“The Treaty of Versailles was the peace settlement signed after World War I had ended in 1918,” (#8, pg1). “It was based on an agreement made between the Allied Nations, influenced by Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points… The treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 in Versailles, France. It took effect on January 10, 1920, after being ratified by France, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and Germany,” (#9, pg1). However, before all that had happened, the Paris Peace Conference was the first step in establishing peace between both the Allies and the Central Powers. “Wilson was determined to lead the American peace delegation to Versailles himself,” and, “on December 2nd he revealed his intentions to go to Versailles to a joint session of Congress,” (#1, pg 128). That was the first time any president of the United States left American soil during his presidency. After that on, “January 1919 Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Britain, President Woodrow Wilson of the USA, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau of France, and Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando of Italy,” (#4, pg1), made an attempt to put together the Treaty of Versailles. “These leaders were known as the Big Four and met to decide the fate of Germany after the First World War,” (#4, pg1). As the counties argued and negotiated, every representative from their country wanted their own unique part. Lloyd-George of Britain was eager for revenge, but was also worried about the dangers of treating Germany to harshly (#4, pg1). Clemenceau of France wanted, “Germany to pay for all the damage that France suffered during the years of fighting,” (#4, pg1). Wilson of the USA, “believed Germany should be treated fairly and that a League of Nations should be set up to settle future disputes between countries,” (#4, pg2). And finally Orlando of Italy, “wanted his fair share from the spoils of war,” (#4, pg2). Even though these countries were known as the Big Four it was really the Big Three since Italy was often left out on the sidelines when important debates took place. Because it was excluded, Italy was left with feelings of anger, which helped fuel the extreme nationalism that turned into fascism. In the end when all was over and the treaty was created; all three countries were satisfied. Britain was happy at the fact that it got some German colonies to expand its empire and the small German navy, which “helped Britain to continue to rule the waves” (#3, pg3). France liked the reparations such as “the tiny German army and the demilitarized zone in the Rhineland,” (#3, pg2). Both would help France better defend itself. France also got obtain Alsace- Lorraine and German colonies. As for America, we were pleased that the treaty included a League of Nations and, “self-determination for the peoples of Eastern Europe,” (#3, pg1).
Due to Wilson’s Fourteen Points and the Treaty of Versailles, many positive and negative outcomes were created for the Allies and Central Powers. From the Fourteen Points the Allies would gain the League of Nations that gave the Allies more control over the stability of peace within the world. Also from the Fourteen Points the United States retrieved more of a say towards the peace treaty, as well as a voice out to other countries showing people what we were about. On the other hand the Fourteen Points demanded for the freedom of seas, which was bad for Britain. Freedom of Seas would have put the British in a disadvantage. With everyone suddenly obtaining open seas, the British would lose some of power it once had. Even though Wilson created the Fourteen Points, we too could have been in a disadvantage. The reason is stated in the fourth point, “Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety,” (#7, pg1). Advantages the US and Britain had over the other countries would have been destroyed, giving that it would have created an equal army for all nations. As for the Central Powers; the bad aspects of the Fourteen Points for the Allies would be the good aspects for them. Such aspects would include the Freedom of Seas and the national reduction of weapon numbers. The concept of Freedom of Seas could have discontinued all the British blockades put on Germany and end the slow starvation of the German people. The reduction of weapons would make all countries equal, meaning no Allie could have an advantage over the Central powers. In contrast the bad features of the Fourteen Points would include the loss of empires and land. Such lands loss would consist of Alsace-Lorraine and Poland from Germany. After the Fourteen Points were over, the Treaty of Versailles followed. Within the treaty there were good and bad features for the Allies as well. For Wilson it was good how it contained a League of Nations for the world and self-determination for the people of Eastern Europe, but it was bad how, “some of his Fourteen Points did not get into the Treaty,” and the fact that, “when Wilson went back to America, the Senate refused to join the League of Nations,” (#3, pg2). Clemenceau of France liked the harsh things that were in the Treaty, such as the reparations, the tiny German army and the demilitarized zone in Rhineland (#3, pg2). He also enjoyed it when, “France got Alsace-Lorraine, and German colonies.” However, Clemenceau wanted the, “treaty to be harsher and Germany to be split up into smaller countries,” (#3, pg2). George from Britain liked the idea of a small German navy and how Britain obtained some German colonies to expand their empire. He hated how harsh the treaty was to Germany and thought it would cause another war. As for the Central Powers little to no good came out of the Treaty. Much of German land was given away, such as West Prussia, Posen, and Upper Silesia was given to Poland. Germany was not allowed an air force or submarines, it was only able to have 6 capital naval ships and its army was reduced to 100,000 men (#8, pg4). “Austria and Hungary were separated, and much of their land was given to Yugoslavia, Romania, Italy, and the newly independent Poland and Czechoslovakia,” (#11, pg2). The Treaty also forced Germany to take all the blame for the war and pay reparations.
After the Treaty of Versailles much was changed especially in Europe. The Big Three seemed to be satisfied with the Treaty since they believed that it was justified, as it kept Germany weak yet strong enough to stop the spread of communism. However, it left much of the Germans angry with the feeling that its nation was treated unfairly. Above all else, Germany despised the reparations put upon them as well as Clause 231, blaming them for the cause of the war (#8, pg 6). In addition, changes were made among the geography of Europe; with Germany and Austria- Hungary forced to give land to other nations. All of these things compounded to intense anger, which helped Hitler and the Nazis come to power quickly and eventually established World War I.
In the end, I feel that Germany was unjustly treated by the Allied powers. The Fourteen Points and the Treaty of Versailles, while temporarily made peace, really were ineffective in the long run. It left too much anger in the Germans and was too in favor of the Allies. Therefore, I feel that the Treaty of Versailles did not stop the fighting at all; it only increased it and was the fuel for the fire of World War II.