1. A Flawed Peace Think of a time when you were a “winner.”
The Big Four & Treaty of Versailles
Think of a time when you were a “winner.”
How did you feel?
Think of a time when you were a “loser.”
What does it mean to be a “good sport” as a winner?
What does it mean to be a “good sport” as a loser?
Ms. Tuma, World History

2. Paris Peace Conference
1919: Delegates from 27 countries meet to discuss terms.
Dominated by the “Big Four”.
Smaller countries felt ignored, building resentment.
Ireland, Vietnam not recognized at all.
Russia was not invited.
India and African nations had been promised independence for contributions in the war.
Wilson greeted as a hero in France.

3. Wilson in Paris

4. Armistice Signed 11/11/1918 at 11 AM!
An armistice is a situation in war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting.

5. Effects: 10 Million Dead

6. Effects: France in Ruins

7. Effects: France in Ruins

8. Effects: France in Ruins

9. Paris Peace Conference The “Big Four”
(left to right):
Lloyd George (England)
Orlando
(Italy)
3. Clemenceau (France)
4. Woodrow Wilson (United States)
Peace talks began January These talks were dominated by the Big Four.

10. The “Big Four”: Clemenceau
Prime Minister of France
He wanted revenge!
He wanted to make Germany pay for all of the damage.
He also wanted to weaken Germany’s military, so France would never be invaded again.
Activity:
Imagine you are Georges Clemenceau: 
Should the treaty blame Germany for the war and all the damage?
What should happen to the German army?
Should Germany be asked to pay for the damage done during the war?
Should Germany lose land?  

11. The “Big Four”: Wilson Activity: Wilson
President of U.S.
He wanted to prevent future wars by making a fair peace.
Self-determination for all European nations- but what about colonies???
He did NOT want to punish Germany!
Wrote 14 Points, including League of Nations.
Activity:
Imagine you are Woodrow Wilson: 
Should the treaty blame Germany for the war and all the damage?
What should happen to the German army?
Should Germany be asked to pay for the damage done during the war?
Should Germany lose land?  

12. From Wilson’s Speech: The Fourteen Points- January 8, 1918.
It will be our wish and purpose that the processes of peace, when they are begun, shall be absolutely open and that they shall involve and permit henceforth no secret understandings of any kind. The day of conquest and aggrandizement is gone by; so is also the day of secret covenants entered into in the interest of particular governments and likely at some unlooked-for moment to upset the peace of the world. It is this happy fact, now clear to the view of every public man whose thoughts do not still linger in an age that is dead and gone, which makes it possible for every nation whose purposes are consistent with justice and the peace of the world to avow nor or at any other time the objects it has in view.
We entered this war because violations of right had occurred which touched us to the quick and made the life of our own people impossible unless they were corrected and the world secure once for all against their recurrence. What we demand in this war, therefore, is nothing peculiar to ourselves. It is that the world be made fit and safe to live in; and particularly that it be made safe for every peace-loving nation which, like our own, wishes to live its own life, determine its own institutions, be assured of justice and fair dealing by the other peoples of the world as against force and selfish aggression. All the peoples of the world are in effect partners in this interest, and for our own part we see very clearly that unless justice be done to others it will not be done to us. The programme of the world's peace, therefore, is our programme; and that programme, the only possible programme, as we see it, is this:

13. The “Big Four”: Lloyd George
Prime Minister of Britain
   
He tried to get a ‘halfway point’ – a compromise between Wilson and Clemenceau.
He said the treaty could not be too harsh – that would just cause another war in a few years .
Activity:
Imagine you are Lloyd George: 
Should the treaty blame Germany for the war and all the damage?
What should happen to the German army?
Should Germany be asked to pay for the damage done during the war?
Should Germany lose land?  

14. The “Big Four”: Orlando
Prime Minister of Italy
He switched sides during the war (from Central Powers to Allied Powers).
He wanted to be rewarded with land and money for switching!
He wanted the Adriatic Coast.
Activity:
Imagine you are Orlando: 
Should the treaty blame Germany for the war and all the damage?
What should happen to the German army?
Should Germany be asked to pay for the damage done during the war?
Should Germany lose land?  

15. Treaty of Versailles Signed June 1919

16. Treaty of Versailles Terms: BRAT
Blame: Germany had to accept full blame for the war (war guilt clause). B
Reparations: Germany had to pay 132 billion German marks for the damage caused by the war (roughly $400 billion in today’s dollars)! R
Army: Germany’s military was significantly reduced. Its Army could only have 100,000 men
Navy could only have 6 battle ships, no submarines
No Air Force A
Territory: Lost land to France, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland
Colonies: The League of Nations took control over Germany’s colonies in Africa and the Pacific T

17. Treaty of Versailles Terms

18. Treaty of Versailles Terms

19. US Senate Rejects the Treaty
Needed 2/3 ratification from the Senate, but Republicans controlled it.
Wilson had insulted Republicans by not taking any with him to Paris for the peace talks.
Most of the opponents disliked the League of Nations.

20. US Senate Rejects the Treaty
“The Irreconcilables”- refused the treaty under all circumstances.
League was an “entangles alliance” that threated American sovereignty.
“The Reservationists”- willing to accept if they made some changes.
Led by Henry Cabot Lodge, Republican head of Foreign Relations Committee (Wilson’s nemesis).
Constitution needs Congress to approve war; change treaty to enable Congress to have a say in case an ally needs assistance in war.
Wilson refused.

21. US Senate Rejects the Treaty
Wilson campaigned around the country to appeal to the American people.
He suffered a stroke; Congress still rejected it.
The League of Nations formed anyway, without the United States.
What would have been different (better/worse) if the US had joined??
How did the US’ refusal to join affect the League of Nations?

22. Evaluating the Fairness of the Treaty

23. Evaluating the Fairness of the Treaty of Versailles
With this cartoon in mind, how would you rate the “sportsmanship” of the Allies? Great/Good/Fair/Poor/Horrible
Were the Allies (the Big Four) gracious winners? Why or why not?
How might the Treaty of Versailles affect the “loser” Germany?