Peace Treaties 1919-23 (Treaty of Versailles)

Treaty of Versailles

• 32 nations attended the conference, however no defeated countries were invited.
• USA, France, Britain, Italy and Japan dominated the conference

Motives and Aims of the Big Three

-French=George Clemenceau

• Punish Germany so harshly that it is crippled
• Germany to be split into small states
• Reclaim territory which Germany had taken
• Germany to pay money and supplies to help rebuild France

-USA=Woodrow Wilson

• Germany to be lightly punished
• Strengthen democracy in the defeated countries
• International disarmament
• Countries of Eastern Europe to be self-determined

-Britain=David Lloyd-George

• Germany to be justly punished but not too harshly
• Germany to lose its navy and colonies
• For Germany and Britain to start as trading partners
• Disarmament of Germany
• Fulfil the British publics want for vengeance

Reasons for Aims

-France

• Wanted revenge against Germany for the massive damage it suffered to its land-industry and people
• Two-thirds of the men who served in the French army had been killed or injured, therefore to many French people Germany looked powerful and threatening.

-USA

• He thought that if Germany was treated harshly, someday it would recover and want revenge.
• In strengthening democracy he believed the people would stop their leaders causing another war.
• The LofN would ensure peace.
• He was an idealist and he saw the treaty as an opportunity to enact upon his idealism.

-Britain

• If Germany was treated too harshly he believed another war would ensue.
• He thought that the German navy and colonies posed a threat to the British Empire.
• If they began trading it would increase jobs for the British.
• He also wanted to revive Europe's economy.
• British public pressuring him into punishing Germany

Aims Achieved?

-France

• Satisfied = War Guilt Clause, the disarmament clause and getting back Alsace-Lorraine
• Not-satisfied = Thought that Germany wasn't punished harshly enough and that it still posed a threat to France
• -Overall = not-satisfied

-USA

• Satisfied = Was allowed self-determination in Eastern Europe
• -Not-satisfied = Germany no allowed to join the LoN, treaty was too harsh on Germany, didn't get most…