THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919 WORLD WAR I THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919
Wilson’s Plan for Peace US President Woodrow Wilson developed his Fourteen Points, which outlined a plan for achieving a just & lasting peace Wilson wanted “a peace without victory” He thought it would be the basis for the coming peace settlement at Versailles
Wilson’s Fourteen Points the highlights Self-Determination (allowing people to decide for themselves what government they wished to live under) An international peace-keeping organization to settle disputes between countries in the future
Paris Peace Conference & Treaty of Versailles Peace conference lasted one year Delegates representing 32 countries Major decisions made by U.S.A.’s President Woodrow Wilson France’s Georges Clemenceau Great Britain’s David Lloyd George Germany was not represented Treaty of Versailles signed June 28, 1919
A Harsh Peace Britain & France did not agree with Wilson’s plans for peace They were concerned with national security Wanted to strip Germany of its war-making power The French were determined to punish Germany for the war & make them pay for the damages
The League of Nations Was to be an international association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations The 5 Allied powers – U.S., Britain, France, Italy, & Japan – were to become permanent members of the league’s Executive Council The General Assembly would include 32 Allied & neutral nations Germany was deliberately excluded Russia was considered an outcast because of its communist revolution
New Nations Created Austria-Hungary Now: Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, & Yugoslavia Ottoman Empire Now: Ottoman’s only have today’s Turkey, & all other areas (Palestine, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria & Lebanon) become mandates controlled by either Britain or France Russia loses land Romania gain territory Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania created as independent nations
No Peace Treaty of Versailles did not ensure lasting peace Problems with the Treaty: U.S. rejects it & does not sign it (many Americans did not like Wilson’s League of Nations & thought it best to stay out of European affairs) League of Nations was weak & did not have authority to take action (one reason is because it lacked U.S. support)
Resentment Germans’ bitterness & hatred for being blamed & punished for the entire war Colonies in Africa & Asia expected freedom (as per Wilson’s Fourteen Points), but received new rulers instead Japan & Italy gained less territories then they wanted (the reason why they joined the war in the first place)
Ultimately this leads to WWII many of the long term causes of the war still remained