Roles of Wilson, Clemenceau & George

Wilson, Clemenceau, and George shaped the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 with different goals, influencing post-WWI peace and Germany's fate.

Versailles Treaty background

The Treaty of Versailles ended World War I in 1919.
Wilson, Clemenceau, and George led the peace talks.
- The leaders met at the Paris Peace Conference.
- Each leader represented different national interests.
The treaty aimed to punish Germany and secure peace.

Woodrow Wilson's goals

President Woodrow Wilson led the USA in 1919.
Wilson pushed for his Fourteen Points peace plan.
- These were his ideas about how the world could rebuild after WW1 and prevent future conflict.
Wilson wanted a fair, lasting peace without harsh punishment.
Wilson supported the League of Nations to prevent future wars.
Wilson aimed for self-determination for nations.

Georges Clemenceau's goals

Clemenceau was France's Prime Minister in 1919.
Clemenceau wanted to punish Germany severely.
- Clemenceau pushed for heavy German reparations and disarmament.
Clemenceau sought security for France from future attacks.
Clemenceau aimed to reclaim Alsace-Lorraine.

David Lloyd George's goals

Lloyd George was the British Prime Minister at Versailles.
Lloyd George wanted to punish Germany but avoid total collapse.
Lloyd George sought to protect British trade interests.
Lloyd George supported some reparations but feared harsh terms might lead to future conflict.
Lloyd George balanced public demand for revenge with practical concerns.

Shaping the Treaty

The Treaty imposed war guilt and heavy reparations on Germany.
Wilson's League of Nations was included in the treaty.
The League of Nations was an international organization founded after World War I to promote peace and prevent future conflicts.
Clemenceau's security demands led to German disarmament rules.
Lloyd George influenced moderate terms to keep trade open.
- The treaty reflected a compromise among the three leaders.

Impact of their roles on peace

Wilson's idealism faced opposition from Clemenceau and Lloyd George.
Clemenceau's harsh terms caused German resentment.
Lloyd George's balancing act delayed but did not prevent future conflict.
The leaders' decisions shaped Europe's political landscape after 1919.
- Their roles contributed to the Treaty's mixed success and eventual criticism.

Big Three

The Big Three had different motives to disagree about the terms of the treaty.
Wilson sought peace without punishment, shaped by late U.S. entry and no homefront damage.
Lloyd George wanted Germany strong for trade, though Britain had fought since 1914.
Clemenceau demanded harsh terms after French losses and destruction.
These clashing motives explain why the Big Three disagreed over the Treaty.

14 Points

The Fourteen Points

The Fourteen Points were Woodrow Wilson’s plan for a fair and lasting peace after WWI.
They promoted self-determination, free trade, disarmament, and open diplomacy.
Wilson wanted a League of Nations to prevent future wars.
Some Allies thought the points were too idealistic and disagreed on punishment for Germany.
The points influenced the peace talks but were not fully implemented.

Wilson’s Fourteen Point (1/2)

Countries should not make secret agreements with each other.
All nations should have the right to use the seas freely in peace and war.
Trade between countries should be free without unfair restrictions.
Nations should reduce their weapons to the minimum needed for safety.
Colonies’ rights and interests should be respected by other countries.
Russia should be allowed to govern itself and recover after the war.
Belgium should have its independence and borders restored.

Wilson’s Fourteen Point (2/2)

France should get back Alsace-Lorraine.
Italy’s borders should be adjusted to match where Italians live.
People in Austria-Hungary should have the right to govern themselves.
Balkan states should be independent and decide their own governments.
Non-Turkish peoples in the Ottoman Empire should be allowed self-rule.
Poland should be an independent country with access to the sea.
A League of Nations should be created to help prevent future wars.

1Was the Treaty of Versailles Fair?

1.1What were the Motives and Aims at Versailles?

1.1.1The Treaty of Versailles

1.1.2Roles of Wilson, Clemenceau & George

1.2Did the Victors Get Everything They Wanted?

1.2.1The Terms: Territory

1.2.2The Terms: Reparations

1.2.3The Terms: Armaments

1.2.4The Terms: War Guilt

1.2.5The League of Nations

1.2.6French Reaction

1.2.7American Reaction

1.2.8British Reaction

1.2.9Countries Left Out of the Treaty of Versailles

1.3What was the Impact on Germany up to 1923?

1.3.1German Reaction to the Treaty

1.3.2Germany’s Allies

1.3.3Economic Impacts: Ruhr & Hyperinflation

1.3.4Social Impacts of the Treaty in Germany

1.3.5Political Impacts of the Treaty on Germany

1.3.6Reducing Reparation: The Dawes Plan

1.4Could the Treaty be Justified at the Time?

1.4.1Positives & Negatives

1.4.2Contemporary Opinions About the Treaty

2Was the League of Nations a Success?

2.1How did Weaknesses in the League Lead to Failure?

2.1.1The League of Nations

2.1.2Structure of the League: Assembly & Council

2.1.3Structure of the League: Special Commissions

2.1.4Structure of the League: Permanent Court

2.1.5Structure of the League: Secretariat

2.1.6Financial Crisis in the World

2.2The League’s Success in Peacekeeping

2.2.1Successes: International Borders

2.2.2Successes: International Agreements

2.2.3Failures: Vilna (1920)

2.2.4Åland Islands 1920-21

2.2.5Failures: Corfu 1923

2.2.6Failures: Bulgaria 1925

2.3How Important was the League's Humanitarian Work?

