HISTORY IGCSE NOTES
Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair?
What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles?
THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE 1919-20
❏ 11th November 1918, Germany signed a ceasefire ‘the Armistice’
❏ Took place in the Palace of Versailles a short distance from Paris and lasted 12 months
❏ 32 nations were supposed to be represented but the defeated nations weren’t invited
❏ 5 treaties were drawn up
● Treaty of Versailles
● Treaty of St Germain (1919)
● Treaty of Neuilly (1919)
● Treaty of Trianon (1920)
● Treaty of Sevres (1920)
❏ All important decisions concerning Germany were made up by the Big Three who were
supported by a large number of diplomats, though they ignored their advice.
WOODROW WILSON - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
● Brought optimism to the Treaty of Versailles
● Drew up the fourteen points on the basis of ending the
war fairly so that future war could be avoided
● Return Alsace Lorraine to France
● Free navigation of the seas in peacetime and wartime
● Disarmament of all countries
❏ Don’t be too harsh on Germany: He believed that Germany
should be punished, but not too severely because they might
seek revenge in the future, causing another war. He was also
concerned that extremists groups would take advantage of
Germany’s resentment (such as communists) and seize power
over Germany.
❏ Strengthen democracy in defeated countries: He believed that
to maintain peace, they should strengthen democracy in
defeated countries, and therefore the people would not allow
their leaders to cause another war
❏ Give self-determination to small countries that had once been part of the European empires and
Turkish Empire: Wanted Easter-Europeans (the Poles, Czechs and Slovaks) to rule themselves
rather than being in the Austrian-Hungary empire.
, ❏ International cooperation: This would be achieved through the ‘League of Nations’ which was
the most important of his fourteen points. He believed that with this League, peace could be
better maintained with proper communication.
DAVID LLYOD GEORGE - BRITAIN
● A ‘realist’, knew that a compromise had to be made.
● Agreed with Woodrow in public, but annoyed that Woodrow
came to Europe ‘like a missionary’
● Reparations not too high for fear Germany would want revenge
and also because he wanted the trade to continue between Germany
and Britain. Germany was Britain’s second-largest trading partner,
which brought a lot of jobs.
● Wanted Germany to lose its navy and colonies because they
threatened the British empire.
● Wanted Germany to keep Rhineland (where most of Germany’s
industry was) or else they wouldn’t be wealthy enough to trade with Britain.
Lloyd George was facing a lot of pressure back at home for there to be a harsh Treaty. The British had
lost over 1 million people to the war and were facing food shortages and hardships. They had also been
fed anti-German propaganda for 4 years and saw how Germany Treated Russia after their surrender.
Lloyd George promised to make Germany pay in his re-election campaign. However, Britain needed
Germany to have a good economy. A weak Germany would be susceptible to communism.
GEORGE CLEMENCEAU - FRANCE
● Believed that the Treaty was a way to cripple Germany into not
attacking France ever again
● Permanent disarmament
● High reparations
● Alsace-Lorraine and Saar Basin to France
● Rhineland to become an independent state so France wouldn’t
share a border with Germany
● No League of Nations
● Germany broken into smaller states
France suffered a lot from the war and wanted revenge. They had lost ⅔ of the men in their army,
damage to their land, industry and self-confidence. The French people wanted a Treaty that would
damage Germany as much as possible. The French president even wanted Germany to be split into
states, however, Clemenceau knew that Britain and the US would never agree to that. He Had seen his
country be attacked by Germany twice (1870 and 1914)
, *defeated countries were not allowed self-determination, meaning racial minorities were stuck in new
countries. Germany banned from merging with Austria (Anschluss)
Why was self-determination not implemented:
● Wilson’s views threatened Britain and France as they were imperialists and did not believe that
colonies shouldn’t have self-determination.
● It would be impractical since the people of Eastern Europe were scattered due to the war,
Wilson was a foreigner and didn’t grasp this. Some people would be bound to end up being
ruled by other nationalities with different customs.
● Self-determination would leave many small countries that could be easily exploited
Who What they liked about the TOV What they didn’t like about the TOV
George Clemenceau ● France would be the recipient ● Wasn’t harsh enough,
of reparations. If Germany Germany could recover
kept to the TOV, they would ● Worried about Eastern
secure the Eastern frontier frontier
● Received Alsace Lorraine and
other colonies
● German’s land population and
resources reduced significantly
Llyod George ● Expanded British colonies ● Placement of german
● Felt TOV punished Germany speaking people under
without destroying the French/Polish rule
economy and chance of ● The 14 points restrict the
communism British navy and colonies
Woodrow Wilson ● LON was created ● TOV too harsh
● Rhineland still a part of ● Free navigation of seas
Germany abandoned
● Poland, Czechoslovakia and ● Britain, France and Japan
Yugoslavia independent rewarding themselves with
Germany colonies
Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair?
