Paris Peace Conference

Treaty of Versailles
What is the Treaty of Versailles?
Treaty of Versailles is the treaty that ended war
between Allied powers and Germany.

Treaty of Versailles decided the future of

Germany(Weimar Republic) after WWI.

Allies forced Weimar government to sign some

harsh terms which led to decades of instability in
Germany.

Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for WW1.

Due to the paris peace conference treaties ,

alliances, rules and groups were formed
Major players and their aims
32 states participated in the treaty
representing more than two thirds of the
world population.
Due to the participation in WW1
France,Britain,USA became leading
members of the treaty.
Each country wanted to treat Germany
differently.
France in the treaty
France suffered total 1.7 million casualties in the war.Many
main battles of the war took place in France.France
suffered in both men and infrastructure.

They had national desire of revenge for Germany’s inflicted

casualties on the France and humiliating defeat of France
in the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 which ended by
Germany’s annexation of Alsace Lorraine.

France’s prime minister G.Clemenceau aimed to bring the

peace that could long last in the future.So he planned to
punish Germany harshly so they could not able recover
their strength and attack France again.

They wanted huge amounts of war reparations and

demilitarization in Germany.

France wanted to take Alsace Lorraine back,Germany’s

colonies and Saar Basin.

Clemenceau wanted to form independent Rhineland to

prevent from tensions with Germany.
Britain in the treaty
Britain suffered a total of approximately 1 million
casualties (both military and civilian)

At first Britain wanted a more harsher treaty for Germany

and was on the side with french but soon came to realize
it is more beneficial for britain and the future well being of
Britain depended a lot for the europe economy to be
revived again.That depended a lot on Germany so when
he arrived in paris in january 1919 he was pursuing
british interests that was also not too harsh for Germany.

He did persuade Clemenceau to abandon the idea of

making rhineland a independent state, abandon the idea
of making Germany pay high reparations ,to abandon
they idea that the Saar Basin on the border shared by
France and Germany to be transferred to France and to
abandon the idea that Danzig should be handed over to
poland
America in the treaty
President Woodrow Wilson wanted a fair peace , and
he thought that an unjust treaty would lead to wars in
the future but he wanted germany to take the blame for
world war 1 because he felt like it was Germany's fault.

Wilson called for an end to secret diplomacy, a

reduction of armaments, and freedom of the seas. He
claimed that reductions to trade barriers, fair
adjustment of colonies, and respect for national
self-determination would reduce economic and
nationalist sentiments that lead to war.

Wilson hoped to promote self determination to help the

long term stability of europe and to practice this meant
self determination for Poles, Czechs and Slavs
Terms of The Treaty of Versailles
❖ War guilt clause(Article 231) Germany and central power countries had to accept
total responsibility for starting war.
❖ Germany had to pay war reparations to the allies.(mainly France)(Germany was to
pay 33 billion dollars as war reparations)
❖ Disarmament-Reduced army number to 100000,No tanks artillery armored vehicles
are allowed,Huge restrictions of naval force no submarines,Rhineland became
demilitarised zone
❖ Some of the German territories were given to neighbouring and new formed
countries,Germany lost all of their colonies and was divided into allied forces
❖ Treaty of Brest Litovsk was cancelled
❖ Union between Germany and Austria was forbidden
❖ Covenant of the League of Nations
 Wilson’s fourteen points
President W.Wilson introduced his 14 points of the basis of the peace
settlement.He hoped that it would decrease the chance of triggering
World War again.

1. No more secret treaties

2. Free navigation of the seas in peacetime and wartime
3. Removal of economic trade barriers
4. Reduction of armaments for all countries
5. Impartial settlement of colonial disputes taking into account the
interests of both the colonial population and the governing
countries.
6. German troops to leave Russia
7. Independence for Belgium
8. Return of Alsace Lorraine to France
9. Readjustments of Italian frontiers in line with nationality.
10. Self determination for people of Austro-Hungary
11. Evacuation and restoration of invaded Balkan countries
12. Self determination for people of the Ottoman empire
13. Establishment of independent Poland with access to the sea
14. Establishment of General Association of Nations
Treaty of Saint Germain (Austria) 10 September 1919
● The new republic of austria had to accept the
break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
● Austria had to recognize the independence of
Hungary , Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and
Poland
● Territory from the other former empire was
transferred to Czechoslovakia, Poland ,
Yugoslavia, Italy , and Romania.
● Union between Austria and Germany was
forbidden
● Ottoman empire and the Austro-Hungarian
empire came to an end
Treaty of Trianon 4 June 1920 (With Hungary)
● Hungary had to accept the breakup
of Austrian-Hungary Empire
● Hungary had to recognize the
independence of Yugoslavia and
Czechoslovakia
● Territory from the former empire
was transferred to
Czechoslovakia,Yugoslavia and
Romania
Treaty of Neuilly 27 November 1919 (with Bulgaria)

● Bulgaria had to recognise the

independence of Yugoslavia
● Bulgaria lost territory to
Greece,Yugoslavia,Romania.
● Bulgaria had to pay war
reparation to allies.
The Treaty of Sevres 10 August 1920 (with Turkey)

● Turkey had to recognise the

independence of Saudi Arabia and
Armenia
● Turkey lost their provinces in the
Middle East to Britain and France
● Turkey lost territory to Greece and
Italy
● The Dardanelles Strait was to
become an international waterway.
Treaty of Lausanne (with Turkey) 24 July 1923
● Turkey confirmed the loss of its
provinces in the Middle East.
● Turkey received back most of its
European territory
● The Dardanelles Strait was to return to
Turkish sovereignty
● Restrictions on armed forces were
removed.
● Turkey was no longer to pay
reparations.
Thank you for paying
attention