CH 1: Treaty of Versailles
Wilson’s aims (President of the USA):
● Not be too harsh on Germany because when it recovers it might seek revenge. Extremist groups
within Germany might even exploit this resentment towards the ToV and seize power, which is
exactly what happened with Hitler.
● Strengthen the democracy in defeated countries by ensuring that citizens freely exercised the
right to vote the best candidate for running their countries, therefore preventing another war
● Self-determination for small countries which were part of the European empires
● International co-operation, which would be achieved by the League of Nations and the rest of
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Some important points of the Fourteen Points:
1. Free access to the seas in peace and wartime
2. Free trade between countries
3. All countries to work towards disarmament
4. Self-determination for countries
5. League of Nations to be set up
David Lloyd George’s aims (Prime Minister of Britain):
● He agreed with Wilson to not be too harsh on Germany in case they became vengeful, because
he feared a communist revolution similar to the 1917 Russian one might occur (however he
faced massive public pressure from the British people for a harsh treaty, since they had suffered
over 1 million casualties and had been fed anti-German propaganda for four years)
● Britain and Germany to begin trading again since Germany had been Britain’s second largest
trading partner before the war, and now that it was weakened it was damaging for Britain both
in terms of its economy and unemployment
● Germany to lose its navy and colonies because they threatened the British empire
Lloyd George may have agreed with Wilson’s ideas in public, but he criticised them in private perhaps for
being too idealistic.
In Versailles, he acted as the middle ground between Wilson and Clemenceau.
George Clemenceau’s aims (Prime Minister of France):
● The ToV was an opportunity to cripple Germany so that it never attacked France again,
because they had suffered enormous damage to their land and industries, and over two-thirds of
the men who served in the French army had been killed or wounded
● As a realist, Clemenceau knew that he would have to compromise eventually, but he needed to
show that he was aware of public opinion in France
Why did the ‘Big Three’ NOT agree?
Wilson’s aims (President of the USA):
● Not be too harsh on Germany because when it recovers it might seek revenge. Extremist groups
within Germany might even exploit this resentment towards the ToV and seize power, which is
exactly what happened with Hitler.
● Strengthen the democracy in defeated countries by ensuring that citizens freely exercised the
right to vote the best candidate for running their countries, therefore preventing another war
● Self-determination for small countries which were part of the European empires
● International co-operation, which would be achieved by the League of Nations and the rest of
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
Some important points of the Fourteen Points:
1. Free access to the seas in peace and wartime
2. Free trade between countries
3. All countries to work towards disarmament
4. Self-determination for countries
5. League of Nations to be set up
David Lloyd George’s aims (Prime Minister of Britain):
● He agreed with Wilson to not be too harsh on Germany in case they became vengeful, because
he feared a communist revolution similar to the 1917 Russian one might occur (however he
faced massive public pressure from the British people for a harsh treaty, since they had suffered
over 1 million casualties and had been fed anti-German propaganda for four years)
● Britain and Germany to begin trading again since Germany had been Britain’s second largest
trading partner before the war, and now that it was weakened it was damaging for Britain both
in terms of its economy and unemployment
● Germany to lose its navy and colonies because they threatened the British empire
Lloyd George may have agreed with Wilson’s ideas in public, but he criticised them in private perhaps for
being too idealistic.
In Versailles, he acted as the middle ground between Wilson and Clemenceau.
George Clemenceau’s aims (Prime Minister of France):
● The ToV was an opportunity to cripple Germany so that it never attacked France again,
because they had suffered enormous damage to their land and industries, and over two-thirds of
the men who served in the French army had been killed or wounded
● As a realist, Clemenceau knew that he would have to compromise eventually, but he needed to
show that he was aware of public opinion in France
Why did the ‘Big Three’ NOT agree?
