1. The Treaty of Versailles Ultimatum or Framework for World Peace?

2. OVERVIEW The American perspective on the peace process Woodrow Wilson’s “national self- determination” Britain and France’s perspectives Reactions to the Treaty of Versailles

3. The American Experience of WWI Because of their late entry to the war, and the location of the battlefield, the US emerged from WWI relatively undamaged. GBFRAUSA War dead900,0001.3mil114,000 Cost ($USD) 35.3bn24.2bn22.6bn Amount owed to the US Approx. $4.31bn USD Approx $2.85bn USD N/A

4. The American Experience of WWI Traditionally, America viewed itself as having different values than Europe. Americans were generally against involvement in European conflict and were also against the ownership of foreign empires. Consider the following quote: “Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.” Thomas Jefferson

5. Woodrow Wilson: Outsider Promised the American people non- involvement but led the US into war Believed that old European politics would continue to threaten American global trade if left unchecked Proposed a new internationalism through his “fourteen points”

6. National self-determination A major part of Wilson’s plan employed the concept of national self-determination: A belief that if a group of people are clearly recognized as a nation, then that nation deserves the right to control its own territory exclusively.

7. The British Perspective Britain was led by David Lloyd-George at Versailles He supported “national self- determination” for Allied but not Entente powers He focused on stabilizing European economics to prevent the spread of communism “Our point of view is that the adoption of a really democratic constitution by Germany would be the most convincing evidence that in her the old spirit of military domination had indeed died in this war, and would make it much easier for us to conclude a broad democratic peace with her. But, after all, that is a question for the German people to decide.” – Lloyd George

8. The French Perspective Georges “Le Tigre” Clemenceau sought a strong peace against Germany. He wished to limit Germany territorially, economically and militarily to prevent any future possibility of war “America is far away, protected by the ocean. Not even Napoleon himself could touch England. You are both sheltered; we are not” - Clemenceau

9. Reactions to the Treaty of Versailles For different groups of Germans, the Treaty was seen as unfair and uneven. After all… Germany’s army was not defeated in the fieldGermany’s army was not defeated in the field Germany was not solely responsible but was forced to accept blame for the war (War Guilt Clause)Germany was not solely responsible but was forced to accept blame for the war (War Guilt Clause) National self-determination was applied to Germany but not to Britain or FranceNational self-determination was applied to Germany but not to Britain or France Germany was forced into a harsh reparations agreementGermany was forced into a harsh reparations agreement