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Home , Big Four (World War I), Peace conference, Peace treaty, Young Plan

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Paris Conference Chair: Neil Rangwani Director:

Committee Chair: Person ‘year Director:

PARIS PMUNC 2014

Contents

Introduction……………………..……………..……………..……..……3

Contents…………….……………………………..……………………...6

2 Committee Chair: Person ‘year Director:

PARIS PMUNC 2014

Introduction

Historical Context France, the United States, and –

David Lloyd George, Georges

The First World concluded with Clemenceau, Woodrow , and the signing of an between Vittorio Orlando – yielded several major

Germany and the Allied forces on decisions.1 The of Versailles,

November 11, 1918. The Armistice, Saint-Germain, Neuilly, Trianon, and however, only marked a cessation of Sèvres were agreed with , hostilities between the two sides. It was Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and the not until January 18, 1919 that formal Ottoman Empire, respectively. New discussions began at Versailles outside were drawn in Europe leading to of Paris to determine the terms of the the establishment of new states. peace. The Paris , as it Territories in the Middle East and the came to be known, brought together former colonial possessions became representatives from representatives of mandates under the protection of

30 nations to draft the peace treaties specific Allied powers. The Paris Peace between the Allies and the members of Conference had a major impact on the the Central Powers and define the face world after . of post-war Europe and the other regions that had witnessed major fighting during the conflict. The negotiations, dominated 1 https://history.state.gov/milestones/19 by the “Big Four” of Great Britain, 14-1920/paris-peace

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expected to display a high level of

Goal of Committee maturity and professionalism in dealing

with sensitive issues that may have

The goal of this committee will be to personal overtones for some. Such re-imagine the major decisions made decisions have real consequences for during the Paris Peace Conference. real people, and it is critical not to

Discussion will focus on two areas – the become so engrossed in the simulation terms of the peace agreed with of this event that one forgets the gravity

Germany and the post-war division of of what is being contemplated, debated, territory. or executed. That being said, this

committee is meant to be enjoyable and

educational, and we encourage an

Committee Rules and Guidelines appropriate sense of humor from each of

you – the chairs and directors intend to

The committees will be run under do the same. standard parliamentary procedure. There will be no crisis notes or portfolio powers in this simulation. We are Awards and Judgment assembled for a negotiation, not a On the subject of committee awards continuation of hostilities. and judging: Our assessment will be

Debate is expected to be intelligent, based on how well you performed within productive, and at times lively, but the scope of your position, and how always appropriate. Delegates are much you constructively and plausibly

4 PARIS PMUNC 2014 contributed to the committee’s others. For the most part, however, operations. Judging is not necessarily a representatives understand the value of test of who comes in with the most compromise and settling for a lesser of background knowledge nor who speaks evils in order to achieve higher goals. the loudest and longest nor who agrees The business of negotiation requires obsequiously with the chairs. pragmatism and operators must be

accustomed to disappointment and You will also be judged on your failure without losing sight of the greater ability to cooperate with the others for goal. When deciding which actions to the benefit of the committee and as well pursue, the chairs will give stronger as promote your own interests for the consideration to consensus benefit of your individual state. Given recommendations. As such, it is helpful the importance of the mission of the if you try not only to persuade the chairs, committee and what is at stake, taking a but also your fellow delegates. Finally, hard-line stance is neither necessarily we will also consider the level to which appropriate nor helpful. There are each delegate contributes to an amicable exceptions; certain positions require and fun atmosphere in the committee. ideological or doctrinal purity more than

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Content: them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.”2 This article would come be known as the “War Guilt Clause”. It

angered Germans who believed that they The agreed upon had not lost the war at the signing of the between Germany and the Allies was a Armistice. Many later targeted the War comprehensive document encompassing Guilt clause in their efforts to undermine many subjects. In order to focus the entire treaty and attract international discussion, the committee will focus on sympathy for what they felt was unfair the following points: blame. Delegates must debate whether or

not Germany guilty in causing the war War Guilt and to what extent. Were there other

countries more responsible for causing The Treaty of Versailles placed the the outbreak of war? Who is the guilty blame for World War I squarely on party (or parties)? Germany. In Article 231 of the Treaty,

Germany and the Allies agreed that Reparations “Germany accepts the responsibility of

Germany and her allies for causing all Accompanying the war guilt clause the loss and damage to which the Allied in the Treaty of Versailles is the and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a 2 http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/vers consequence of the war imposed upon a/versa7.html

6 PARIS PMUNC 2014 imposition of reparations upon safer to cripple your enemy in the short-

Germany. Representatives at the term and risk a violent response in the

Conference such as Georges future? Can you convince your own

Clemenceau sought to cripple Germany constituency to accept a more lenient and prevent them engaging in future alternative? conflicts between European states.

Because the Central Powers were very weak and unable to pay after the war, Territorial Realignment most of the reparations fell to Germany.

The payment plan caused many Territorial realignment after World significant problems over the next War I was significant and especially decade, including a French occupation of punitive to the Central Powers. It also

German territory to enforce payments attempted to create states based on and multiple new payment plans as the ethnic and cultural boundaries. Some of situation such as the and the the states created include:

Young Plan. The reparations were seen • Austria as a national humiliation in Germany, • Hungary and indirectly led the nationalist • Czechoslovakia attitudes that contributed to the Second • Yugoslavia World War. Delegates must consider • Finland whether reparations are an adequate Estonia punishment for Germany if it is indeed • found culpable in causing the war. Is it • Latvia

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• Lithuania should bear in mind the repercussions of

changing the boundaries from not only a The Middle East was similarly divided political standpoint, but also from following the war. It was divided not nationalist, ethnic, and religious into emerging states, however, but standpoints. It is up to you to determine mandates governed by European powers. the face of the post-war world. Despite the efforts of Arab leaders and their European supporters to secure an independent Arab state, the Sykes-Picot Some major players and their agreement – a secret treaty made during opinions the war between France and Britain dividing the Middle East between the US: President and his two – was ultimately respected. The of 1918 are popular but ramifications of these significant in opposition to some European changes in borders can be seen in both positions. The United States is somewhat the Middle East and Europe today. The opposed to unilateral declarations of boundaries established by Western blame for the war. The United State also diplomats have led to interstate conflict has interests in the Middle East and the over the specific demarcation of said continuation of liberal nationalism to borders and intrastate conflict between that end. different ethnic and religious groups UK: Prime Minister David Lloyd living in the same states. Delegates will George concerns himself with the discuss if and how borders will change national well being of the United following the First World War. They

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Kingdom, dedicating time to ensuring particularly spaces contested by China.

French safety, and gaining support for The delegation walked out the the . In addition, conference dissatisfied.

Lloyd George fights for the British China: Lou Tseng-Tsiang and his dominions and their right to benefit from delegation demanded Japanese-claimed the peace conference process. The result territory. When rejected, the May Fourth was the assignment of provinces to movement sprung up and the Chinese close-by responsible supervisors, delegation did not sign the Treaty of effectively giving them rights of British Versailles. dominions.

Italy: Originally a member of the Triple France: Prime Minister George Alliance, Italy only joined the Allied Clemenceau set out to cripple German Forces in 1915 following the Treaty of power across the board, preventing London. Prime Minister Vittorio future war power. There is also evidence Orlando is widely seen as having that some in the French government felt expansionist plans to increase the power otherwise. Plan accordingly. of his Mediterranean nation. Italy would

Japan: Former Prime Minister Marquess later be limited by other powers in the

Saionji Kinmochi and his delegation negotiations. were initially included in the “big five” but did not keep the position, focusing instead on racial equality and the

Japanese right to certain territory,

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