The Treaty of Versailles

The introduction

• The treaty of Versailles was signed de 28 of June in Paris in 1919.

• They met to decide what they should do with Germany after de first world war.

• The main people making this decisions were the big three ( I will talk later from them ).

What were they going to do with Germany ?

• 1st : They ask for them reparation and revenge.

The big 3

• George Clemenceau Woodrow Wilson David Lloyd George

George Clemenceau

• He was the Prime Minister of France.

• He wanted revenge, and to punish the Germans for

what they had done. • He wanted to make Germany pay for the damage done

during the war. • He also wanted to weaken Germany, so France would

never be invaded again.

Woodrow Wilson

• He was President of America. • He was a History professor. He wanted to make the

world safe.  He wanted to end war by making a fair peace.

• In 1918, Wilson published ‘Fourteen Points’ saying what he wanted.

• He said that he wanted disarmament, and a League of Nations (where countries could talk out their problems, without war).

• He also promised self-determination for the peoples of Eastern Europe.

David Lloyd George

• He was Prime Minister of Great Britain.• He said he would ‘make Germany pay’ – because he

knew that was what the British people wanted to hear.• He wanted ‘justice’, but he did not want revenge. He

said that the peace must not be harsh – that would just cause another war in a few years time.  He tried to get a ‘halfway point’ – a compromise between Wilson and Clemenceau.

•  He ALSO wanted to expand the British Empire, maintain British control of the seas, and increase Britain's trade

Reactions to the treaty

• The German were furious. They had not been consulted during the making of the treaty. They believed that the treaty was simply an attempt to destroy Germany. in march 1920 there was a rebellion in Germany against the treaty. Everybody was dissatisfied with it.

• - Clemenceau liked caused 231, disarmament, reparations and Alsace Lorraine but he wanted Germany split up.

• -Wilson got league of nations and self-determination for the countries of eastern Europe but he could not get disarmament or freedom for colonies.

• - Lloyd George liked reducing German navy and getting British mandates but he thought the treaty was too harsh and would cause another war in 25 years time.

Reparations

- In march 1921, French, British and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr to force Germany to agree to reparation.

- In January 1923, French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr to force Germany to pay reparations( this was a disaster, and caused hyperinflation in Germany)

- In april 1924, the dawes plan gave germany longer to pay reparations, and granted huge loans to get the german economy going. ( in june 1929, the young plan reduced reparations)

- - on 8 september 1926, germany was admitted to the league of nations