and hostility remained among nations.Too much anger and hostility remained among nations.

• Within a generation, conflict would again break out in Europe, bringing the Within a generation, conflict would again break out in Europe, bringing the United States and the world back into war.United States and the world back into war.