The Paris Peace conference
and the Treaty of Versailles
0 The Paris Peace Conference was a collection of
approximately 145 meetings between 32 nations over
a 6 month period. Although many nations/delegates
were present only “three” allied nations were
powerful.
0 From these conferences the League of Nations was
formed; the Treaty of Versailles (TOV),St. Germain,
Trianon, Neuilly, Severes/Lausanne were all signed.
TOV Participants
Who Participated?
-The “big three” although there were four…poor Italia
I. Georges Clemenceau (Premier of France)
II. Woodrow Wilson (President of USA)
III. David Lloyd George
IV. Vittorio Orlando (Italia)
What about the losers?
0 Germany attended but was not permitted to vote.
0 In total 70 delegates from 32 nations participated in
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signing the Treaty of Versailles.
Central Powers: German Reich
Allied Powers: France, British Empire, Italy, Japan, United
States
Others: Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Republic of China (1912–
1949), Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala,
Haiti, the Kingdom of Hejaz, Honduras, Liberia, Nicaragua,
Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Uruguay,
Yugoslavia
As part of the British Empire: Australia, Canada, South
Africa, India, New Zealand
Russia?
0 Not included in the Paris Peace ‘Negotiations’ as they
made a separate peace agreement with Germany in
1917. They were also unpopular with the allied
nations because of their communist political views.
0 They were also excluded from the League of nations
as were the Germans.
The main points of the Treaty Of Versailles
[BRAT]
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On 28 June 1919, the victors met at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, and two German
delegates were called into the room and instructed to sign.
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:
1. Germany had to accept the Blame for starting the war (Clause 231). This was vital because it provided the justification
for...
2. Germany had to pay £6,600 million (called Reparations) for the damage done during the war.
3. 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.
4. 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.)
Decisions, Decisions,
Decisions!
0 Each nation in the Big Three had specific goals they
wanted to see actualized.
Woodrow Wilson (18561924)
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
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1. Open covenants of peace.
2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas.
3. Removal all economic barriers.
4. Reduce armaments.
5. An adjustment of all colonial claims, based upon
popular sovereignty.
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Wilson’s Fourteen Points
6. The evacuation of all Russian territory and settle all questions
affecting Russia.
7. Belgium, the whole world will agree, must be evacuated and
restored.
8. All French territory should be freed and the invaded portions
restored.
9. A readjustment of the frontiers of Italy should be effected along
clearly recognizable lines of nationality.
10. The peoples of Austria-Hungary, should be accorded the freest
opportunity to autonomous development.
11. Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated; occupied
territories restored; Serbia accorded free and secure access to the sea.
12. The Turkish portion of the present Ottoman Empire should be
assured a secure sovereignty.
13. An independent Polish state should be erected which should
include the territories inhabited by indisputably Polish populations.
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
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14. A general association of nations (League of Nations) must
be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of
affording mutual guarantees of political independence and
territorial integrity to great and small states alike.
Woodrow Wilson
 Wilson got:
 A. A League of Nations,
 B. Self-determination for the peoples of Eastern
Europe,
 But he was disappointed with the Treaty:
 a. Some of his ‘Fourteen Points’ did not get into the
Treaty,
 b. When Wilson went back to America, the Senate
refused to join the League of Nations, and even refused
to sign the Treaty of Versailles
A speech by Woodrow Wilson on the League
of Nations (25 September 1919).
 “Do not think of this treaty of peace as merely a
settlement with Germany. It is that. It is a very severe
settlement with Germany, but there is not anything in it
that she did not earn. Indeed, she earned more than she
can ever be able to pay for, and the punishment exacted
of her is not a punishment greater than she can bear,
and it is absolutely necessary in order that no other
nation may ever plot such a thing against humanity and
civilization. But the treaty is so much more than
that. It is not merely a settlement with Germany; it is a
readjustment of those great injustices which underlie
the whole structure of European and Asiatic society.”
Georges Clemenceau (18411929)
Georges Clemenceau
 The chief goal of the French leader, Georges
Clemenceau, was Security, to weaken Germany
militarily, strategically, and economically.
 In particular, Clemenceau sought an American and
British guarantee of French security in the event of
another German attack.
 Clemenceau also expressed skepticism and
frustration with Wilson's Fourteen Points.
Georges Clemenceau
 Liked the harsh things that were in the Treaty:
 1. Reparations (would repair the damage to France),
 2. The tiny German army, and the demilitarized zone in
the Rhineland (would both protect France),
 3. France got Alsace-Lorraine, and German colonies.
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But he was disappointed with the Treaty:
a . He wanted higher reparations
b. He wanted the Treaty to be harsher
c. He wanted Germany to be split up into smaller
countries.
Lloyd George (1863-1945)
Lloyd George
0 I. Traditional British Foreign Policy:
a. The elimination of the German fleet as a threat to
Great Britain.
b. The end of the German empire as a potential source
of conflict
c. The defeat of German plans to establish control of
Europe.
d. A return to normal European relations and trade that
would restore the British economy and act as bulwark
against Bolshevism.
