The Treaty of Versailles, What Did the Big Three Want? 1/2

Summary

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, marked the end of WWI. The conference in Paris was dominated by the 'Big Three': Britain, France, and the USA. Disagreements on how to punish Germany led to complex negotiations, with Woodrow Wilson advocating milder terms, Georges Clemenceau pushing for harsher penalties, and David Lloyd George seeking a middle ground. Germany was ultimately forced to sign the treaty without negotiation, setting the stage for its devastating effects.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, officially ending World War I.
• 🌍 32 countries gathered in Paris in January 1919 for a peace conference.
• 👥 The conference was dominated by the Big Three: David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France), and Woodrow Wilson (USA).
• 🇩🇪 Germany was not invited to the conference.
• 🤝 The Big Three had different views on how to punish Germany, reflecting their countries' war experiences.
• 🇺🇸 Wilson opposed harsh punishment for Germany and wanted to create the League of Nations to prevent another world war.
• 🇫🇷 Clemenceau wanted harsh punishment for Germany, including huge reparations and the disbandment of the German Army.
• 🇬🇧 Lloyd George wanted a balanced punishment that would allow Germany to remain a trading partner and protect Britain's naval supremacy.
• 📄 Germany was shown the Treaty of Versailles document without any chance for negotiation.
• 🏛️ On June 28, 1919, the treaty was signed at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles by two German representatives under pressure.

Q & A

What event marked the official end of World War I?

The official end of World War I was marked by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919.

How many countries participated in the Paris Peace Conference of 1919?

A total of 32 countries participated in the Paris Peace Conference of 1919.

Who were the 'Big Three' at the Paris Peace Conference?

The 'Big Three' were David Lloyd George representing Britain, Georges Clemenceau representing France, and Woodrow Wilson representing the USA.

Why was Germany not invited to the Paris Peace Conference?

Germany was not invited because the conference was meant to decide the peace terms to be imposed on Germany after World War I.

What were Woodrow Wilson's goals at the Paris Peace Conference?

Woodrow Wilson aimed to prevent another world war by creating the League of Nations based on his Fourteen Points, ensuring Germany would not be destroyed or solely blamed for the war.

What were Georges Clemenceau's main objectives for the Treaty of Versailles?

Georges Clemenceau wanted to punish Germany severely, return Alsace Lorraine to France, establish an independent Rhineland, ensure Germany paid huge reparations, and disband the German army.

What was David Lloyd George's stance on punishing Germany?

David Lloyd George wanted a punishment that was tough enough to satisfy those who wanted Germany to pay but not so harsh that it would prevent Germany from trading with Britain.

How did the 'Big Three' negotiate their differing views on Germany's punishment?

The 'Big Three' had to negotiate among themselves to reach a compromise, balancing their different goals and the level of harshness they wanted for Germany's punishment.

What was the process for Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles?

When the Treaty of Versailles was ready, Germany was shown the document without any opportunity for negotiation, and their rebuttal was ignored. German representatives were forced to sign it on June 28, 1919, at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

What does the video suggest will be covered in the second part?

The second part of the video will discuss the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the devastating effects it had on the future of Germany.

Outlines

00:00

📜 The Treaty of Versailles: Peacemaking After World War I

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, marked the official end of World War I. It was the result of a conference held in Paris from January 1919, where 32 countries convened to establish peace. The conference was heavily influenced by the 'Big Three': David Lloyd George of Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France, and Woodrow Wilson of the USA. Germany was notably absent from these negotiations. The leaders had divergent views on how Germany should be treated post-war, with Wilson advocating for leniency to prevent future conflicts and promote the creation of the League of Nations based on his Fourteen Points. In contrast, Clemenceau sought harsher penalties to avenge France's losses and secure its borders, including the return of Alsace-Lorraine and the demilitarization of the Rhineland. Lloyd George aimed for a balanced approach, reflecting Britain's own war experience. The treaty was presented to Germany without room for negotiation, and it was signed under duress at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. This paragraph sets the stage for the treaty's terms and its profound impact on Germany's future, as explored in the subsequent parts of the video series.

Keywords

💡Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was the peace treaty signed on June 28, 1919, marking the official end of World War I. It was a crucial document that set the terms for peace in the aftermath of the war and had significant implications for the future of Europe and the world. In the video script, it is the central focus, detailing the circumstances and the powers involved in its creation.

💡World War I

World War I, also known as the Great War, was a global war that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It involved many of the world's major powers and resulted in significant political and social changes. The video script mentions it as the conflict that led to the Treaty of Versailles, emphasizing the war's impact on the subsequent peace negotiations.

💡David Lloyd George

David Lloyd George was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the latter part of World War I and the peace negotiations that followed. In the script, he represents Britain's interests in the Treaty of Versailles negotiations, reflecting the country's position on how Germany should be treated post-war.

