4. A Flawed Peace The Paris Peace Conference: Woodrow Wilson – US president, created 14 Points peace plan: - Based on the idea of self-determination – allowing people to decide for themselves under what gov’t they wished to live - Treaty of Versailles – between Germany and Allies: - Created the League of Nations – an international gov’t designed to keep world peace - Wilson wanted to treat Germany well to avoid a cycle of revenge, Britain and France overruled him & the treaty punished Germany: A. The Allies Meet and Debate

TOV’s punishment of Germany: - German colonies in Asia & Africa became Mandates – territories to be administered by the League of Nations until they were considered “ready” for independence - Article 231 – The War Guilt Clause - placed sole responsibility for the war on Germany -Forced to pay massive war damages to victors - Germany lost territory (Alsace-Lorraine) - Severe restrictions placed on German military - Germany felt bitter & betrayed – Do you feel that the treaty was fair?

New nations created by the Treaty of Versailles: Before WWI:

After WWI

Those who lost land: Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Ottomans New Nations: - A-H became Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia - Ottoman Empire became Turkey and the mandates of Palestine, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria, & Lebanon –Are any of these places unstable today? - Russia lost land to Poland & Romania – Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia became independent nations

US Reaction to Treaty: - US senate rejected the treaty - US public wanted to stay out of Europe’s business Mandate System’s Effect: - Colonies were never made independent – the system perpetuated the abuse of non-Europeans - Japan & Italy were bitter – both were promised colonies but didn’t get them -The treaty failed to establish peace and increased hatred between European rivals and others