The Peace Treaties, 1919–1920

In this module you will learn:

1. THIRTY new words

2. The names of the ‘Big Three’ leaders at the Versailles Conference.
3. The aims of Clemenceau (4), Wilson (7) and Lloyd George (5) at the Conference.
4. The FOUR main terms of the Treaty of Versailles [BRAT].
5. FIVE reasons the Germans were angry about the Treaty of Versailles.
6. What Clemenceau, Wilson and Lloyd George felt about the Treaty of Versailles.
7. The FOUR other treaties of 1919–1920.
8. FOUR reasons the Treaty of Versailles was more important than them.
9. FIVE new nation-states created in 1919–1920.
10. FOUR problems with self-determination.

You must do the following written work:

 A spidergram of how people felt after the First World War.

 A wordsearch on the Aims of the Big Three.
 A video sheet ‘Make Germany Pay’.
 An essay: ‘How did the victorious countries intend to treat Germany in
1919?’
 A cloze exercise: The Terms of the Treaty of Versailles [BRAT].
 An essay: ‘Why were the Germans so angry about the Treaty of
Versailles’.
 Sentences on what the British people
Woodrow Wilson thought about the Treaty.
 Questions on the Other Treaties of 1919–1920.

Have you read:

 Peter Moss, History Alive 4, chapter 4.
 LE Snellgrove, The Modern World since 1870, chapter 11.
 Christopher Culpin, Making History, chapter 3.
 N deMarco and R Radway, The Twentieth Century, pages 144–8.
 J Traynor and I Dawson, The Struggle for Peace, chapter 4.
 Tony McAleavy, Modern World History, pages 12–29.

1
Q New Words
Share what you remember about the First World War.
Versailles: a famous
palace near Paris.
The Versailles Conference Conference: a
The First World War (1914–1918) had been bad. meeting.
10 million people died. The part of France where
there had been fighting – the ‘Western Front’ – was Armistice: a cease-
totally destroyed. fire.
In November 1918, Germany had signed a cease-
Treaty: an agreement
fire. It was called ‘the Armistice’. The Germans could between nations.
not fight any longer. But they did not think they had
surrendered! Delegate: a person
In January 1919, delegates from 32 countries met at representing a country
Versailles, near Paris, to make treaties to end the war. at a conference.
The meeting was known as the Versailles Conference.
This module studies what happened at the
Conference, the treaties that the leaders made, and
what the world thought about them

Source A
A picture of Soissons in 1918, showing the damage done during the war.

2
  Source B
What is this cartoon of 1919
saying about the Germans?

Did you know?

When the Russians had

wanted to stop fighting in
1917, the Germans had
made them sign the Treaty
of Brest-Litovsk. It took lots
of land from Russia.

When they heard about this,

many politicians decided
that they would be just as
tough on Germany.

Source C
Germany is going
to pay. We will get
everything you can
squeeze out of a
lemon, and a bit
more. The Germans
should hand over
Tasks everything they
1. Look at Sources A and B. Make a spidergram to show own.
what would you have been thinking and feeling if you
had been going as a delegate to the Versailles From a speech in 1918 by
Conference? Sir Eric Geddes, a British
2. Read Source C. Imagine you are Mr Geddes’s politician standing for
election as an MP.
speech-writer. Write the next paragraph, in which
he explains WHY he wants to do this.

3
The Aims of ‘the Big Three’

The three most important men at the

Versailles Conference – ‘the Big
Three’ – were: Georges Clemenceau
 Georges Clemenceau, the Prime He was the Prime Minister of France.
Minister of France.
 Woodrow Wilson, the president He wanted revenge, and to punish the
of America. Germans for what they had done.
 David Lloyd George, the Prime He wanted to make Germany pay for
Minister of Britain. the damage done during the war.

All three men wanted to stop a war He also wanted to weaken Germany, so
ever happening again, but they did France would never be invaded again.
not agree about how to do this. They
wanted different things from the
peace, and they did not get on well.

Task
Divide into groups of three. Each person
takes the role of one of the Big Three –
Clemenceau, Wilson or Lloyd George.
New Words
Study what your character wanted from the
peace, then re-enact a meeting between the
Georges Clemenceau. three leaders. Discuss the following:
Woodrow Wilson. 1. What should happen to the German
David Lloyd George. army, navy and airforce?
Colonies: overseas countries ruled 2. How much should Germany be asked to
by a European nation (e.g. India was pay for the damage done during the war
a colony of the British Empire). – a lot, or a little?
3. How much land should Germany lose?
Disarmament: where countries agree
4. Should the Treaty blame Germany for
to reduce their weapons. the war?
Self-determination: the right of 5. What is the best way to stop a war ever
nations to rule themselves. happening again?
Compromise: when you ‘meet 6. Remember to explain to the others WHY
someone half-way’ in an argument. you want the things you want.