What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles?
THE PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE 1919-20
❏ 11th November 1918, Germany signed a ceasefire ‘the Armistice’
❏ Took place in the Palace of Versailles a short distance from Paris and lasted 12 months
❏ 32 nations were supposed to be represented but the defeated nations weren’t invited
❏ 5 treaties were drawn up
● Treaty of Versailles
● Treaty of St Germain (1919)
● Treaty of Neuilly (1919)
● Treaty of Trianon (1920)
● Treaty of Sevres (1920)
❏ All important decisions concerning Germany were made up by the Big Three who were
supported by a large number of diplomats, though they ignored their advice.
WOODROW WILSON - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
● Brought optimism to the Treaty of Versailles
● Drew up the fourteen points on the basis of ending the
war fairly so that future war could be avoided
● Return Alsace Lorraine to France
● Free navigation of the seas in peacetime and wartime
● Disarmament of all countries
❏ Don’t be too harsh on Germany: He believed that Germany
should be punished, but not too severely because they might
seek revenge in the future, causing another war. He was also
concerned that extremists groups would take advantage of
Germany’s resentment (such as communists) and seize power
over Germany.
❏ Strengthen democracy in defeated countries: He believed that
to maintain peace, they should strengthen democracy in
defeated countries, and therefore the people would not allow
their leaders to cause another war
❏ Give self-determination to small countries that had once been part of the European empires and
Turkish Empire: Wanted Easter-Europeans (the Poles, Czechs and Slovaks) to rule themselves
rather than being in the Austrian-Hungary empire.
, ❏ International cooperation: This would be achieved through the ‘League of Nations’ which was
the most important of his fourteen points. He believed that with this League, peace could be
better maintained with proper communication.
DAVID LLYOD GEORGE - BRITAIN
● A ‘realist’, knew that a compromise had to be made.
● Agreed with Woodrow in public, but annoyed that Woodrow
came to Europe ‘like a missionary’
● Reparations not too high for fear Germany would want revenge
and also because he wanted the trade to continue between Germany
and Britain. Germany was Britain’s second-largest trading partner,
which brought a lot of jobs.
● Wanted Germany to lose its navy and colonies because they
threatened the British empire.
● Wanted Germany to keep Rhineland (where most of Germany’s
industry was) or else they wouldn’t be wealthy enough to trade with Britain.
Lloyd George was facing a lot of pressure back at home for there to be a harsh Treaty. The British had
lost over 1 million people to the war and were facing food shortages and hardships. They had also been
fed anti-German propaganda for 4 years and saw how Germany Treated Russia after their surrender.
Lloyd George promised to make Germany pay in his re-election campaign. However, Britain needed
Germany to have a good economy. A weak Germany would be susceptible to communism.
GEORGE CLEMENCEAU - FRANCE
● Believed that the Treaty was a way to cripple Germany into not
attacking France ever again
● Permanent disarmament
● High reparations
● Alsace-Lorraine and Saar Basin to France
● Rhineland to become an independent state so France wouldn’t
share a border with Germany
● No League of Nations
● Germany broken into smaller states
France suffered a lot from the war and wanted revenge. They had lost ⅔ of the men in their army,
damage to their land, industry and self-confidence. The French people wanted a Treaty that would
damage Germany as much as possible. The French president even wanted Germany to be split into
states, however, Clemenceau knew that Britain and the US would never agree to that. He Had seen his
country be attacked by Germany twice (1870 and 1914)
, *defeated countries were not allowed self-determination, meaning racial minorities were stuck in new
countries. Germany banned from merging with Austria (Anschluss)
Why was self-determination not implemented:
● Wilson’s views threatened Britain and France as they were imperialists and did not believe that
colonies shouldn’t have self-determination.
● It would be impractical since the people of Eastern Europe were scattered due to the war,
Wilson was a foreigner and didn’t grasp this. Some people would be bound to end up being
ruled by other nationalities with different customs.
● Self-determination would leave many small countries that could be easily exploited
Who What they liked about the TOV What they didn’t like about the TOV
George Clemenceau ● France would be the recipient ● Wasn’t harsh enough,
of reparations. If Germany Germany could recover
kept to the TOV, they would ● Worried about Eastern
secure the Eastern frontier frontier
● Received Alsace Lorraine and
other colonies
● German’s land population and
resources reduced significantly
Llyod George ● Expanded British colonies ● Placement of german
● Felt TOV punished Germany speaking people under
without destroying the French/Polish rule
economy and chance of ● The 14 points restrict the
communism British navy and colonies
Woodrow Wilson ● LON was created ● TOV too harsh
● Rhineland still a part of ● Free navigation of seas
Germany abandoned
● Poland, Czechoslovakia and ● Britain, France and Japan
Yugoslavia independent rewarding themselves with
Germany colonies
