You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
The Paris Peace Conference opened on 18 January 1919, five years to the day after the start of the war. Representatives from 32 countries attended, but the conference was dominated by the Big Three — the leaders of Britain, France, and the United States. Germany was not invited. The result was the Treaty of Versailles, signed on 28 June 1919, which set the terms of peace with Germany. This lesson covers the aims of the Big Three, the key terms of the treaty, and the initial reactions.
Each of the main leaders came to the conference with different aims and priorities.
| Leader | Country | Key Aims |
|---|---|---|
| Georges Clemenceau | France | Wanted to punish Germany harshly and ensure it could never threaten France again. France had suffered enormous damage — much of the fighting had taken place on French soil. Clemenceau demanded heavy reparations, disarmament, and the return of Alsace-Lorraine |
| David Lloyd George | Britain | Took a middle position. Publicly, he had promised to "squeeze Germany until the pips squeak," but privately he wanted a fair settlement that would allow Germany to recover economically (Britain needed Germany as a trading partner). He also wanted to protect the British Empire and naval supremacy |
| Woodrow Wilson | USA | Advocated a fair and lasting peace based on his Fourteen Points (published in January 1918). Key principles included self-determination (peoples choosing their own governments), free trade, disarmament, and the creation of a League of Nations to prevent future wars |
Exam Tip: Understanding the different aims of the Big Three is essential for explaining why the treaty was a compromise. No leader got everything they wanted — Clemenceau wanted harsher terms, Wilson wanted fairer terms, and Lloyd George was caught in the middle.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919. Its key terms can be remembered using the mnemonic LAMB (Land, Army, Money, Blame).
| Territory Lost | Detail |
|---|---|
| Alsace-Lorraine | Returned to France |
| Eupen and Malmedy | Given to Belgium |
| North Schleswig | Given to Denmark (after a plebiscite) |
| West Prussia and Posen | Given to Poland, creating the Polish Corridor — a strip of land that gave Poland access to the sea but separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany |
| Danzig | Made a Free City under League of Nations control |
| The Saar | Placed under League of Nations control for 15 years; France could mine its coal |
| All overseas colonies | Taken away and redistributed as mandates under the League of Nations |
| The Rhineland | Demilitarised — no German troops or fortifications allowed |
| Union with Austria | Forbidden (Anschluss was banned) |
| Restriction | Detail |
|---|---|
| Army | Limited to 100,000 men (no conscription allowed) |
| Navy | Limited to 6 battleships, no submarines |
| Air force | No air force allowed |
| Rhineland | Demilitarised zone; Allied troops to occupy for 15 years |
| Tanks and heavy artillery | Forbidden |
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Amount | Set at £6.6 billion (132 billion gold marks) in 1921 |
| Purpose | To pay for the damage caused by the war, particularly to France and Belgium |
| Payment schedule | To be paid in annual instalments over decades |
| Clause | Detail |
|---|---|
| Article 231 | The War Guilt Clause — Germany had to accept full responsibility for causing the war |
| Significance | This was the clause that Germans resented most. They did not believe they were solely responsible for the war |
Exam Tip: Learn the specific terms of the Treaty of Versailles in detail — the exact army limit (100,000), the reparations figure (£6.6 billion), and Article 231 (War Guilt Clause). Specific knowledge strengthens your answers significantly.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 11 November 1918 | Armistice signed |
| 18 January 1919 | Paris Peace Conference opens |
| 28 June 1919 | Treaty of Versailles signed |
| 1921 | Reparations set at £6.6 billion |
| Figure | Role |
|---|---|
| Georges Clemenceau | French Prime Minister; nicknamed "The Tiger" for his aggressive stance |
| David Lloyd George | British Prime Minister; tried to balance punishment with pragmatism |
| Woodrow Wilson | US President; idealist who proposed the Fourteen Points and the League of Nations |
| Country | Reaction |
|---|---|
| Germany | Outraged. Germans called it a Diktat (dictated peace) because they had no say in the terms. The War Guilt Clause was especially resented. The treaty became a source of lasting bitterness |
| France | Clemenceau faced criticism for not being harsh enough. Many French people felt that Germany had not been sufficiently weakened |
| Britain | Mixed. Some felt the treaty was too harsh and would breed resentment; others felt it was justified |
| USA | The US Senate refused to ratify the treaty or join the League of Nations. Many Americans wanted to return to isolationism |
The Treaty of Versailles was a compromise that satisfied none of the Big Three fully. Germany lost territory, its military was drastically reduced, it was forced to pay enormous reparations, and it had to accept sole blame for the war. Germans bitterly resented these terms, calling the treaty a Diktat. The harshness of the treaty, combined with German resentment, would have profound consequences for European stability in the decades that followed.
Exam Tip: A very common exam question asks whether the Treaty of Versailles was fair. Always present both sides — acknowledge the arguments that it was too harsh AND the arguments that it was justified given the scale of destruction. Then give your own supported judgement.