Treaty of Versailles

• Roles


  • Wilson
  • Clemenceau
  • Lloyd George
• Wilson


  • Didn't want to be too harsh on Germany
  • Wanted to strengthen democracy in defeated countries
  • Supported international cooperation and self-determination for small countries that were once part of European empires
• Clemenceau


  • Wanted Germany punished and weakened
  • Wanted German army disbanded
  • Wanted Germany to pay for damages caused by the war
• Lloyd George


  • Didn't want to punish Germany too harshly to avoid Germany seeking revenge
  • Wanted to re-establish trade between Britain and Germany
  • Wanted Britain to keep its empire and Germany to lose its navy
• Reparations


  £6.6 billion Germany had to pay
• Demilitarisation


  • Only allowed 100,000 soldiers
  • 6 battleships
  • No conscription
  • No airforce
  • No industrial areas in Rhineland
• Germany was forbidden to join the League of Nations
• War Guilt


  Germany had to take sole responsibility for the war
• Germany's overseas territories were humiliated and they lost lots of pride
• People felt stabbed in the back by Ebert's Government and Right wing opponents
• Germany's economy was ruined post war so they had to make reparation payments so Belgium and France took the Ruhr (large area of coal + iron industry)
• Workers went on strike and 100 were killed
• Germany had no goods to trade so they had no money. The Government decided to print money which caused hyperinflation (C±1 = 14, 000, 000, 000, 000 marks) Nov 1923
• Germany rebelled against the Kapp Putsch
• Opinions on the Treaty

  • Clemenceau thought the Treaty was not harsh enough
  • Lloyd George welcomed home as a hero, but at a later date called it a 'great Pity' and thought another war would happen because it was too harsh
  • Wilson was very disappointed with the Treaty. American congress refused to approve the Treaty
  • Fair on Germany - Supported by many people in Europe. Germany had been a lot harsher to Russia at the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
  • Unfair on Germany - Germany did not start the war. Lloyd George thought it was too harsh and it would start another war
• Clemenceau


  France suffered enormous damages to its land, industry and people. 2/3 of men in the French army had been killed/injured. Wanted to cripple Germany to make sure they could not attack again.
• Wilson


  Believed Germany should be punished but not too hard or they would want revenge. Wanted to strengthen democracy in defeated nations. 14 points. Wanted to set up the League of Nations. Believed in self-determination.
• Lloyd George


  Wanted Germany to receive a just punishment. Wanted them to lose their navy and overseas colonies. Didn't want Germany to seek revenge. Wanted to maintain trade with Britain.
• Motives/aims of the Big 3 at Versailles
• The Fourteen Points


  • No secret treaties
  • Free access to the seas in peacetime or wartime
  • Free trade between countries
  • All countries to work towards disarmament
  • Colonies to have a say in their own future
  • German troops to leave Russia
  • Independence for Belgium
  • France to regain Alsace-Lorraine
  • Frontier between Austria and Italy to be adjusted
  • 10. Self-determination for the peoples of eastern Europe (they should rule themselves)
  • 11. Serbia to have access to the sea
  • 12. Self-determination for the people in the Turkish Empire
  • 13. Poland to become an independent state with access to the sea
  • 14. League of Nations to be set up
• The Peace Treaties After the First World War
• Clemenceau clashed with Wilson


  As the US had not been damaged as much as France
• They disagreed on what to do with the Rhine land and the Saar


  But Wilson eventually gave in
• Wilson received what he wanted in Europe


  As Britain were happy for many countries not to punish Germany harshly as they were not threatened
• Lloyd George


  Was upset by Wilson's 14 points as it meant Britain would lose its empire and their overseas colonies
• Lloyd George


  Didn't want Germany to seek revenge, wanted Germany to maintain trade with Britain
• Most of Europe agreed with the Treaty and it was a lot less harsh than the Treaty of Brest Litovsk
• Lloyd George felt it was too harsh and it would cause a war
• With hindsight it could be seen as a cause of the Second World War