4
Woodrow Wilson David Lloyd George
He was President of America. He was Prime Minister of England.

He was a History professor. He wanted He said he would ‘make Germany pay’

to make the world safe. – because he knew that was what the
He wanted to end war by making British people wanted to hear.
a fair peace.
He wanted ‘justice’, but he did not want
In 1918, Wilson published ‘Fourteen revenge. He said that the peace must
Points’ saying what he wanted. He not be harsh – that would just cause
said that he wanted disarmament, and another war in a few years time.
a League of Nations (where countries
could talk out their problems, without He tried to get a ‘halfway point’ – a
going to war). compromise between Wilson and
Clemenceau.
He also promised self-determination
for the peoples of Eastern Europe.

Essay!
[memorise this essay, then try to write it out from memory]
How did the victorious countries intend to treat Germany in 1919?
A million Frenchmen had died in the war; the French wanted revenge, to punish the Germans for what
they had done. They wanted to make Germany pay for the damage done during the war. Finally, they
wanted to weaken Germany, so France could never be invaded again.
(4 things)
America had not been ruined by the war, so the American president, Woodrow Wilson only wanted a
‘fair peace’, which would make the world safe, and end war. Wilson also wanted disarmament, a
League of Nations (where countries could talk out their problems), and self-determination for the
peoples of Eastern Europe – the ‘Fourteen Points’.
(7 things)
Some British people wanted to make Germany pay – ‘everything you can squeeze out of a lemon’.
Many, however, like their Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, realised that the peace must not be
harsh, or there would be another war in a few years time. Lloyd George said he wanted ‘justice’ – a
halfway point between Clemenceau’s revenge and Wilson’s ideals.
(5 things)

5
The Terms of the Treaty of Versailles
The main points of the Treaty

After the war, the victors met at the 1. Germany had to accept the blame for
Palace of Versailles, near Paris, to starting the war.
tell Germany the terms of peace. 2. Germany was forbidden to have
submarines or an air force. She could
Defeated Germany was not have a navy of only six battleships, and
allowed to send any delegates, an army of just 100,000 men. In addition,
and had no choice but to accept Germany was not allowed to place any
whatever was decided. troops in the Rhineland, the strip of land,
50 miles wide, next to France.
Most of the delegates wanted 3. Germany had to pay £6,600 million,
revenge. called reparations, for the damage done
during the war.
Only President Woodrow Wilson 4. Germany lost land in Europe (see map,
of the United States wanted a below). Germany’s colonies were given to
better world. Britain and France.
5. Germany could not join the League of
Nations.
6. Germany could never unite with Austria.

Source A
A map showing Germany’s loss of territory by the Versailles Treaty.

6
Q New Words
Describe a time when you were unfairly treated.
Clause 231: the
paragraph blaming
The Germans and the Treaty Germany for the war.
When the Germans heard about the Treaty of Versailles, reparations: the
they felt ‘pain and anger’. They felt it was unfair. They money Germany had
had not been allowed to take part in the talks – they had to pay for damage
just been told to sign. done during the war.
At first they refused to sign the Treaty. Some Germans
wanted to start the war again. terms of the Treaty:
the different things the
The Germans were angry at Clause 231; they said they Treaty said.
were not to blame for the war. The soldier sent to sign
the Treaty refused to sign it – ‘To say such a thing would
be a lie,’ he said.
The Germans were angry about reparations; they said
France and Britain were trying to starve their children to
death. At first they refused to pay, and only started
paying after France and Britain invaded Germany
(January 1921).
The Germans were angry about their tiny army. They Did you know?
said they were helpless against other countries. At first
they refused to reduce the army, and the sailors sank the The Treaty of Versailles
fleet, rather than hand it over. helped Adolf Hitler’s rise to
The Germans also thought the loss of territory was power.
unfair. Germany lost a tenth of its land. Other nations
A lot of Germans supported
were given self-determination – but the Treaty forced him because he promised to
Germans to live in other countries. Germans were also destroy the Treaty.
angry that they could not unite with the Austrian
Germans.

