Attitude towards Germany:
The war affected almost an entire generation. France suffered enormous damage to its land, industry, people and self confidence. France felt threatened by Germany because Germany was seen as a threat.
Main Aim:
Use the Treaty to his advantage in weakening Germany. French President Poincare wanted Germany broken up into a collection of smaller states but Clemenceau was realistic and knew that the British and Americans would not agree to this, so they had to be rational.
How he felt about the treaty
Clemenceau (as well as French President Poincare) saw the Treaty as an opportunity to cripple Germany so that they could not make attacks on France or other European countries anymore.
Woodrow Wilson (United States)
Attitude towards Germany:
Wilson wants Germany to be punished but believed that the punishment should not be too harsh because if it was, Germany would eventually get its revenge back.
Main Aim:
Wilson was seen an idealist whose aim was to build a better and more peaceful world from the ruins of the Great War, but he still would not be pushed around. His main aim was to strengthen democracy in the defeated nation so that is people would not let its leaders cause another war.
How he felt about the treaty
He believed that nations should cooperate to achieve world peace. He believed that the Treaty should punish Germany but not too harshly. He published his "Fourteen Points" which would ultimately help to achieve this. However many people in Britain and France did not agree with these fourteen points.
David Lloyd George (Great Britain)
Attitude towards Germany:
Wanted Germany to be justly punished but not too harshly. Wanted Germany to lost its navy and its colonies because Britain thought that they threatened the British Empire. He agreed with Wilson that if punishment was too harsh, Germany might seek revenge within another war in the future.
Main Aim:
Wanted ultimately to keep a good relationship with Germany because before the war they were trading partners. Trading meant jobs for them so keeping a safe relationship was essential.
How he felt about the treaty:
George was often times middle ground. Agreed mostly with Wilson about the Treaty -- fair punishment but not too much.
Main Terms of the Treaty of Versailles against Germany
2. Read pages 18 - 19. Summarize the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles:
War Guilt:
The simple clause that said that Germany was responsible for starting the war, though it was very harsh, the Germans knew that they had to accept this fact.
Reparations:
The major powers agreed that Germany was to pay reparations to the Allies for the damage caused by war. The final amount that they had to pay wasn't agreed to until 1921 when it landed at 6,600 million pounds. Germany finally finished paying this off in 1984.
German Territories and Colonies:
Germany's overseas empire was taken away. The League of Nations controlled them now, which meant Britain and France. Germany's European borders were very extensive and the section dealing with former German territories was a complicated part of the Treaty. The Treaty forbade Germany to join together with its former ally Austria.
Germany's Armed Forces:
Germany's army was a major concern of all powers (especially France). The Treated restricted German armed forces to a level well below what they had been before the war.
- Army was limited to 100,000 men.
- Conscription was banned -- soldiers had to be volunteers.
- Germany was not allowed armored vehicles, submarines or aircraft.
- The navy could build only six battleships. The Rhineland became a demilitarized zone. No German troops were allowed into that area. The Rhineland was important because it was the border area between Germany and France.
The League of Nations were responsible for setting up international "police force" (a new method of keeping peace). Germany was not invited to join the League until it had shown that it was a peace-loving country.
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