Interwar Period Lesson 20: Treaty of Versailles and Fourteen Points

What was the main reason France was determined to ensure that Germany would never be a major power again?

Who were the leaders known as the 'Big Four' during the Paris Peace Conference in 1919?

Which leader was famously skeptical of President Wilson's Fourteen Points plan during the peace negotiations?

What was one of Clemenceau's main goals for the Treaty of Versailles regarding Germany?

Why were German leaders shocked by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

Which statement best reflects France's stance on ensuring that Germany remains weak after World War I?

Which aspect of the Fourteen Points emphasized nations' rights to control their own fate?

Which effect did Wilson's Fourteen Points have on Germany and Austria-Hungary?

What was the main goal of the fourteenth point in Wilson's Fourteen Points?

Why did other Allied leaders keep their feelings about the Fourteen Points private initially?

Which empire disappeared as a result of World War I according to the text?

The Fourteen Points

In January 1918, President Woodrow Wilson issued a statement of war goals called the Fourteen Points.
The first five points addressed general world concerns, including:
- An end to secret agreements between nations
- Freedom of the seas
- The removal of trade barriers
- Arms reduction
- A fair settlement of colonial disputes
The next eight points dealt with specific territorial issues in Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
The Fourteen Points were based on the principle of self-determination, which is the right of nations and peoples to control their own fate and decide their own form of government.
The fourteenth point called for a general association of nations to be formed, whose members would work together to protect all nations.

The Paris Peace Conference

The Paris Peace Conference began in January 1919 to set the terms of the peace.
Twenty-seven nations were represented, but the conference was dominated by the leaders of the most powerful Allies, known as the "Big Four".
The Big Four consisted of:
- Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain
- French premier Georges Clemenceau
- Italy's premier Vittorio Orlando
- President Woodrow Wilson of the United States

The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was the treaty with Germany, concluded in June 1919.
The treaty was determined by negotiations between Wilson, Clemenceau, and Lloyd George.
The treaty reduced Germany's size and population by about 10 percent.
The Alsace-Lorraine region, which Germany had taken from France in 1871, was returned to France.
Germany was forced to pay reparations, which was compensation for the wrongs and damage it had done.
The treaty did not reflect Wilson's vision of a just peace, and German leaders were shocked by the terms they were forced to sign.

This quiz covers the Treaty of Versailles and the Fourteen Points presented by President Woodrow Wilson during the Interwar Period. Topics include war goals, end to secret agreements, freedom of the seas, arms reduction, and more.