Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty was the peace settlement following WW1 signed at the Palace of Versailles near Paris on June 28th 1919.

Background:

• Europe devasted by war.
• All countries involved suffered heavy casualties.
• Vast areas of northern Europe reduced to rubble.
• The victors wanted Germany to suffer.
• 1918 outbreak of Spanish Flu with 25 million deaths added to the feeling of bitterness running through Europe.
• General feeling of anger towards Germany by Europeans.

Attitude towards Germany - The Big Three

• Big Three - USA (Woodrow Wilson), UK (David Lloyd George), France (Georges Clemenceau)
• Lloyd George needed to bow to public opinion to stay in power and public wanted Germany to be made to pay.  Privately, Lloyd George was concerned at spread of communism following 1917 Russian revolution and did not want Germany to be made to…