💡Georges Clemenceau

Georges Clemenceau was a French statesman who served as the Prime Minister of France during World War I. He is highlighted in the script as one of the 'Big Three' who dominated the peace conference, advocating for harsher terms against Germany to protect French interests and security.

💡Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States and one of the key figures in the Treaty of Versailles negotiations. The script describes his stance on the treatment of Germany, advocating for a less punitive approach and the creation of the League of Nations to prevent future conflicts.

💡League of Nations

The League of Nations was an international organization proposed by President Wilson as part of his Fourteen Points. It aimed to maintain world peace and prevent future wars. The script mentions it as a point of contention in the negotiations, with Wilson advocating for its establishment as part of the post-war settlement.

💡Fourteen Points

The Fourteen Points were a set of principles for peace that President Wilson presented to Congress in 1918. They were intended to guide the post-war world and included ideas like self-determination and the establishment of the League of Nations. The script refers to them as the basis for Wilson's vision for the post-war world order.

💡Reparation

Reparation refers to compensation paid by a defeated country for the damage caused during war. In the script, it is a central issue in the Treaty of Versailles, with France, in particular, seeking significant reparations from Germany to cover the extensive damage to its land and people.

💡Rhineland

The Rhineland is a region in western Germany along the Rhine River. The script mentions the establishment of an 'independent Rhineland' as one of Clemenceau's demands, aimed at creating a buffer zone between France and Germany to prevent future aggression.

💡Alsace-Lorraine

Alsace-Lorraine is a region on the border between France and Germany that has historically been a point of contention between the two countries. The script notes that Clemenceau wanted the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France as part of the peace terms, reflecting the historical and territorial disputes between the two nations.

💡Hall of Mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors is a gallery in the Palace of Versailles, France, known for its ornate decoration and historical significance. The script mentions it as the location where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, symbolizing the culmination of the peace negotiations.

Highlights

The Treaty of Versailles officially ended World War I on June 28, 1919.

32 countries gathered in Paris in January 1919 to hold a conference for peace after World War I.

The conference was dominated by the Big Three: David Lloyd George (Britain), Georges Clemenceau (France), and Woodrow Wilson (USA).

Germany was not invited to the peace conference.

The Big Three had different views on how harshly Germany should be punished.

Negotiations were challenging because Wilson opposed harsh punishment for Germany.

Wilson aimed to prevent another world war by creating the League of Nations and ensuring Germany was not destroyed.

Clemenceau wanted harsh penalties for Germany, reflecting the damage done to France and its proximity to Germany.

Clemenceau's aims included returning Alsace Lorraine to France, disbanding the German Army, and making Germany pay huge reparations.

Lloyd George sought a balanced punishment for Germany, pleasing both those who wanted revenge and those concerned about future trade.

Britain's primary concerns were to secure land for its empire and maintain naval supremacy.

Germany was shown the Treaty of Versailles but had no opportunity for negotiation.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed by two German representatives on June 28, 1919, at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

The video promises to discuss the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and its future impact on Germany in part 2.

Viewers are encouraged to watch more videos and purchase 'Simple History – World War I' on Amazon.

Transcripts

The Treaty of Versailles, 1919

World War I officially came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919.

32 countries had come together in Paris in January 1919 to hold a conference which would make peace after the First World War.

It would be dominated by the big three:

David Lloyd George representing Britain;

Georges Clemenceau representing France;

and Woodrow Wilson representing the USA.

Germany was not invited.

The Big Three wanted different things for Germany and disagreed on how harshly they were to be punished

reflecting how their countries were treated in the war.

They had to negotiate with each other until there was a compromise.

This was difficult because Wilson was opposed to harsh punishment for Germany.

The USA had not been involved in the war as long as Britain and France and had not received as much damage.

He wanted to prevent another world war by creating the league of nations based on his fourteen points to ensure

Germany would not be destroyed and that Germany shouldn't be blamed for the war.

Clemenceau aims were the harshest of the three -- representing the damage Germany had done to France's land and people

and its threatening proximity.

He wanted revenge and to punish Germany to return Alsace Lorraine to France,

an independent Rhineland,

no league of nations,

Germany to pay huge reparations for the damage and losses caused,

the disbandment of the German Army so that Germany would never be strong enough to attack France again.

Lloyd George was an in-between. This reflected Britain which had little land damage, but high war losses.

He wanted a punishment that would be tough enough to please those who wanted to make Germany pay,

but would leave Germany strong enough to still trade,

land for Britain's Empire

to safeguard Britain's naval supremacy.

When the Treaty of Versailles was ready, Germany was shown the document, but there was no negotiation,

their rebuttal ignored.

On 28th June 1919 the Delegates met at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris

and forced two German representatives to sign it.

See part 2 to learn what the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were

and the devastating effects it would have for the future of Germany.

Watch our other videos to learn more.

Get your copy of Simple History -- World War I available on Amazon now.