Upload
vuminh
View
218
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Background
Peace settlement signed after WWI in the shadow of the Russian Revolution
The continent of Europe had been devastated
Casualties: >35 million, 17 million deaths
The homes of 750,000 French were destroyed and the infrastructure of the region was severely damaged.
Background
Victims were in no mood to be charitable, to Germany in particular
At a similar time, Spanish flu killed 25 million people. This added to the bitterness towards Germany
The Big Three
The treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 after months of negotiations between the “Big Three”
Big Three: Lloyd George of Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France, and Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.
Very different perspectives on what should occur
David Lloyd George
Two views:
Public View - Be tough on Germany
Privately - Feared Russia more… Didn’t want Germany to shift towards communism
Georges Clemenceau
Wanted Germany brought to its knees so that it could never start another war.
The French public wanted the same thing.
Felt that France was hit the hardest
Woodrow WilsonGrowing desire in US to adopt policy of isolation and leave Europe to its own devices.
Wilson, despite developing the idea of a League of Nations, wanted American input into Europe to be kept to a minimum.
Wanted a solution that would lead to European reconciliation as opposed to revenge.
The Final DraftIn the end all three were reasonably happy.
For Clemenceau, it looked like Germany had been smashed.
Lloyd George was satisfied that there was enough German power to act as a buffer to communist expansion.
Wilson was just happy it was over and he could go home.
Terms of the Treaty - Territorial
Germany was deprived of 13.5% of its territory, and with it their empire
Alsace-Lorraine returned to France, Belgium enlarged
East Prussia to Lithuania, Sudettenland to Czechoslovakia.
Terms of the Treaty - Military
Army reduced to 100,000
No tanks, airforce, or u-boats
Demilitarized zone in the Rhineland
Terms of the Treaty - Financial
The loss of vital industrial territory
Germany would have to pay reparations, mostly to Belgium and France (basically a blank cheque)
$31.5 billion… more than they could ever pay
Terms of the Treaty - War Guilt Clause
Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war.
German Reaction When the Germans agreed to the armistice in 1918 they were given the impression they would be treated fairly and consulted on the treaty. This didn’t happen.
The first time they saw the treaty was only a few weeks before they were to sign it.
There was anger throughout Germany but German leaders knew they had no choice as Germany was incapable of restarting the war again.
Germany was given two choices: sign the treaty or be invaded by the Allies.
Consequences
Left a mood of anger throughout Germany.
Above all else, Germany hated the clause blaming her for the cause of the war and the resultant financial penalties.
German resentment sowed the fertile psychological ground for the eventual rise of the Nazi party.