Treaty+Of+Versailles

=**Treaty of Versailles** – //June 1919//= //Jamie Newel, Period A//

**__Attenders[[image:elginhistory12/versailles-treaty.jpg width="570" height="419" align="right"]]__**
Woodrow Wilson – USA George Clemenceau – France David Lloyd George – Great Britain Vittorio Orlando – Italy

The purpose of the Treaty of Versailles was to impose a blame for WWI, and decide on consequences. USA, France, Great Britain and Italy met in Paris in January 1919, each with their own idea of how the conference would end, with a shared view that Germany was to blame for WWI.

George Clemenceau of France wanted security, revenge and reparation payments, along with the reassurance that a similar war would not occur. They wanted to guarantee Germany would not invade a second time and believed they should pay for the damages made to France. David Lloyd George of Britain publically stated that he wished to punish Germany, but privately, he knew that Germany was an important trading partner, and could be utilized as a buffer against Communism. America had a new approach; Woodrow Wilson brought his own compiled list known as the “14 Points”, which he thought were critical ideas to include in the Treaty. He also suggested that a punishment occur, but that it be in severe. He also brought up the creation of The League of Nations – a group to settle disputes peacefully and solve issues amongst the planet and countries. Vittorio Orlando of Italy came with a stern want –territory and land.

**__Result__**

 * German army was to be reduced to 100,000 men, with no conscription or drafting allowed
 * They were not to have tanks or an air force – the air force was destroyed
 * The German Rhineland was to be de-militarized with no soldiers or military equipment within 30 miles of the east bank – The allies were to occupy the west bank for 15 years
 * Germany Navy was to reduce the Navy to 6 warships and no submarines
 * The Naval fleet would be given to Britain
 * Forbidden to unite with Austria
 * Germany agreed to pay £6.6 billion in reparation payments
 * Give land to Belgium, France, Denmark and Poland. The land given to Poland became known as the Polish Corridor, and separated the main part of Germany from East Prussia
 * Hand over all its colonies which would be used as Mandates
 * Accept all the blame for the war, the War Guilt Clause, Clause 231
 * Saar coal mining to be controlled by France, the coal would go to France, Belgium and Italy for 10 years
 * The allies also gave Germany a new form of government based on proportional representation

**__Germany’s Reaction__**
They German people considered the Treaty to be a “diktat” – or a dictated peace, as they were threatened to sign it. They also felt that the conditions were unjust, as they were not allowed to be present when the Treaty was written. German’s had been misled, the Treaty was not based on Wilson’s 14 points, and the War Guilt Clause was unjustified. The amount of territory and population lost was too severe and the paying of the reparations would lead to the crippling of the German Economy. This left them bitter and resenting the Treaty, a talk of justice seemed to be a sham.

**__The Allie’s Response__**
Not one ally was completely satisfied with the final Treaty. George Clemenceau and France hoped that it would result in the whole down bringing of Germany. Italy with Vittorio Orlando never got the amount of land they had come wanting – they had not asked for anything else. Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points were not all included.

**__Country Changes as a Result__**

 * Nine new nations created
 * Yugoslavia Created
 * Included the Adriatic Coast, Serbia and Bosnia
 * Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland were formed from former pieces of Russia
 * Czechoslovakia and Hungary were formed from former Austro-Hungarian Empire
 * The lines of other countries were moved and revised
 * Some Turkish territory was given to France and Britain
 * Included Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine
 * The Austrian Empire lost a large majority of their land, was dismembered
 * Formed Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and parts of Poland, Yugoslavia and Romania
 * Russia was Isolated as a result
 * USA became Isolationist
 * The League of Nations was formed
 * Poland was completely revised

=//**External Links/Bibliography**//=

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