Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference:
Woodrow Wilson, Lloyd
George, Clemenceau – their views and motives
1. Make sure that you know the
STORY of the Paris Peace Conference.
2. Make sure that, for each of the Big Three, you can
explain:
● WHAT they wanted
● How successful they were in
getting what they wanted.
● Their IMPORTANCE
within the conference/peace process
Background |
•
Losses during WWI - a few details?
•
Wilson's 14 Points (which, very briefly,
were?) paved the way
•
Armistice (briefly, what were its terms?)
•
Bitterness - e.g. Geddes
•
January 1919, delegates from 32 countries
met at Versailles |
Meat |
•
At first Wilson was suspicious of Britain
(Empire)
•
Wilson insisted that the LoN was set up
first.
•
Clemenceau wanted punitive reparations
•
LG played both sides - sent Cecil (an
appeaser) to negotiate the LoN, but hardliners (Sumner and Cunliffe) to negotiate reparations.
•
Wilson and Clemenceau soon came to stalemate
over LoN v reparations
•
25 March Fontainbleau Memorandum - forces
Clemenceau to be moderate, then Wilson to accept War Guilt Clause. |
End |
•
7 May draft sent to Germans, who protest
that it breaches self-determination and will destroy Germany, but
•
they are forced to sign on 28 June 1919. |
Wilson |
1. 14
Points (know some details)
2. a
better world ‘safe for democracy’
3. fair
peace
4. self-determination
5. International
Co-operation (League of Nations)
|
Clemenceau |
1. blamed
Germany = punishment/ ‘hard justice’
2. angry
= revenge.
3. wanted
to ’make Germany pay’ for the Damage = reparations
4. threatened
= wanted independent Rhineland/ get Alsace-Lorraine/
5. peace
= wanted Germany weak and crippled .
|
Lloyd George |
1. compromise (nb
Fontainbleau Memorandum)
2. had promised
Parliament/November 1918 election that he would punish/make Germany pay, but
did not want revenge like France
3. protect
British Empire (=Mandates)/ British navy (=German navy)
4. trade
5. peace: did not want to create
anger in Germany which would lead to war in the future. |
Wilson |
LIKED/GOT
• League
of Nations
• self-determination
for Poland, Czechoslovakia etc,
DISLIKED
• many
of his 14 points were ignored
• Britain
opposed freedom of seas
• only
defeated powers were made to disarm
• colonies
were given no say in their future |
Clemenceau |
LIKED/GOT
• Clause
231
• disarmament
• Reparations
• Getting
back Alsace-Lorraine
• getting
mandates
DISLIKED
• Saar
(only got for 15 years)
• wanted
an independent Rhineland, not just demilitarised.
|
Lloyd George |
LIKED/GOT
• reducing
German navy
• getting
German colonies as
British
mandates
DISLIKED
• Wilson’s
ideas about colonies and freedom of the seas
• Clemenceau’s
harshness
• JM
Keynes said that reparations would cause another war
• Harold
Nicolson thought the Treaty ‘neither just nor wise'.
|
Wilson |
1. Gave the Conference its moral
authority (14 points) - regarded as great and good man from America,
bringing a new world order
2. Secured the LoN - influenced
world peace for two decades/ brilliant new PRINCIPLE of 'collective
security' still seen today (in UN).
3. 'Self-determination' was the
dominating principle of foreign affairs for the next two decades -
countries like Estonia, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia owed their existence
to him.
4. Almost ruined the conference
because he fell out with Clemenceau
5. Failed to get US Congress to
agree ToV or LoN - so made sure they both failed |
Clemenceau |
1. Demanding war-guilt/
reparations/ Rhineland angered the Germans and gave Hitler his platform.
2. Almost ruined the conference
because he fell out with Wilson
3. Got back Alsace-Lorraine for
France, and Saar for 15 years
4. Got Germany disarmed and
Rhineland demilitarised - and so set the scene for politics in Europe
(e.g. France could invade in 1920, 1921 AND 1923) until Hitler re-armed
in 1935 and re-occupied the Rhineland in 1936. |
Lloyd George |
1. Increased the British empire
by getting the mandates
2. Secured the British navy by
getting the German navy reduced to 6 ships - and the rest given to
Britain at Scapa Flow/ defeated Wilson's ideas for freedom of the seas
3. Continually mediated between
Wilson and Clemenceau - the Fontainbleau Memorandum saved the Conference
4. His determination to get a
lasting peace got a Treaty which survived 20 years
5. Managed to please the
electorate (to 'make Germany pay') YET Germany made a trade treaty with
Britain in 1924. |
|
Revision Focus
This is a Paper 1
topic, so concentrate on learning:
1. WHAT
happened
2. EFFECTS/
Importance
Links
e-book on the
Conference and the
Aims
Lloyd George at the Conference - essential
Online revision sheet

Essays on the Aims and
Achievements of the Big 3 at Versailles
|