Treaty of Versailles

 Right after WWI ended, President Wilson travelled to France to begin work on the peace treaty.  Although he had some ideas about it, he had no idea how difficult it would be to get the leaders of Europe to agree.

 14 Points: Wilson’s blueprint for peace.  1 st goal: ending secret agreements and web of alliances that drew Europe into war.  Freedom of the seas: right of merchant ships to travel freely in international waters in peace or war.

 Wilson also wanted European countries to reduce armaments, or weapons of war.  2 nd goal: to have different ethnic groups to have new nations in governments of their choosing.

 League of Nations: an international organization to ensure world peace.  Member nations would agree to protect one another’s independence and borders.  Countries could not take other lands by force.

 Wilson, a Democrat, wanted Democrats to work on the treaty.  This was a problem, since Republicans controlled the Senate and the House.  Remember, Congress has to ratify any treaties. Uh oh.

 In your opinion, what do you think of Wilson’s plan for peace in Europe?  Do you think that the Senate will agree?  How do you think that the European leaders will view this problem?

 Opened at the Palace of Versailles in France.  The Big 4:  David Lloyd George: Great Britain  Vittorio Orlando: Italy  Georges Clemenceau: France  Woodrow Wilson: U.S.

DAVID LLOYD GEORGEVITTORIO ORLANDO

GEORGES CLEMENCEAUWOODROW WILSON

 Since Russia made a separate peace treaty with Germany, they didn’t attend.  The defeated countries of Germany, Austria- Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire took no part in the peace talks.

 The 14 points were largely ignored by the other leaders.  The European countries were more interested in protecting their own self-interests.

 Britain and France wanted to punish Germany for their role in the war.  France wanted protection from the German army. Clemenceau wanted Germany’s fighting force reduced to only 100,000 men.

 France also wanted the Alsace-Lorraine region that borders Germany and France.  It is a rich coal- producing region.  France got that too.

 Germany was blamed for causing WWI.  In addition to this, Germany had to pay $33 billion in reparations to the Allies.  Wilson feared (correctly) that the reparations would cripple the German government.

 Woodrow Wilson agreed to these punishments on Germany in exchange for support for his League of Nations.  The Big 4 signed the Treaty of Versailles, ending WWI.

 The League of Nations had to be ratified by Congress.  The partisanship between the Democrats and Republicans defeated it.  Partisanship: rivalry between political parties.

 Wilson took the League of Nations to the people.  However, he was in ill health.  He ended up suffering a major stroke that left him partially paralyzed.  Wilson’s wife became his “gatekeeper”.

 What do you think about how Germany was treated during the Treaty of Versailles?  Do you think the U.S.’s lack of being in the League of Nations led us to WWII?