Reactions to the Treaty of Versailles

Delight and anger

Aims of the lesson

By the end of the lesson you will • Understand how the big three felt about the decisions made at Versailles • Understand how the Germans felt about the treaty • Evaluate the Treaty’s effectiveness in keeping the peace after WW1

Lloyd George and Britain

• DLG felt that the treaty was too harsh • Worried about another war and the German Communists using resentment at it in order to take power • Could see where France was coming from but would have preferred lower armed forces and reparations • Could not go too easy on Germany due to his promised at the General Election of 1919

Clemenceau and France

• Wanted Germany to suffer – not bothered about fairness • Thought Germany had got off lightly and the French agreed • Voted out in 1920 – too soft on Germany • Foch (general) called it a peace for 20 years – realised it was too harsh and that Germany would want revenge

Wilson and the USA

• Too harsh – made a later war more likely • Reparations too high and would lead to economic problems not just for Germany • Put his hopes in the League of Nations – rejected by the American people • Predicted another war within 20 years if the USA did not join the LoN • Did not sign the treaty or join the League

German reaction (1)

• Delegation arrived in April and presented terms on 7 th May • Chancellor and head of delegation refused to sign the treaty • Supposed to give 74 ships to British – scuppered them instead at Scapa Flow • New Weimar government had no choice but to sign the treaty – the allies would have blockaded the country - starvation

German reaction (2)

• Reichstag passed the Treaty and it was signed on the 28 th June • Government blamed for the Treaty • Some claimed that the army had been tricked into an armistice – the stab in the back theory – November criminals • Blamed the Liberals and Socialists • Treaty allowed Hitler to feed off it in order to come to power