Download - 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