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International Relations 1900–1939

The Treaty of Versailles(part 1)

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Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page

Accompanying worksheet

Flash activity. These activities are not editable.

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Learning objectives

What we will learn in this presentation:

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The mood in Europe at the end of the First World War.

The key players at Versailles and their views.

The main terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

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The end of the war

With the arrival of American troops in 1918, the western allies finally managed to break the military deadlock and push the Germans back.

By the winter of 1918, Germany could no longer continue to fight the war and sought peace terms.

Image courtesy of The World War I Document Archive.

The armistice between Germany and the Allies was signed in a German railway carriage at 5 a.m. on November 11th 1918. After four years of bitter fighting, the guns fell silent.

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The end of the war

Country Soldiers dead or missing

Allies France 1,720,000

Britain 1,020,000

USA 73,000

Russia 1,700,000

Central Powers

Austria-Hungary

1,780,000

Germany 1,700,000

How do you think most British and French people felt about Germany?

Image courtesy of The World War I Document Archive.

In all, around 9 million soldiers lay dead. Millions more returned home with horrific injuries.

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The end of the war

The war had caused enormous changes in Europe.

The old Russian, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires had collapsed leaving, behind many small states clamouring for independence.

In addition, the Russian Tsar had been ousted by a Marxist revolution.

The other European governments hated Marxism and were determined to bring down, or at least isolate, the new Bolshevik Russian government.

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Lenin, the new Russian Leader

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Who were the key players?

Georges Clemenceau

President of France. He was a fiery politician nicknamed ‘The

Tiger’.

David Lloyd George

British Prime Minister. Lloyd George was an

experienced politician.

Woodrow Wilson

The American President. He had

brought the US into the war in

1917.

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Georges Clemenceau

I want Germany punished. They have invaded France twice

in the last 50 years; they have occupied our land and burned our towns. We have suffered and the Germans have not! I want them to suffer as France has suffered.

I demand that Germany face a peace that is just to France and

leaves Germany too weak to ever threaten us again.

Clemenceau

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Lloyd George

David Lloyd George

When I was elected, I told the British public I

would squeeze Germany “until the pips squeak”, but Britain needs

trade to recover from the war. The Germans must be punished, but not so

much that we can’t trade with them.

And what about the Bolshevik threat? If we make the Germans too poor, they

could be attracted towards Bolshevism. We don’t want a revolution in Germany.

There needs to be a balance for peace to work.

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Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

Certainly, Germany needs to be punished, but the victors need to

look at the issue of how to avoid war. There should be self-determination – the people of Europe, and indeed the World,

should be allowed to rule themselves rather than being the subjects of great

empires.

And there can be no more ‘old alliances’ – there needs to be a League of Nations

to solve international disputes.

This will be my legacy.

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Wilson’s 14 Points

Wilson’s hopes for the Treaty of Versailles were perhaps the most ambitious of all the leaders.

He came to Versailles with a 14 point programme that he hoped would shape modern international relations.

The points were based upon a number of principles:

ending the ‘old world’ diplomacy which had led to war

establishing self-determination – people should rule themselves rather than being subject to other nationalities

Germany should lose all its territorial gains

disarmament

restrictions on trade should be abolished.

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Wilson’s 14 Points

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Flash Activity

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Tasks

When asked about how he felt he had done at the Versailles conference, Lloyd George said:

Tasks

Who do you think he referred to as ‘Jesus’?

Who do you think he referred to as ‘Napoleon’?

What do you think he meant by this?

“Not badly, considering I was seated between Jesus Christ and Napoleon.”

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What the treaty covered

What should happen to the land and colonies of the defeated nations?

Who was to blame for the war?

Should there be a League of Nations and

how should it work? Who should pay for the

cost of the war and repairing the damage?

What should happen to the remaining German

armed forces?

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The Versailles terms

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The territorial settlement