Lloyd George
0 The second set of British aims:
a. Sought a declaration of German war guilt
b. Requirement for Germany to pay extensive
reparations.
Lloyd George the Arbitrator
between The idealist and the
Tiger
0 Lloyd George saved the conference. On 25 March
1919, he issued the Fontainebleau Memorandum, and
persuaded Clemençeau to agree to the League of
Nations and a more lenient peace treaty that would
not destroy Germany. Then he went to Wilson and
persuaded him to agree to the War Guilt Clause.
0 The Germans were shown the proposed Treaty of
Versailles. There was no negotiation
Lloyd George
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FONTAINEBLEAU MEMORANDUM
EXTRACT, 25 MARCH 1919
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“An essential element in the peace settlement is the constitution of the League of Nations as the effective guardian of
international right and international liberty throughout the world. If this is to happen, the first thing to do is that the
leading members of the League of Nations should arrive at an understanding between themselves in regard to
armaments. To my mind it is idle to endeavor to impose a permanent limitation of armaments upon Germany unless
we are prepared similarly to impose a limitation upon ourselves. I recognize that until Germany has settled down and
given practical proof that she has abandoned her imperialist ambitions, and until Russia has also given proof that she
does not intend to embark upon a military crusade against her neighbors, it is essential that the leading members of
the League of Nations should maintain considerable forces both by land and sea in order to preserve liberty in the
world. But if they are to present a united front to the forces both of reaction and revolution, they must arrive at such
an agreement in regard to armaments among themselves as would make it impossible for suspicion to arise between
the members of the League of Nations in regard to their intentions towards one another. If the League is to do its work
for the world it will only be because the members of the League trust it themselves and because there are no rivalries
and jealousies in the matter of armaments between them. The first condition of success for the League of Nations is,
therefore, a firm understanding between the British Empire and the United States of America and France and Italy that
there will be no competitive building up of fleets or armies between them. Unless this is arrived at before the Covenant
is signed, the League of Nations will be a sham and a mockery. It will be regarded, and rightly regarded, as proof that
its principal promoters and patrons repose no confidence in its efficacy. But once the leading members of the League
have made it clear that they have reached an understanding which will both secure to the League of Nations the
strength which is necessary to enable it to protect its members and which at the same time will make
misunderstanding and suspicion with regard to competitive armaments impossible between them, its future and its
authority will be ensured. It will then be able to ensure as an essential condition of peace that not only Germany, but
all the smaller States of Europe undertake to limit their armaments and abolish conscription. If the small nations are
permitted to organize and maintain conscript armies running each to hundreds of thousands, boundary wars will be
inevitable and all Europe will be drawn in. Unless we secure this universal limitation we shall achieve neither lasting
peace, nor the permanent observance of the limitation of German armaments which we now seek to impose.”
British reactions..
( Keynes)
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The Treaty includes no provisions for the economic rehabilitation of
Europe - nothing to make the defeated Central Empires into good
neighbors, nothing to stabilize the new States of Europe, nothing to
reclaim Russia... The Council of Four paid no attention to these issues,
being preoccupied with others - Clemenceau to crush the economic life of
his enemy, Lloyd George to bring home something that would pass
muster for a week, the President to do nothing that was not just and
right....
JM Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1919)
Keynes's book had a massive effect on the educated people of Britain It
created the belief that Germany had been badly treated, and this in turn
led to British preparedness to 'appease' Hitler in the 1930s.
Harold Macmillan, the future Prime Minister, did not agree with Keynes's
argument, but claimed instead that 'the legend of the unfair peace did
infinite harm in both Germany and Britain'
Vittorio Orlando(1860-1952)
Vittorio Orlando
 Vittorio Orlando was sent as the Italian
representative with the aim of gaining as
much territory as possible.
 The loss of 700,000 Italians and a budget
deficit of 12,000,000,000 Lire during the
war made the Italian government and
people feel entitled to territories.
 Dissatisfied as territorial aspirations were
not met.
Dalmatia
Trieste
tyrol
Extracts from the Treaty of
London, 26 April 1915
 Article 4
 Under the Treaty of Peace, Italy shall obtain the Trentino,
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Cisalpine Tyrol with its geographical and natural frontier, as
well as Trieste, the counties of Gorizia and Gradisca, all Istria
as far as the Quarnero and including Volosca and the Istrian
islands of Cherso and Lussin, as well as the small islands of
Plavnik, Unie, Canidole, Palazzuoli, San Pietro di Nembi,
Asinello, Gruica, and the neighbouring islets...
Article 5
Italy shall also be given the province of Dalmatia within its
present administrative boundaries...
Article 6
Italy shall receive full sovereignty over Valona, the island of
Saseno and surrounding territory...
Extracts from the Treaty of
London, 26 April 1915
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Article 7
Should Italy obtain the Trentino and Istria in accordance with the
provisions of Article 4, together with Dalmatia and the Adriatic islands
within the limits specified in Article 5, and the Bay of Valona (Article 6),
and if the central portion of Albania is reserved for the establishment of a
small autonomous neutralized State, Italy shall not oppose the division of
Northern and Southern Albania between Montenegro, Serbia, and
Greece...
