Treaty of Versailles: WWI Aftermath

• The Treaty of Versailles followed the end of WWI, a conflict between the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary) and the Triple Entente (France, Britain, Russia).
• Germany's Schlieffen Plan to invade France via Belgium failed, leading to trench warfare.
• The Schlieffen Plan was used as evidence of Germany's aggression
• Germany imposed harsh terms in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, forcing Russia to surrender land and population.
• The Allies used this treaty as justification for harsh terms against Germany in the Treaty of Versailles.
• Germany's Spring Offensive in March 1918 failed, leading to their surrender on November 11, 1918, signed by the Weimar Republic.
• The war devastated Europe, causing 8.5 million military deaths and 13 million civilian casualties.
• Significant destruction in France and Belgium led to a desire for revenge against Germany.

The Big Three at Versailles:

• The armistice only provided temporary peace, requiring a formal peace treaty
• Discussions began in January 1919 at the Palace of Versailles, Paris, in a meeting known as the Paris Peace Conference
• The conference sought to create five peace treaties, the most significant being the Treaty of Versailles concerning Germany.
• The 'Big Three' negotiated the treaty terms:
• Georges Clemenceau (Prime Minister of France)
• Woodrow Wilson (President of the USA)
• David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Great Britain)

Motives of Clemenceau:

• Saw the Paris Peace Conference as a chance to reclaim territory, citing previous conflicts with Germany in the 19th century
• Germany had seized key French territories, including Alsace-Lorraine.
• France worried about future German invasions, sharing a border with them.
• He aimed to curb Germany's military strength due to the Western Front being primarily in France, causing widespread devastation
• Clemenceau wanted Germany to compensate for damages and accept responsibility for starting the war.

Motives of Wilson:

• He was an idealist who desired a lasting peace following WWI
• The '14 Points' laid out the foundation of the Versailles Settlement
• Promote national self-determination
• Disarmament to avert future wars
• Open international dialogue, rejecting secret treaties
• Removal of trade barriers for economic cooperation
• Envisioned the League of Nations to facilitate peaceful resolution of conflicts.
• Wilson sought Germany to join the League of Nations

Motives of Lloyd George:

• Accounted for French and the USA's motives
• Acknowledged Britain's high casualty rate, similar to France.
• Noted the British public's resentment towards Germany and desire for retribution
• Lloyd George understood Clemenceau's desire for revenge
• Britain sought to maintain a strong economic standing in Europe
• Realized a strong Germany would want to trade
• Restore Britain's naval authority amid previous challenges from Germany

Differing Aims:

• Clemenceau wanted a harsh treaty with high reparations, protection of France's borders, the splitting of Germany into separate states, disarmament, the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France, giving the Saar Basin to France, and stripping Germany of overseas colonies
• Wilson aimed for a softer treaty calling for independent states, the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France, the end of Germany's empire, avoiding blame for Germany, inclusion of all nations, including Germany, in the League of Nations and freedom of the seas.
• Lloyd George wanted a fair treaty that retains a strong trading relationship with Germany, taking Germany's overseas colonies, harsh terms, Germany keeping its military strength for protection against Russia and a reduction in Germany's navy.

Military Terms of The Treaty

• The Rhineland was demilitarized, and Allied troops were stationed there until 1930
• Germany's army was limited to 100,000 troops
• Ex-soldiers became unemployed
• Germany's navy was restricted to six battleships and submarines were prohibited
• Naval development was restricted
• Germany was not allowed an air force

Territorial Terms of The Treaty

• France was granted the Saar region with coalfields for 15 years
• Germany lost 15% of their coal resources
• Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France
• No more buffer between France and Germany
• The union between Germany and Austria (Anschluss) was forbidden
• Germany lost Posen and West Prussia, creating the 'Polish Corridor'
• The 'Polish Corridor' divided Germany which led to 1 million Germans being split

Political and Economic Terms of the Treaty

• Germany was forbidden to join the League of Nations
• Germany became likely to resolve disputes through violence
• Germany had to agree they started WWI
• Angered citizens
• Germany had to pay 132 billion gold marks (£6.6 billion), to to be paid until 1980
• Germany’s ability to trade was reduced

Compromises Made by the Big Three:

• Clemenceau did not get the Rhineland for France.
• Wilson had to allow Britain and France to increase their empires at Germany's expense.

Why did the Big Three have to Compromise

• They wanted different outcomes of the Treaty of Versailles
• Britain and France suffered a large amount of casualties
• The USA did not want revenge on Germany because they had not suffered as much

Impact of the Treaty of Versailles on Germany:

• The treaty was enacted on January 10, 1920.
• Some Germans felt that the Weimar Republic should not have signed it, calling the politicians 'November Criminals'
• German politicians were not allowed at the peace talks
• The 'War Guilt Clause', placed blame on Germany, angered Germans.
• Restriction of armed forces angered the people who took pride in that.
• The set reparations were to bankrupt Germany
• The Treaty of Versailles led German citizens to be under other countries, which destroyed cultural identity.