Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Part 2: Peacemaking 1918–1919
Key issue: How did the Treaty of Versailles establish peace?
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The Paris Peace Conference: the aims of Clemenceau,
Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson: the Fourteen Points
The main terms of the Treaty of Versailles: Diktat;
territorial changes; military restrictions, war guilt and
reparations
The strengths and weaknesses of the Treaty of
Versailles: why Germany objected to it.
The Versailles Conference
Key Words
Reparations-
depression-
Covenant-
sanctions-
Fourteen Points-
armistice-
Disarm-
Big Three-
USSR-
231 Clause-
Communists-
The First World War (1914–1918) had seen a
devastating loss of life with 10 million people died.
The part of France where there had been fighting –
the ‘Western Front’ – was totally destroyed.
In November 1918, Germany had signed a
cease-fire. It was called ‘the Armistice’. The
Germans could not fight any longer. But they
did not think they had surrendered! In January
1919, delegates from 32 countries met at the
Palace of Versailles, near Paris, to make
treaties to end the war. The meeting was
known as the Versailles Conference.
This module studies what happened at the
Conference, the treaties that the leaders
made, and what the world thought about them
Paris peace conference-
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 1 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century January 1918
November 1918
January 1919
June 1919
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 June 1919
Page 2 Armistice: An agreement to stop a conflict (fighting)
AFTER THE WAR…
Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Big Three: The three most powerful and influential allied nations
represented
at Versailles – Britain, France and the United States of
America
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Clause 231: the paragraph blaming Germany for the war.
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Colonies: overseas countries ruled by a European nation (e.g. India
of the British Empire).
was a colony
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Compromise:
when you ‘meet someone half-way’ in an argument.
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Demilitarised
zone: an area where the army is not allowed to go.
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Decisions are made by an elected government chosen
Democracy:
by the people. Individual people’s rights are protected
Delegate: a person representing a country at a conference.
Diktat: A German phrase which means Dictated Peace
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 ƒ
EUROPE IN 1919
In large parts of Europe people were suffering from near starvation because of
naval blockade of Germany preventing the transportation of supplies.
Many countries were in chaos. In Germany the Kaiser had abdicated and fled to
Holland. A new government has taken over but was having difficulty in controlling
the country.
Many people in the allied countries were angry and wanted revenge.
- they had lost over 9 millions people
- their economies were in ruins
- The areas of France and Belgium which had been fought over were
devastated.
- They believed Germany had been to blame for starting the war and so
should be made to pay for it.
The victorious allies met at Versailles, just outside Paris. Holding the conference at
the heart of the country most affected by the war influenced the peacemakers.
32 nations took part, but none of the defeated countries (Germany, Austria
Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria.)
Russia was left out because of its communist government and because it had
broken its alliance with the Allies by making its own Peace.
The Terms of the most important treaty (Versailles) were made by representatives
of:
- Great Britain (Lloyd George)
- France (Georges Clemenceau)
- The USA
(Woodrow Wilson)
Although the Big Three agreed that their task was make sure that such a terrible
war never happened again, each had very different ideas about what should be
done.
Page 3 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Georges Clemenceau
David Lloyd George
War
indemnity: a sum of money
that a country is forced to pay if
it is defeated in war
Woodrow Wilson
Self
–determination: the right of
all people to decide which
country they will be ruled by
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 4 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Background:
Aims:
The French Public:
He
was the Prime Minister of France.
Relationship
with other two:
He wanted revenge, and to punish
the Germans for what they had done.
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 He wanted to make Germany pay for
the damage done during the war.
Page 5 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Background:
Aims:
He was
Prime Minister of England.
The British Public:
He said he would ‘make Germany
pay’ – because he knew that was
what the British people wanted to
hear.
Relationship with other two:
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 He wanted ‘justice’, but he did not
want revenge. He said that the
peace must not be harsh –Page 6 that
would just cause another war in a
Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Woodrow Wilson
(America)
Background:
Aims:
Wilson's aims:
The American Public:
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Relationship with other two:
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Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 To end war by
creating a League of
Nations based on his
Fourteen Points.
To ensure Germany
was not destroyed.
Not to blame Germany
for the war - he hated
the Guilt Clause.
Page 7 Did you know?
Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Write down the Fourteen Points;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The Fourteen Points were originally
part of a speech given by Wilson in
January 1918 to reassure the USA
that the World War was being fought
for a moral cause and to ensure
lasting peace in Europe
Tasks
1. Read the Fourteen Points do you think France
would have supported and which would they
oppose? Explain your answer.
