What did the Big Three Want?

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on the 28th June 1919. 

The terms were released to the German people in May 1919 - one month before it was signed. 

The Germans expected Wilson's 14 points. 

The Germans called it a diktat - forced onto the German people. 

What did Davild Lloyd George want? 

• Gain German colonies. 
• Gain reparations.
• Punish Germany to please the population but not so harsh to allow trade to rebuild.
• Take Germany's navy.

Why?

• Britain lost 700,000 men
• Germany was Britain's 2nd best trading partner
• He needs to please the people who demand revenge. 

What did Woodrow Wilson want?

• Set up LON for world peace. 
• Give Alsace and Lorraine back to France
• Disarmament
• Self-determination for Eastern Europe
• No secret treaties
• Belgium to gain independence
• German troops to leave Russia

Why?

• USA didn't join the war until 1917.
• They were the least affected. 
• They were the least at risk of another war. 

What did Georges Clemenceau want? 

• Break Germany into smaller states.
• Gain the Rhineland
• Mass reparations
• Germany's empire
• Cut Germany's army
• Gain Alsace-Lorraine

Why?

• Lost 1.2 million men
• Attacked twice in his lifetime by Germany (Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and 1914)
• Country is in ruins. 

How did the Treaty punish Germany?

G - Guilt. Germany had to accept all blame for starting the war. Article 231. 

A - Armed forces cut. They were only allowed 100,000 men in their army, and no subs, planes, tanks, 6 battleships, no conscription, no army on Rhineland.

R - Reparations. They had to pay £6.6 billion to allies, the figure was set in 1921. 

G - German territories. Polish corridor split Germany in 2, they lost all colonies, lost Alsace & Lorraine, lost Saar region to LON for 15 years. 

Le - LON. Germany are not allowed to join the LON until proven peaceful. They eventually join in 1926. 

German reaction: Why did they object? 

• Humiliated - they did not feel that they had started the war or lost it. They felt that they should have had a say in peace. Instead they got a diktat. 
• Loss of pride when losing their armies and colonies. 
• Loss of power - couldn't afford reparations and lost valuable land, people starving on the streets. 
• Isolated - they didn't feel like they were a part of world affairs, made to feel like losers. 
• Vulnerable - can't defend themselves.
• Unjustly treated. 
• Feared that reparations would cripple them. 

Reaction to war guilt:

• Do not feel that they had started it (Austro-Hungarian issue)
• Do not feel that they were losing
• Agreed to a ceasefire so believe that they should have a say
• Embarrassed
• Wrong leaders being punished

Reparations:

• Angry as they couldn't afford the tax increase. 
• People were already struggling after 4 years of war. 
• They lost 2 million men
• Their economy was in ruins with inflation a major problem
• Many people were homeless and starving

Army:

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