THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919

Costs of the War Around 8 million people had been killed. The cost of the war was roughly 250 billion dollars. The destruction of land, homes, farms, and factories was huge. Millions more people died after the war due to famine and disease. “In France and Belgium, where most of the war was fought, 300,000 houses, 6,000 factories, 1,000 miles of railway, and 112 coal mines were destroyed…In some ways, mankind has never recovered from the horrors of the First World War.” John D. Clare, First World War (1994)

The Big Four David Lloyd-George [Great Britain] Woodrow Wilson [USA] Orlando [Italy] Georges Clemenceau [France]

Reparations (money to pay for war) What did France want from the treaty? Security Revenge Reparations (money to pay for war) Clemenceau wanted to make sure that Germany could not invade France in the future. He was determined that Germany should be made to pay for the damage that had been caused in northern France by the invading German armies. In addition, he fought to get the Alsace Lorraine region back from Germany and access to the economic region: The Rhineland. Clemenceau : The Tiger

What did Britain Want? The British public was very anti-German at the end of the war. In public Lloyd George wanted agreed In private he realized that Britain needed Germany to recover because she was an important trading power Recognized that a treaty that was too harsh would anger the Germans, cripple their economy and could lead to another war David Lloyd-George

What did America Want? Woodrow Wilson wanted the treaty to be based on his Fourteen Points Self determination End secret alliances Reduce armies and navies Settle border disputes Encourage free shipping Wilson believed Germany should be punished but not too severely. He wanted a fair settlement that would not leave Germany angry. Last, and most important to Wilson he wanted to set up the League of Nations which would settle future international disputes. Woodrow Wilson

The terms of the treaty….

Germany had to accept total responsibility for starting the First World War. this was called the War Guilt Clause or Article 231.

Germany had to pay 33 billion in reparations to cover war damages and other Allied losses.

Germany had to hand over some 70,000 square kilometres of land. This accounted for about 13% of all of her land and six million of her people who lived there.

Germany was to have her colonies taken away from her. These colonies were to become mandates run by the Allies on behalf of the League of Nations.

The German army was to have no more than 100,000 men and the navy was limited to 15,000 sailors. There was to be no airforce and no submarines.

The German navy was only allowed six battleships and Germany was forbidden to buy any more weapons and other war material.

1914--------------------1919

The map of Europe was redrawn The Great War was to see the collapse of four continental empires. These were to be replaced by new nation states.