2. Which of the Fourteen Points do you think Britain
would have objected to the most? Explain why.
3. Explain why Germany wanted the peace to be
based on the Fourteen Points.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Examiners Tip
13.
It is important to know the aims of the Big
Three at the conference and to be able to
explain why they were so different
14.
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 8 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century b. Describe the aims of Georges Clemenceau and Woodrow Wilson at the
Paris Peace Conference in 1919.
(6 marks)
Mark Scheme:
Level 2: Either detailed description of
limited aspects (3-4)
Describes one of the following:
ƒ Clemenceau and reparations- cost
of war to France
ƒ Clemenceau and security of
France- Rhineland, disarmament
etc
ƒ Clemenceau and revenge- Alsace
and Lorraine etc
ƒ Wilson’s idealism and views on the
treatment of Germany compared
to Frances view
ƒ Wilson’s fourteen points- examples
ƒ The League of Nations: Wilson’s
Ideal
Or Limited description of a wider
range of aspects
E.g. outline description of their aims
Level 3: Detailed description of
several aspects (5-6)
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Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 At least two of the points
mentioned in the first part of level
2
Two covered well or three
adequately for top level
Must cover both men for this level
Page 9 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Main terms of
The Treaty of Versailles.
Treaty of Versailles 1919
The
Trawl: Territory, Reparations, Armaments, War Guilt, League of Nations
Military restrictions: ARMAMENTS
Reparations
War guilt (The money Germany had to pay for damage done
during the war.)
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 10 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Territorial
changes Plebiscite: a vote by the people on a question of national
importance
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Mandate: the power to rule a country granted by the League in
preparation for self government
Page 11 German Territory losses as a result of the Treaty of Versailles
Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Why Important?
Why Important?
Why Important?
Why Important?
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 12 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century The Germans hated everything about the treaty:
1. They were angry that they had not been allowed to negotiate.
2. 'Deutsche Zeitung', a German newspaper, vowed: "We will never stop until we win back what we deserve."
3. Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, leader of the German delegation at Versailles said Article 231- the war-guilt clause - was: "a lie". Germany
officially denied the war-guilt clause in 1927.
4. There was a revolution (the Kapp Putsch) against the treaty in Berlin in 1920.
5. Germany hated reparations. It had to be made to pay in 1921, defaulted in 1923 and eventually Hitler refused to pay altogether.
Britain
Britain gained some German colonies and the German navy was destroyed but:
1. Lloyd George thought the treaty was too harsh, saying: "We shall have to fight another war again in 25 years time."
2. The British diplomat Harold Nicolson called it: "neither just nor wise" and the people who made it: "stupid".
3. The economist John Maynard Keynes prophesied that reparations would ruin the economy of Europe.
France
France got Alsace-Lorraine, German colonies, harsh reparations and a tiny German army but:
1. Many French people wanted an independent, not a demilitarised, Rhineland.
2. Most French people did not think the League of Nations would protect them against Germany.
America
Woodrow Wilson got the League of Nations, and new nation-states were set up in Eastern Europe but:
1. Wilson thought the treaty was far too harsh.
2. Self-determination proved impossible to implement - neither Czechoslovakia or Yugoslavia survived as united countries.
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 13 Germany’s objections to the Treaty of Versailles
Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Diktat:
Loss of Land
Military restrictions:
War Guilt:
Reparations:
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 14 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Strengths of the Treaty:
Weaknesses of the Treaty:
Did You Know?????????????????
In some ways, the treaty was lenient towards Germany: Austria-Hungary was split
up at the end of the war, whereas Germany remained as one country with a
population of around 60 million compared to 40 million in France. Perhaps this
was the greatest weakness of the Treaty
Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 15 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Examination‐style Questions
Study Source A and then answer all three questions that follow. Source A Friedrich Ebert, president of Germany in 1920, comments on the Treaty of Versailles. We shall never forget those Germans who are to be severed from us. They will be torn from the Reich (Empire), but they will not be torn from our hearts 1. The main decisions at Versailles were taken by the leasers of the three greatest counteries that attended: Clemenceau for France, Lloyd George for Britain and Woodrow Wilson for the USA. Describe the aims of these ‘Big Three’. (4 marks) 2. Source A suggests one reason why Germany objected to the land it lost at Versailles. Do you agree that this was the main reason for German opposition to the territorial terms of the treaty? Explain your answer by referring to the purpose of the source as well as using its content and knowledge. (6 marks) Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 16 Unit 1: International Relations: Conflict and Peace in the 20th Century Year 10 AQA GCSE History Unit 1 Booklet 3of 5 Page 17