treaty of versailles

Question 1

how long did it take to finalise?

Answer 1

6 months

Question 2

how many nations were present?

Answer 2

32

Question 3

which nations werent there?

Answer 3

defeated nations

Question 4

What is versailles?

Answer 4

A wealthy suburb of Paris with the Palace of Louis XIV

Question 5

Figureheads of the meeting?

Answer 5

Big four

Great Britain: David Lloyd-George
France: Georges Clemenceau
USA: Woodrow Wilson
Italy: Vittorio Orlando

all PM except for US
Italys kinda irrelevant it was mainly the first 3 but for some reason Italy gets some credit

Question 6

general purpose of meeting?

Answer 6

• deal w Germany
• maintain power balance in Europe
• prevent another war

Question 7

France’s aim?

Answer 7

• grudge bc of French and Prussian War so they wanted revenge
• so they wanted to permanently weaken Germany to protect France (understandable since they invaded France twice)
• Make Germany pay for cost of damage
• remove land
• reduce armed forces

Question 8

Britain’s aim?

Answer 8

• protect overseas territory and naval superiority
• keep Germany as a major power (they benefited economically so)
• wanted Germany to pay for everything
• Make Germany a non aggressive country without colonies
• Prevent Germany becoming so weak it would hinder revival of European industry and trade
• Prevent Germany becoming so poor it turns to communism
• Avoid humiliating Germany to the point they want revenge
• Help secure France against Germany but ensure France did not become too powerful

Question 9

USA aim??

Answer 9

• reduction in [Germany’s] military
• introduce League of Nations
• preferred to not get too deep into the drama

Question 10

What did Wilson want

Answer 10

A “fair” treaty that wouldn’t encourage Germany to seek revenge

Question 11

trouble in europe???

Answer 11

• flue epidemic 1918-1919
• instability and poverty

Question 12

War guilt clause

Answer 12

Germany had to accept blame for starting WW1
Article 231

Question 13

What was the treaty designed to do

Answer 13

Cripple Germany militarily, territorially and economically

Question 14

acronym?

Answer 14

TANKSSS
triple s bc everyone thinks they’re a sssnake

T- Troops reduced
A- aircraft?? nahhh
N- no conscription, only volunteers to make up army
K- keep out of Rhineland
S- ships??? only 36 w strict restrictions regarding how many boat of each type
S- submarines??? nope
S- sailors??? 15k in the navy

Question 15

navy restrictions???

Answer 15

• no submarines
• 15k sailors in navy
• 36 ships to satisfy Britain’s narcissistic ass

6 battleships
6 light cruisers
12 torpedo boats
12 destroyers

Question 16

how many soldiers in the Germany army bc of the treaty??

Answer 16

100,000

Question 17

Article 181?

Answer 17

the # of ships

Question 18

article 231??

Answer 18

War guilt clause, germany accepts full responsibility for the war

Question 19

article 173??

Answer 19

no compulsory military service, only voluntary enlistment

Question 20

article 160?

Answer 20

7 divisions of infantry and 3 divisions cavalry

Question 21

Article 119?

Answer 21

no overseas colonies

Question 21

League of Nations????

Answer 21

Point 14: basically a rough draft of the UN

First global organisation dedicated to keeping international peace and security

Question 22

when was it signed?

Answer 22

28th June 1919

Question 23

where was it signed?

Answer 23

Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles

Question 24

What are the 14 points President Wilson introduced???

Answer 24

A bunch of points President Wilson wanted to introduce- u dont need to know all just remember 13 and 14

1. Open diplomacy without secret treaties
2. Economic free trade on the seas during war and peace
3. Equal trade conditions
4. Decrease armaments among all nations
5. Adjust colonial claims
6. Evacuation of all Central Powers from Russia and allow it to define its own independence
7. Belgium to be evacuated and restored
8. Return of Alsace-Lorraine region and all French territories
9. Readjust Italian borders
10. Austria-Hungary to be provided an opportunity for self-determination
11. Redraw the borders of the Balkan region creating Romania, Serbia and Montenegro
12. Creation of a Turkish state with guaranteed free trade in the Dardanelles
13. Creation of an independent Polish state
14. Creation of the League of Nations

Question 25

Article 183

Answer 25

15000 men in navy

Question 26

Article 191

Answer 26

no submarines

Question 27

Britain’s thoughts on treaty?

Answer 27

Too harsh.
PM thought that they would have to “fight another war again in 25 years time” (BBC)

Question 28

Who is John Maynard Keynes and what did he say

Answer 28

British economist who predicted that the reparations will ruin the European economy.

Question 29

Germany territory loss???

Answer 29

• lost territory to 7 countries (Statista)
• lost 13% of European territory (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Key points
-Alsace-Lorraine back to France- Germany took it 40 years earlier annexed in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War
-lost all overseas colonies
- RHINELAND DEMILITARISED

examples:
gave territory to
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- Poland

Question 30

Germany population loss?

Answer 30

Lost approx 1 tenth of population- 6.5-7million ppl (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Question 31

Rhineland???

Answer 31

Rhineland, strip of (previously ) German land bordering France demilitarised

No German soldiers, only French security

Aim was to increase French security so that France won’t be invaded again

(UK National Archives)

Question 32

cost of the war Germany had to pay???

Answer 32

Approx 500 billion AUD (ToV ppt on social stream)

Question 33

Germany’s thoughts on ToV??

Answer 33

they hated it

They were angry that they had not been allowed to negotiate. They called Versailles a dictated peace
a German newspaper, vowed: We will never stop until we win back what we deserve.
Germany officially denied the war-guilt clause (231) in 1927. They especially hated 231
Germany hated reparations, and eventually Hitler refused to pay altogether