2.3.1Refugees, Health, Slavery, Working Conditions 1

2.3.2Refugees, Health, Slavery, Working Conditions 2

2.4How did the Depression Impact the League?

2.4.1The Great Depression, 1929

2.4.2The Manchurian Crisis, 1931

2.4.3Invasion of Abyssinia, 1935

3How did Hitler's Foreign Policy Impact the War?

3.1What were the Long-Term Consequences of Versailles

3.1.1Long-Term Consequences of Versailles

3.2What were the Consequences of the League's Failure

3.2.1The Disarmament Conference

3.2.2Collapse of the League of Nations

3.2.3Tension in Europe in the 1930s

3.2.4WWII & Failure of the League of Nations

3.2.5Weak Nations

3.3Was the Policy of Appeasement Justified?

3.3.1The Spanish Civil War, 1936-39

3.3.2The Sudetenland

3.3.3Arguments for Appeasement

3.3.4Arguments Against Appeasement

3.3.5Reasons & Acts of Appeasement

3.3.6Impact of Appeasement

3.4How Important was the Nazi-Soviet Pact?

3.4.1The Nazi-Soviet Pact

3.4.2The Polish Crisis & the Outbreak of War

3.5Why did Britain & France Declare War on Germany?

3.5.1The Guarantee for Poland and the War

3.5.2Hitler’s Foreign Policy & Rearmament

3.5.3Hitler's Plan

3.5.4The Saar

3.5.5Remilitarisation of the Rhineland

3.5.6The Rome-Berlin Axis

3.5.7Germany & Italy in the Spanish War

3.5.8The Anti-Comintern Pact

3.5.9Anschluss with Austria

3.5.10The Munich Agreement

3.5.11The Crisis over Czechoslovakia

4Who was to Blame for the Cold War?

4.1Why did the US-Soviet Alliance Break Down?

4.1.1Cold War - Definition

4.1.2The Grand Alliance

4.1.3The Tehran Conference, 1943

4.1.4The 1945 Summit Conferences

4.1.5Early US-Soviet Relations

4.1.6The Breakdown of the US-Soviet Alliance

4.1.7US & Soviet Attitudes to Peace

4.2How did the USSR Gain Control of Easter Europe?

4.2.1The USSR & Eastern Europe

4.2.2Attitudes of Truman & Stalin

4.3How did the US React to Soviet Expansionism?

4.3.1The Beginning of the Cold War

4.3.2The Truman Doctrine & Marshall Plan

4.3.3East-West Boundaries

4.4What were the Consequences of the Berlin Blockade?

4.4.1Germany

4.4.2Bizonia

4.4.3Berlin Blockade

4.4.4FRG & GDR

4.5Who was More to Blame for Starting the Cold War?

4.5.1NATO

4.5.2Warsaw Pact

4.5.3The Responsibility for Cold War Tensions

4.5.4Blame on the USRR

4.5.5Blame on the US

4.5.6Sharing the Blame

5Did the US Contain the Spread of Communism?

5.1The US and Korea, 1950-53

5.1.1The US and Korea: Background to the Crisis

5.1.2The Korean War

5.1.3The Course of the Korean War

5.2The US and Cuba, 1959-62

5.2.1Build-Up to the Cuban Missile Crisis

5.2.2The Cuban Missile Crisis

5.2.3Consequence of the Cuban Missile Crisis

5.3The US and Vietnam, 1955-75

5.3.1French Rule in Vietnam

5.3.2President Eisenhower

5.3.3President Kennedy

5.3.4The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, 1964

5.3.5US Tactics

5.3.6Vietcong Tactics

5.3.7The Vietcong

5.3.8The My Lai Massacre, 1968

5.3.9Vietnamisation

5.3.10The Tet Offensive, 1968

5.3.11Attacks on Cambodia & Laos

5.3.12The Bombing of North Vietnam

5.3.13The Failure of Vietnamisation

5.3.14The Growth of Opposition

5.3.15The Draft System

5.3.16The Kent State University Shootings, 1970

5.3.17Political Opposition

5.3.18Reasons for Support 1

5.3.19Reasons for Support 2

5.3.20Political Support

5.3.21Peace Negotiations

5.3.22The Paris Peace Accords, 1973

5.3.23Economic & Human Costs 1

5.3.24Economic & Human Costs 2

5.3.25The Strengths of North Vietnam 1

5.3.26The Strengths of North Vietnam 2

5.3.27The Weaknesses of the US 1

5.3.28The Weaknesses of the US 2

5.3.29Opposition in the US

5.3.30Reasons Why USA Lost

6How was USSR's Control Over Eastern Europe?

6.1Opposition to Control in Hungary & Czechoslovakia

6.1.1Causes of Opposition

6.1.2The Hungarian Uprising & U2 crisis

6.1.3The U2 Crisis

6.1.4Czechoslovakia, 1968

6.1.5Reaction to Brezhnev

6.2Similarities Between Hungary & Czechoslovakia

6.2.1Hungary and Czechoslovakia 1

6.2.2Hungary & Czechoslovakia 2

6.3Why was the Berlin Wall Built?

6.3.1The Berlin Wall 1

6.3.2The Berlin Wall 2

6.4Solidarity in Poland & Soviet Influence

6.4.1Solidarity in Poland and Other Developments

6.5Gorbachev's Responsibility

6.5.1Reagan & Gorbachev

6.5.2Reagan and the ‘Second Cold War’

6.5.3The Collapse of Soviet Control

6.5.4The Collapse of the USSR

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