conflict and tension

• The First World War came to an end after four years on the 11th of November 1918
• The First World War was a stalemate for much of the conflict between 1914 and 1918 with a two-sided bog down with trench warfare
• During the summer and autumn of 1918, the failure of Germany's spring offensive and the economic and military support of the United States of America who had entered the war in 1917 led to the war changing in favour of Britain and France
• The German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated in November 1918
• An armistice was signed between Germany, France, Britain and the USA on the 11th November 1918
• Armistice


  An agreement to stop the fighting and begin peace discussions
• The armistice contained agreements such as the demilitarization of the Rhineland, Germany surrendering ships, machine guns and planes, and the continuation of the blockade of German ports until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles
• The Big Three

  • George Clemenceau (leader of France)
  • David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Britain)
  • Woodrow Wilson (President of the United States of America)
• George Clemenceau

  The harshest in terms of his aims
• David Lloyd George


  In the middle, concerned that if the treaty was too harsh it may cause Germany to seek revenge, saw a strong Germany as important to protect Europe from communism, wanted to gain German colonies and ensure British naval supremacy
• Woodrow Wilson


  The most lenient, wanted to see Europe rebuilt so it could continue to trade with the US, believed in the League of Nations, self-determination, and freedom of the seas
• Representatives from 30 countries gathered in Paris in 1919 to come up with the different peace treaties, but it was only Britain, France and America that really counted
• Key issues debated at the Paris Peace Conferences

  • What should happen to the Kaiser
  • The power of the League of Nations
  • What to do with countries in Eastern Europe
  • Whether Germany should be blamed for starting World War I
  • What to do with Germany's colonies
• The Big Three agreed that Germany should be blamed for starting World War I and face punishment in the form of reparations
• Germany's colonies became League of Nations mandates, to be controlled by Britain and France
• There was disagreement over the Rhineland and the Saarland, with France wanting them to be independent or controlled by France
• The Big Three could not agree on the amount of reparations Germany should pay, so a commission was set up to decide the final bill in 1921
• Main terms of the Treaty of Versailles

  • Germany lost a lot of land in various places
  • The Rhineland was demilitarized
  • Germany's army was limited to 100,000 soldiers, no navy, no air force, only 6 battleships, no submarines
  • A commission was set up to decide the final reparations bill, which was reported in 1921
  • Germany had to accept blame for starting the war (Article 231)
• David Lloyd George's view of the Treaty of Versailles


  He said "we will have to fight another war in 25 years time and at three times the cost", pleased with some aspects like German colonies becoming mandates and the German navy being restricted, but concerned the harshness would cause problems in the future
• George Clemenceau's view of the Treaty of Versailles


  He was angry that Germany retained 100,000 soldiers, felt the Rhineland should have been taken from Germany, and wanted the Saarland permanently, he had wanted Germany crippled financially and militarily forever which didn't happen
• Woodrow Wilson's view of the Treaty of Versailles

  He was content with many aspects, but the treaty was very unpopular in America, the rival Republican party used it to criticize Wilson, and the US Senate refused to agree to the treaty, meaning America never joined the League of Nations
• None of the Big Three were fully satisfied with the Treaty of Versailles
• The British satirical magazine Punch portrayed Germany as complaining about harsh treatment, suggesting the Allies saw Germany as trying to avoid responsibility for its actions in World War I
• International relations in 1919 were frosty, with the Allies not trusting Germany, though they would improve in the 1920s
• GCSE History Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939
• Paper 1, Section B
• Exam details: 1 hr 45 minutes for Paper 1, Spend 50 minutes on Section B, Questions: 4 mark "source analysis", 12 mark "usefulness of sources", 8 mark "write an account", 20 mark (including 4 marks for SPaG) "how far do you agree"
• 1917 - USA joined, provided Britain & France with equipment & fresh troops
• 1917 - Russia left (revolution)
• 1918 - Germany suffering starvation (due to blockades), mutinies & influenza outbreak
• 1918 - Germany surrendered 11th Nov (signed Armistice), Kaiser abdicates
• Jan 1919-Paris Peace Conference, 32 countries sent delegates, Defeated countries & Russia (Communist) not invited
• Major decisions taken by "Big Three"
• Woodrow Wilson-USA


  Idealist, priority= world peace, G to be punished but not too harshly or will seek revenge, 'Fourteen Points' (self-determination; freedom of seas, L of N), Lenient because USA hadn't suffered much in WW1! Only lost 100,000 men
• Georges Clemenceau-Fr

  Make Germany Pay/REVENGE! French public demanded this, Had seen Germany invade France twice in his life, Get Alsace Lorraine back, France was severely damaged in WW1 (1.4 million men killed, lost 60% young men, industry and 4,000 sq. mile farmland damaged)
• David Lloyd George- GB


  Compromise between the two, Like Wilson, don't punish G too harshly, lost 1 million men from across their empire = British public anger, won an election campaign in Dec 1918 promising to 'squeeze the German lemon until the pips squeak' and to "hang the Kaiser"! Probably only said it to win election!
• Clemenceau's Aims at the Paris Peace Conference


  • Security for France – prevent another attack on its frontiers
  • Keep Germany weak, make it difficult to recover
  • Disarm them
  • Gain back Alsace and Lorraine
  • Reparations – Germany to pay France for the cost of the damage France had suffered in the war
• Lloyd George's Aims at the Paris Peace Conference


  • Maintain supremacy of navy
  • Prevent settlement being too harsh – Germany may turn to communism and they needed the German economy to recover as Britain depended on their trade for money
• Wilson's Aims at the Paris Peace Conference

  • New standards into public life – trustful and open relations between countries
  • European borders reorganised according to self-determination
  • Faith in the creation of a peace keeping organisation – the League of Nations
• Wilson's 14 Point Programme

  • End of secret treaties
  • Freedom of the seas
  • Reductions in armies and weapons
  • Future of colonies to be decided fairly
  • German troops to leave Russia
  • Belgium to be restored to independence
  • Alsace and Lorraine back to France
  • People of Austria-Hungary to be given independence
  • Serbia to be restored
  • An independent Poland to be set up with a port – Danzig
  • Formation of an association of nations to guarantee peace – League of Nations