Paper 1, Section B Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939 The Treaty of Versailles What were the aims of the 'Big Three' at the Paris Peace Conference? Interleaving . low stakes questions. 1. When was the German Empire created? P31 2. Who was the Kaiser? P31 3. What is militarism? P31 4. What did Kaiser Wilhelm want to make Germany? 5. What was Germany like before 1871? Pink box p31 Challenge 6. Why did the Kaiser dislike democracy? P31 2. Who was the Kaiser? P31 The person in charge of Germany, inherited his position and ruled like a King. 3. What is militarism? P31 The strengthening of Germany’s military eg the army and the navy and using it to increase Germany’s influence. 4. What did Kaiser Wilhelm want to make Germany? A world power. 5. What was Germany like before 1871? Pink box p31 Lots of small states. Challenge 6. Why did the Kaiser dislike democracy? P31 He thought it was weak and didn’t like working with the Reichstag. He preferred to put his trust in the army. World War One had devastated Europe economically, industrially and socially. About 8 million soldiers and 8 million civilians were dead. Towns and villages were flattened, farms were destroyed and railways had been blown up. It seemed that the world would not be the same again. At the end of the war, the leaders of the winning countries met to decide how to deal with the losing countries - this would be a huge task. The leaders of the winning countries could try to seek revenge or they could try to build a better and more peaceful world. Which way would the discussions go? Who do you think these three men are? What do you think they are talking about? What questions would you like to ask them? The three men are Woodrow Wilson (USA), Georges Clemenceau (France) and David Lloyd George (GB) ie The Big Three. History Dictionary Paris Peace Conference: meeting to decide what to do with countries that had lost WW1, held at the Palace of Versailles near Paris in 1919. World War One: 1914-1918. Fought mainly in northern France and Belgium. The 'Big Three': representatives of the most powerful countries who met at the Paris Peace Conference-GB, USA and France. Sometimes called the Big Four if Italy is included. Colonies: countries under the political control of another country. Peacemakers: the Big Three, ie the leaders deciding on how the peace should be after World War One. The War is over...What should be done with Germany? Was Germany really responsible for the death and destruction? If Germany was blamed and treated too harshly would Germans seek revenge in the future? YOU DECIDE! THE MOOD IN 1919... When the leaders of Britain, France and the USA arrived in Paris in 1919 to draw up the peace treaty...they were under pressure from the public to deal with Germany in a very severe way. There was a strong feeling that Germany should pay for all of the damage and destruction caused by the war. Rank the reasons for the harsh treatment of Germany on your Hexagon Six Diagram... Challenge Write around your diagram the reasons why you have ranked them in that order. Ordinary civilians had to cope with Germany was thought to be too food and medicine ambitious as it had taken huge shortages. amounts of land from Russia...it could have done the same to France and Britain too if they were defeated too! Villages and large areas of Belgium and France had been devastated. Economies of the countries that fought in the war were exhausted. Millions of men had been killed Industries of the countries or injured (on that fought in the war were both sides). exhausted. British and French casualties amounted to over 9 million. The Reasons for the The Reasons for the Harsh Treatment of Harsh Treatment of Germany Germany The Paris Peace Conference In January of 1919, the winners of the 32 winning countries met at the Palace of Versailles to discuss what should happen to Germany. The discussions were headed by the leaders of the most powerful victorious countries: Britain, France and the USA. The leaders of these countries were David Lloyd George (GB), Georges Clemenceau ( France) and Woodrow Wilson (USA). They were known as 'The Big Three'. They had different ideas about how Germany should be treated. Task 1. Who were the Big Three and did they all want the same thing? The Big Three were . 2. What is wrong with the picture? As you watch the clips, write down a few ideas about what each of the 'Big Three' wanted. • https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FG6U9lcPnAw • https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jg0zGgMhqFo (Up to 4 mins 30) Challenge 1.Who do you think had the most realistic attitude towards the way that Germany should be dealt with. Explain your answer. 2. Do you think that treating Germany harshly at this stage , could lead to another war? Explain your answer. The Big Three (green) Leader Country What did did they think of Germany and why? Main aim Clemenceau Stuck? Think about where the fighting had taken place and what had Stuck? What did Clemenceau want to do to Germany and been destroyed. What had happened twice during Clemenceau’ s life? why? Lloyd George Stuck? Think about when the USA joined the war and why it had Stuck? Mention peace and the fact that Germany should made money. Did the USA want revenge on Germany? not be treated too harshly. Fourteen Points. Wilson Stuck? Think about trade, fact that Lloyd George had said that he Stuck? Think about compromise ie he wanted Germany to would ‘make Germany pay’. What was Loyd George cautious? be punished but. Clemenceau 1. Explain what France thought of Germany and why in the third column along in the table. Over two thirds of men that had served in the French army had been killed or injured – the war affected almost an entire generation. Lots of the fighting had taken place in north eastern France and the Germans had destroyed many mines, railways, factories, bridges and farmland.To many French people, Germany was still a powerful and intimidating nation. France had felt threatened by the power of Germany since 1870. In fact, France had been invaded by Germany twice during Clemenceau's lifetime, in 1871 and 1914. Also, public opinion in France was demanding that Germany be crushed, the French wanted revenge. 2. Main aims at the Paris Peace Conference-write these in the fourth column on the table. Clemenceau was the Prime Minister of France. He saw the talks at the Paris Peace Conference as an opportunity to cripple Germany so that it could not attack France again. The French President wanted Germany broken up in to a number of smaller states but Clemenceau knew that the British and Americans would not agree to that. He was realistic and knew he would have to compromise on some issues...but he had to listen to public opinion in France and wanted a treaty that would damage Germany as much as possible! Clemenceau wanted Germany to have its armed forces cut and the German border to be pushed back to the Rhine in eastern Germany so that France was less vulnerable to attack. Wilson 1. Explain what the USA thought of Germany and why in the third column along in the table. At first the USA stayed out of the war and when it did join in 1917, there was no fighting on American soil. The USA made lots of money selling weapons to the British and the French and saw no need for revenge on 10.The countries of Eastern Europe should rule Germany . Wilson drew up 14 points to help end the war fairly and to themselves. prevent further wars arising. For example, establishing the League of 11.Serbia to have access to the sea 12.People in the Turkish Empire able to govern Nations, no secret treaties, free trade between countries and all countries themselves. to work towards disarmament (getting rid of weapons). 13.Poland to become an independent state. 14.League of Nations to be set up 2. Main aims at the Paris Peace Conference-write these in the fourth column on the table. Wilson was the idealist of the three leaders, this means that some people thought he was a 'dreamer' and not very practical. He wanted to make a peaceful world after the war where everyone would be treated fairly. Although Wilson wanted world peace, he still believed that Germany needed to be punished but he thought the treaty should not be too hard. 1. No secret treaties He believed that if Germany was treated harshly, one day it would want revenge! He 2.Free access to the seas in war or peacetime wanted to strengthen democracy so the people of Germany would never allow another war. He 3.Free trade between countries also wanted nations to run themselves and not be ruled by other countries, this is called 4.All countries to work towards disarmament self determination. He also suggested a world parliament called the League of Nations 5.Colonies to have a say in their future where countries could work and trade together. In fact, Wilson had lots of ideas for a 6.German troops to leave Russia 7.Independence for Belgium better world. These are called the Fourteen Points. 8.France to regain the Alsace-Lorraine region 9.Frontier between Italy and Austria to be adjusted. Lloyd George 1.