Article 8
Italy shall receive entire sovereignty over the Dodecanese Islands which
she is at present occupying.
Article 9
Generally speaking, France, Great Britain, and Russia recognize that,... in
the event of total or partial partition of Turkey in Asia, she ought to
obtain a just share of the Mediterranean region adjacent to the province
of Adalia...
Dissatisfied Italy..
0 Ultimately Italy was granted Trentino, Trieste, (the
German-speaking) South Tyrol, and Istria.
0 But Dalmatia was excluded and Fiume too. didn't get
any colonial territories in Africa or Asia or any claim
on Albania.
0 Nationalists consequently argued that Italy had been
robbed of its rightful gains.
So…What passes?
0 The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end
of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and
the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919. Although the
armistice signed on 11 November 1918 ended the actual fighting,
it took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference
to conclude the peace treaty.
0 Of the many provisions in the treaty, one of the most important
and controversial required Germany to accept sole responsibility
for causing the war (later known as the War Guilt clauses), to
disarm, make substantial territorial concessions and pay
reparations to the Entente powers. The total cost of these
reparations was assessed at 132 billion marks ($31.5 billion,
£6,600 million) in 1921.
Treaty of Versailles
0Article 227 charges former German
Emperor, Wilhelm II with supreme
offence against international morality. He
is to be tried as a war criminal.
0The Rhineland will become a
demilitarized administered by Great
Britain and France jointly.
0German armed forces will number no
more than 100,000 troops, and
conscription will be abolished.
Treaty of Versailles
0 German naval forces will be limited to 15,000 men, 6
battleships, 6 cruisers, 6 destroyers and 12 torpedo
boats. No submarines are to be included.
0 The manufacture, import, and export of weapons and
poison gas is prohibited.
0 Armed aircraft, tanks and armored cars are
prohibited.
0 Blockades on ships are prohibited.
0 Restrictions on the manufacture of machine guns and
rifles.
Treaty of Saint Germain
The Treaty of Saint Germain, was signed on 10
September 1919 by the victorious Allies and by the
new Republic of Austria. It was not ratified by the
United States.
0 The treaty declared that the Austro-Hungarian
Empire was to be dissolved. The new Republic of
Austria, consisting of most of the German-speaking
Alpine part of the former Austrian Empire, recognized
the independence of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland,
and the State of Slovenes, Croatians and Serbs. The
treaty included war reparations of large sums of
money, directed towards the allies, to pay for the costs
of the war.
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Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace treaty
concluded in 1920 at the end of World War I by the
Allies and Hungary, seen as a successor of AustriaHungary. The treaty established the borders of
Hungary. Hungary lost over 72% of the territory it had
previously controlled, which left 64% of the
inhabitants, including 3.3 out of 10.7 million (31%)
ethnic Hungarians, living outside Hungary.
0 In addition, the newly established nation of Hungary
had to pay war reparations to its neighbors.
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Treaty of Neuilly
The Treaty of Neuilly, dealing with Bulgaria for its
role as one of the Central powers in World War I, was
signed on Nov. 27, 1919 at Neuilly, France.
0 The treaty required Bulgaria to cede Western Thrace
to Greece, thereby cutting off its direct outlet to the
Aegean Sea. The treaty also forced Bulgaria to return
Southern Doubria, which had been captured during
the war.
0 Bulgaria was also required to reduce its army to
20,000 men, pay reparations exceeding $400 million,
and recognize the existence of the Kingdom of Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes.
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Treaty of Sevres
0 The Treaty of Sèvres (10 August 1920) was the peace
treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Allied at the
end of World War I. The treaty nullified the territorial
gains of the empire during the war.
Issues…So Many issues!
0 None of the defeated countries or Russia attended the
Versailles Conference or took part in the discussions. All
major decisions made by USA, France, UK and Italy.
0 The treaties were the result of compromises in the aims of
the major powers; these aims were often very
contradictory and hostile, which led to difficult decisions
and imperfect documents.
0 The often stated terms of the Treaty of Versailles was that
they were not soft enough to allow for reconciliation with
Germany but not harsh enough to cripple German power.
This meant that when Germany recovered its strength, it
would use this power to revise the Treaty, perhaps through
another major conflict.
Issues…
0 Problems:
Revolutionary condition of Europe
Russian Civil War
Diverging Allied aims
Competing Nationalism
Desire for revenge
Hunger, disease, economic chaos
Allied lack of military strength as a result of
demobilization
Principles
Independence for subject nations
International rule of law through the League of Nations
Disarmament and reparations from defeated powers
Determinations to prove German war guilt Selective
application of the 14 points.
Research and dramatic
Performance
0 The Class will be divided into the following groups:
Germany, Italy, Russia, USA, France, Japan and UK
Your group is responsible for researching the
sentiments/reactions to the terms of the Paris Peace
Conference.
You are then responsible for creating a 3-5 min presentation
which highlights the voices of your compatriots. Have fun be
highlight historical figures/institutions significant in shaping
the response to the terms of the agreement.
Pages 26-31 might be a good place to start.