Grievances/disagreements at the Paris Conference
- Germany and Russia were not invited to the peace conferences
- Division between the Big Three emerged
- Clemenceau demanded more security for France against Germany- Rhineland as
barrier and French control of Saar coalfields -demand rejected by Wilson and Lloyd
George- contradicted self-determination.
- George predicted that confiscating more German territory would lead to revanchism,
continuing bitterness between Germany and France.
- By March negotiations reached a stalemate and the conference appeared likely to
collapse.
- Redrawing of Europe’s borders meant that some people would find themselves part of
a country they did not want to live in- peacemakers tried to ensure protection of
minorities.
- Arabian delegation led by Prince Faisal and Thomas Lawrence arrived in Paris to
claim Mesopotamia, but Lloyd George blocked their proposals in favour of British
control over the region.
- Japan proposed a racial equality clause in the treaty which would end the ban on
Asian immigration in force in the USA and Australia- this was blocked at first and
Japan threatened to walk out while China implored the peacemakers not to
compromise, as Japan’s occupation of Manchuria contravened self-determination. But
Wilson finally agreed to Japan’s demands to prevent the conference from collapsing,
but the Chinese felt betrayed.
- Italy left angry- 1915 Treaty of London said the Italians could have the land around the
Adriatic. However Wilson opposed this as it contradicted the idea of self-
determination- led to a rise in Italian nationalism and expansionism.
1
- Germany and Russia were not invited to the peace conferences
- Division between the Big Three emerged
- Clemenceau demanded more security for France against Germany- Rhineland as
barrier and French control of Saar coalfields -demand rejected by Wilson and Lloyd
George- contradicted self-determination.
- George predicted that confiscating more German territory would lead to revanchism,
continuing bitterness between Germany and France.
- By March negotiations reached a stalemate and the conference appeared likely to
collapse.
- Redrawing of Europe’s borders meant that some people would find themselves part of
a country they did not want to live in- peacemakers tried to ensure protection of
minorities.
- Arabian delegation led by Prince Faisal and Thomas Lawrence arrived in Paris to
claim Mesopotamia, but Lloyd George blocked their proposals in favour of British
control over the region.
- Japan proposed a racial equality clause in the treaty which would end the ban on
Asian immigration in force in the USA and Australia- this was blocked at first and
Japan threatened to walk out while China implored the peacemakers not to
compromise, as Japan’s occupation of Manchuria contravened self-determination. But
Wilson finally agreed to Japan’s demands to prevent the conference from collapsing,
but the Chinese felt betrayed.
- Italy left angry- 1915 Treaty of London said the Italians could have the land around the
Adriatic. However Wilson opposed this as it contradicted the idea of self-
determination- led to a rise in Italian nationalism and expansionism.
1
