By Alex Cox
Block 1/A
October 28/13 The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most important documents to ever be signed by world leaders. The document was signed June 28th at the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France after the end of WW1. It was an agreement made between the Allied forces after many long months of negotiations as to what should happen to Germany after the Great War. Woodrow Wilson of America, David Lloyd George of Britain, Clemenceau of France were the “Big Three” at the Paris Peace Conferences and they all had different views on how Germany should have been treated at the end of WW1.
Woodrow Wilson was the president of the USA and knew that the American public wanted to leave Europe to its own devices in order to figure out its own differences. He knew however that the people of Europe would want Germany crippled after what they had done to the rest of Europe during the war. He also knew that if this happened that the rest of Europe would fall right behind Germany. He came up with fourteen points in a speech delivered at the conferences that would help guide the nations of Europe out of the devastation of WW1. The most emphasized points in his address were: no more secret treaties, countries must seek to reduce their weapons and their armed forces, national self-determination should allow people of the same nationality to govern themselves and one nationality should not have the power to govern another, and finally all countries should belong to the League of Nations.
Georges Clemenceau of France wanted one thing from Germany, complete destruction. He had seen the trenches of northern France and wanted revenge on Germany. The French people wanted the same as their leader. They wanted Germany crippled so she could never start a war ever again. The policies of the treaty left both Clemenceau and the French public happy with the outcome of the Paris Peace Conferences.
British leader David Lloyd George had to walk a tight rope during the peace conferences. He felt along with Woodrow Wilson that the correct way to deal with Germany was with leniency. George wanted to put the war behind him and rebuild Germany into a strong trade partner and a buffer from eastern Europe and the rise of Communism. His views were not shared amongst his people. The majority of English wanted the same as the french, revenge on Germany. George had to ensure that he would win a
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