The Treaty of Versailles The Big Four Woodrow
The Treaty of Versailles
The Big Four • Woodrow Wilson (US) • Georges Clemenceau (Fra) • David Lloyd George (GB) • Vittorio Orlando (Ita)
Wilson’s Goals Idealism The Fourteen Points
Wilson: An intellectual Opposed to War Tried to Keep the US Neutral
Wilson’s 14 Points • “Open covenants, openly arrived at” (no secret diplomacy) • Freedom of the Seas
Wilson’s 14 Points • Removal of Tariffs • Arms Reduction
Wilson’s 14 Points • Fair Colonial Policies • Self-Determination (boundary changes)
Wilson’s 14 Points • #14 League of Nations
European Powers’ Goals Revenge Security Fear of Another War
WWI was different for the Europeans than it was the Americans
Wilson’s Goals Conflict with European Powers’ Goals Wilson: Everlasting Peace vs. Europe: Revenge
Major Provisions of Treaty of Versailles • A League of Nations • (Wilson’s 14 th Point) • - international association of nations • - collective security • -discussion, not warfare • Excluded: Russia, Germany • (eventually, US)
War Guilt and Reparations /Germany = admit sole responsibility for WWI. /Reparations: To compensate victors for costs of war To be paid by Germany $33 billion over 30 years
Territorial Changes in the Treaty of Versailles
Nations Losing Territory: /Germany /Russia /Ottoman Empire /Austria-Hungary
Special Losses For Germany • Polish Corridor • Surrenders colonies • Returns Alsace-Lorraine • French Border to Rhine River
New Nations Created Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania Poland Czechoslovakia Austria Hungary Yugoslavia
Mandates Admin by Great Britain France Palestine Syria Iraq Lebanon Transjordan
Arguments over ratification of Treaty of Versailles in the U. S. Senate • Senate’s Constitutional Role: –Ratify treaties –“Advise and Consent” –Article II, Section 2 – 2/3 Approval needed
Issues Affecting US Acceptance • Fear of US drawn into Euro Troubles • Political in-fighting
Three Groups in Senate: 1 l 1. Wilsonians (D) -immediate ratification
Three Groups in Senate: 2 l 2. “Irreconcilables” - Borah, La Follette -oppose US membership in international L of N
Three Groups in Senate: 3 l 3. “Moderates”/”Reservationists” - favored a watered-down version to protect American interests
Amended Treaty of Versailles • Lodge: Congressional approval for US troops • defeated by Wilsonians and “irreconcilables”
Henry Cabot Lodge
Original Treaty of Versailles • Defeated by “Reservationists” and “Irreconcilables”
A Final Defeat for the Treaty of Versailles • Presidential Election of 1920 • Warren G. Harding (R) • Seen as a mandate against the League
- Slides: 60