The Treaty Of Versailles

Aims of Versailles

To Make Germany Pay the True Costs of Starting World War 1

     

Who Took Part In The Discussions

France-represented by Georges Clemenceau He wanted for France the 4 Rs Revenge-on Germany for war in 1870 and also for WW1 Ruin-Germany so that it could never threaten France again Restore- Alsace and Lorraine which they had lost Reparations-Germany should be made to pay the full cost of war

Britain

    Represented by David Lloyd George He wanted Germany eliminated as a naval power Also a peace that would not be too harsh on the German people Show the British public that he was not too soft on Germany

America

   Represented by Woodrow Wilson He wanted democracy to be the answer to all the problems and protect the world from European wars He came up with a‘fourteen point plan’ which he believed would bring peace

Italy

    Represented by Signor Orlando Had little influence in talks Left talks at one stage in protest over land that had been promised they did not receive This would further lead to Mussolini’s revenge

Outcome of Versailles

  Only 1 point of the 14 proposed by Wilson was introduced.

14.A League of Nations would be created to help keep the peace in Europe. Countries would be encouraged to negotiate rather than fight, although the League could take armed action against any aggressor not willing to comply with its decision.

Problems of the Treaty

  France –felt the Treaty did not go far enough to protect them from German aggression.

Britain-feared the Treaty would leave Germany bitter and looking for revenge.

Germanys Problems

       negotiations.

Land-lost Alsace and Lorraine back to France.

Lost all her colonies.

1/3 rd of her coalfields.

3/4 of her iron ore fields.

1/3 of her blast furnaces.

totalling 6.6 billion pounds.

      German army reduced to 100,000 men Conscription was forbidden Germany forbidden to have any tanks or heavy artillery Germany was not allowed to have an air force Germany was made to hand her entire navy over to Britain The Rhineland was to be demilitarised

Did the Treaty of Versailles play any part in Hitler's foreign policy?

  Yes – due the economic effect the T.O.V had on Germany, many people were absorbed by Hitler’s ideas for a “new Germany” He indicated the immediate tearing up of the agreement declaring it a “Diktat” as Germany were not allowed to enter the negotiations

    Germany More living space (Lebensraum) – this would require taking land back lost by the Treaty.

Bring all German speaking people back under German rule.

Build a master race – this would involve introduced.