treaty of versailles: the failure of peace

The Failure of PeaceThe Rise of Nationalism in the

Colonies

Chapter 28

AP World History

The Meeting of the Big Four

• France: Georges Clemenceau– Brand Germany an aggressor and force it to

pay huge reparations– Use German resources to strengthen France

• Britain: David Lloyd George– Mediate between France and USA– Win reparations to gain favor of electorate

The Meeting of the Big Four

• Italy: Vitorio Orlando– Claim control of Italia Irridente

• USA: Woodrow Wilson– Grant self-determination to all people living

under foreign rule (white people only)– Create peace without victory– Create an international peace-keeping

organization (League of Nations)

Peace Settlements

• Wilson proposes the 14 Points1. End of secret treaties

2. Freedom of the seas

3. Free trade

4. Arms reduction

5. Just settlement of colonial claims

6. -13. Evacuation of occupied territories and self determination

14. Establishment of League of Nations

The Treaty of Versailles

• Rejected all but the last of Wilson’s 14 Points

• Forced Germany to accept full blame for WWI

high reparations 40 Billion, Germany’s loss of colonies, German disarmament

• Promises made to allies by Entente Powers often broken

• Redrew European borders

Why It Fails

• Diktat: dictated peace, no negotiations

• German representatives humiliated

• Germany reduced in size and strength

• Germany forced to accept total blame and pay HUGE reparations

• Austro-Hungarian empire dismembered

• Czechoslovakia and Poland given huge pieces of land from Germany

Germany shall be compelled to deliver 140,000 milch cows to the victors. -The Peace Treaty. From the Russian newspaper The LIberator

Why It Fails

• New Bolshevik leaders from Russia not invited (causes tension)

• Wartime promises made to Arabs forgotten and Britain and France create Mandates in the Middle East

• China’s pleas for help against Japanese aggression ignored

Why It Fails

• Woodrow Wilson refuses to meet with Ho Chi Minh, future communist leader of Vietnam

• Italy not granted control of Italia irridente

• US Congress refuses to ratify Treaty of Versailles or join League of Nations

WWI and Nationalist Movements in the Colonies

• Britain and France reneged on promises to grant sovereignty to colonies in Asia and Africa who aided the war effort

• Devastation of WWI doubt about European racial superiority

• Social and economic disruption led to mass anti-colonial movements in Egypt, India, and Ivory Coast

• Once started anti-colonial movements could not be stopped