| Big four in the Paris peace conference | *Woodrow Wilson of the United States
*Georges Clemenceau of France
*David Lloyd George of Great Britain
*Vittorio Orlando of Italy. |
| The allies Meet | Russia, in the grip of civil war, was not represented. Neither were Germany and its allies. |
| Fourteen Points | Wilsons plan for peace:
*The first four points included an end to secret treaties, freedom of the seas, free trade, and reduced national armies and navies.
*The fifth goal was the adjustment of colonial claims with fairness toward colonial peoples.
*The sixth through thirteenth points were specific suggestions for changing borders and creating new nations. The guiding idea behind these points was self-determination. This meant allowing people to decide for themselves under what government they wished to live.
*the fourteenth point proposed a “general association of nations” that would protect “great and small states alike.” This reflected Wilson’s hope for an organization that could peacefully negotiate solutions to world conflicts. |
| Treaty of Versailles | The Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the Allied powers was signed on June 28, 1919.
The treaty also punished Germany. The defeated nation lost substantial territory and had severe restrictions placed on its military operations. As tough as these provisions were, the harshest was Article 231. It was also known as the “war guilt” clause. It placed sole responsibility for the war on Germany’s shoulders. As a result, Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies. |
| League of Nations | The league was to be an international association whose goal would be to keep peace among nations. |
| mandates | All of Germany’s territories administered by the League of Nations in Africa and the Pacific. The Allies would govern the mandates until they were judged ready for independence. |
| New nations and powers | The western powers signed separate peace treaties with each of the other defeated nations that led to huge land losses for the Central Powers. : Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. Several new countries were created out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia were all recognized as independent nations.
*The Ottoman Turks were forced to give up almost all of their former empire. They retained only the territory that is today the country of Turkey.
*The Allies carved up the lands that the Ottomans lost in Southwest Asia into mandates rather than independent nations.
* Britain received the mandates for Palestine (including Transjordan) and Iraq
*France was assigned the mandates for Syria and Lebanon.
*Russia, which had left the war early, suffered land losses as well. Romania and Poland both gained Russian territory. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, formerly part of Russia, became independent nations. |
| Positive Effects of the League of Nations | • It created more organizations to help other areas in society. It created the (ILO) an organization that promoted better conditions for workers around the world
• It convinces other nations to adopt standard hours for the workers
• Made an end to legal slavery. Specially in the colonies.
• Created the commission of refugees which took care for the people who had to get away from their country to find refuge. |
| Treaty of Versailles - False Peace | *The Treaty of Versailles did little to build a lasting peace.
*The United States rejected the treaty as Americans believed that the United States’ best hope for peace was to stay out of European affairs. Later, they worked out a separate treaty with Germany and its allies
*the treaty with Germany, in particular the war-guilt clause, left a legacy of bitterness and hatred in the hearts of the German people. |
