Treaty of Versailles
On 28th June 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in the same place in 1871 where
the German Empire was born. Due to the weakness of the military or the Allied Blockade, Germany had to
sign despise not being able to attend the meetings where the articles were decided. This triggered a political
and economic crisis in Germany.
Aims of the ‘Big 3’: Abbreviation:
George Clemenceau (France): Germany lost land League of Nations
● France suffered greatly because of the war and
wanted that level of destruction never to happen Armed forces - army: 100,000 - conscription banned - no
again submarines - no airplanes - 6 battleships - Rhineland de-
● Wanted Germany to pay for the damage and lose militarised
all the land they gained and lose their armed
forces Reparations - £6,600 million – in installments, until 1984
● Wanted to cripple Germany so they could never
attack Germany again Guilt - clause 231, Germany accepted blame ‘for causing
all the loss and damage’ of the war.
David Lloyd George (Britain):
● Aware that Britain didn't suffer as much but would League of Nations
be willing to make compromises
● Wanted to punish Germany but not too harshly
● Wanted to stop Germany having a navy so Britain German Land:
could have naval control and maintain their
empire ● A plebiscite was held to determine the control of
the German lands
Woodrow Wilson (USA): ● Schleswig returned to Denmark
● Didn’t suffer at all, in reality, ● Alsace-Lorraine was given to France
● Proposed 14 points at TOV which he believed ● The Saarland
would end war fairly and would prevent another ○ Clemenceau wanted to give it to France
war in the future and detach the mineral and coal basins to
● Wanted independence for Eastern European Non-German administration.
countries and the League of Nations ○ Wilson allowed France the coal deposits
but vetoed the rest
Reparations: ○ Lloyd George settled it and made it French
for 15 years and decided it would be
● Amount to how much they would haver to pay returned back to Germany in 1935
caused many disagreements ● Rhineland
○ Allies considered the damage of their own ○ France wanted it to weaken Germany but
industries from trade and had to consider Britain feared it would create tension and a
the German need to repair the country power imbalance
after war ○ Divided into three zones and would be
○ France- needed reparations for economy evaluated every five years
from WW1 to sell bonds to foreing ○ Permenanly demilitarised
markets ○ Britain was hesitant but eventually signed
○ USA-wanted a fixed sum ● A new Polish State made up of West Prussia and
○ Britain- wanted a percentage of repataions Posen wich access to the sea for economic
to go to war pensions and needed enough viability
to rebuiled their economy ● All German imperial possessions lost
● Belgium awarded full compensation from ○ Britain, France, and South Africa given
Germany African colonies
● Had to eventually pay £6.6 billion ○ Australia, New Zeland and Japan given
● Germany Economy would be assessed in May Pacific Islands
1921 to see what they cound afford ● Independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lituania
Military: Guilt
● Allies felt a necessity for disarmament ● Article 231 of the Treaty required Germany to tke
● Army reduced to 100,00 men maximum full responsibility for the war as it was a universal
● Britain and America wanted to remove the agreement of victorius powers
traditional German conscription and wanted them ● This was used to provide moral justifications for
to have a small professional army the price of the reparations
● The Navy was made to be surrendered to the
On 28th June 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in the same place in 1871 where
the German Empire was born. Due to the weakness of the military or the Allied Blockade, Germany had to
sign despise not being able to attend the meetings where the articles were decided. This triggered a political
and economic crisis in Germany.
Aims of the ‘Big 3’: Abbreviation:
George Clemenceau (France): Germany lost land League of Nations
● France suffered greatly because of the war and
wanted that level of destruction never to happen Armed forces - army: 100,000 - conscription banned - no
again submarines - no airplanes - 6 battleships - Rhineland de-
● Wanted Germany to pay for the damage and lose militarised
all the land they gained and lose their armed
forces Reparations - £6,600 million – in installments, until 1984
● Wanted to cripple Germany so they could never
attack Germany again Guilt - clause 231, Germany accepted blame ‘for causing
all the loss and damage’ of the war.
David Lloyd George (Britain):
● Aware that Britain didn't suffer as much but would League of Nations
be willing to make compromises
● Wanted to punish Germany but not too harshly
● Wanted to stop Germany having a navy so Britain German Land:
could have naval control and maintain their
empire ● A plebiscite was held to determine the control of
the German lands
Woodrow Wilson (USA): ● Schleswig returned to Denmark
● Didn’t suffer at all, in reality, ● Alsace-Lorraine was given to France
● Proposed 14 points at TOV which he believed ● The Saarland
would end war fairly and would prevent another ○ Clemenceau wanted to give it to France
war in the future and detach the mineral and coal basins to
● Wanted independence for Eastern European Non-German administration.
countries and the League of Nations ○ Wilson allowed France the coal deposits
but vetoed the rest
Reparations: ○ Lloyd George settled it and made it French
for 15 years and decided it would be
● Amount to how much they would haver to pay returned back to Germany in 1935
caused many disagreements ● Rhineland
○ Allies considered the damage of their own ○ France wanted it to weaken Germany but
industries from trade and had to consider Britain feared it would create tension and a
the German need to repair the country power imbalance
after war ○ Divided into three zones and would be
○ France- needed reparations for economy evaluated every five years
from WW1 to sell bonds to foreing ○ Permenanly demilitarised
markets ○ Britain was hesitant but eventually signed
○ USA-wanted a fixed sum ● A new Polish State made up of West Prussia and
○ Britain- wanted a percentage of repataions Posen wich access to the sea for economic
to go to war pensions and needed enough viability
to rebuiled their economy ● All German imperial possessions lost
● Belgium awarded full compensation from ○ Britain, France, and South Africa given
Germany African colonies
● Had to eventually pay £6.6 billion ○ Australia, New Zeland and Japan given
● Germany Economy would be assessed in May Pacific Islands
1921 to see what they cound afford ● Independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lituania
Military: Guilt
● Allies felt a necessity for disarmament ● Article 231 of the Treaty required Germany to tke
● Army reduced to 100,00 men maximum full responsibility for the war as it was a universal
● Britain and America wanted to remove the agreement of victorius powers
traditional German conscription and wanted them ● This was used to provide moral justifications for
to have a small professional army the price of the reparations
● The Navy was made to be surrendered to the