Source A
Tasks The disgraceful
1 List the key words and phrases in Source A which show Treaty is being
us how the Germans felt about the treaty.
2 Divide into groups of about 5–6. signed today.
Devise a role play in which you are a group of Germans Don’t forget it!
talking about the Treaty of Versailles in June 1920. We will never
You have just found out what the Treaty says. stop until we win
Talk about:
what the Treaty says,
back what we
what you feel about the terms of the Treaty, deserve.
how much you hate the Treaty, and why, From a German
what you are going to do about it. newspaper of 28 June
1920.

7
8
New Words Verdicts on the Treaty
Demilitarised zone: Clemenceau:
an area where the liked the harsh things that were in the Treaty:
army is not allowed to  Reparations (would repair the damage to France),
go.  The tiny German army, and the demilitarised zone in
the Rhineland (would protect France),
Senate: the  France got Alsace-Lorraine, and German colonies.
‘parliament’ of the But he wanted the Treaty to be harsher.
United States.

Wilson:
Wilson got self-determination for the peoples of Eastern
Europe, and a League of Nations, but he hated the
Source A Treaty:
We shall have to  few of his ‘Fourteen Points’ got into the Treaty,
fight another war  when Wilson went back to America, the Senate
again in 25 years refused to join the League of Nations, and even
time. refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles!
Lloyd George, talking about
the Treaty of Versailles.
Lloyd George:
Many British people wanted to ‘make Germany pay’, but
Lloyd George hated the Treaty. He liked:
 the fact that Britain got some German colonies,
 the small German navy (helped British sea-power).
But he thought that the Treaty was far too harsh.
Tasks
1 Study Source B. Why
is the child weeping?
What is the cartoon
saying about the
Treaty of Versailles?
2 Read Source A. Does
it contradict Source B,
or agree with it?
3 Why did many British
people hate the
Treaty?

Source B 
A British cartoon of 1920.
How old will the weeping child
be in 1940?

9
After 1919: Dates List
18 Jan 1919 Paris Peace Conference begins.
14 Apr 1919 Reparations provisionally set at £5.4 billion
21 Jun 1919 Germans scuttle their fleet, at Scapa Flow, rather than hand it over to the Allies.
28 Jun 1919 Treaty of Versailles signed (reparations set at £1 billion).
12 Sep 1919 Gabriele d’Annunzio and an Italian army seize Fiume, against the Treaty,
19 Nov 1919 US Senate refuses to join the League of Nations.

16 Jan 1920 First meeting of the League of Nations.

5 Feb 1920 The German government refuses to hand over 890 alleged ‘war criminals’.
19 Feb 1920 US Senate refuses to sign the Treaty of Versailles.
17 Mar 1920 Kapp Putsch (rebellion) in Germany, against the peace treaty, fails.
6 Apr 1920 French troops invade Ruhr in Germany (until 17 May 1920) after the German government had
sent troops into the Rhineland to stop rioting.
25 April 1920 Poland invades Russia and Lithuania and takes land east of the ‘Curzon line’ agreed in the
Treaty of Versailles.
25 April 1920 The League of Nations suggests reparations of £4.5 billion.
22 Jun 1920 The League of Nations suggests reparations of £12.5 billion.
28 Jul 1920 The Allies bully Poland into accepting Czech occupation of Teschen.

28 Jan 1921 The League of Nations suggests reparations of £10 billion.

8 Mar 1921 French, British and Belgian troops invade the Ruhr in Germany (until 30 Sep 1921) to force
Germany to pay reparations.
27 April 1921 Reparations finally fixed at £6.6 billion, to be paid in instalments until 1984.
11 May 1921 Germany agrees to pay reparations.
11 Jul 1921 The ‘Big Three’ agree to hold a disarmament conference.

15 May 1922 Upper Silesia, which had voted in a plebiscite to be German, is partitioned and given to Poland
after an investigation by the League of Nations.
26 Jul 1922 An economic crisis in Germany (until 1924). Britain and France agree to a 6 months delay in
reparations payments.

11 Jan 1923 French and Belgian troops, against US and Britain’s advice, invade the Ruhr in Germany (until
Nov 1924) to force Germany to pay reparations.
21 Jan 1923 The German miners go on strike against the French invasion, which deepens the economic crisis
in Germany.
21 Oct 1923 Bavaria and Rhineland declare independence from Germany (Germany is falling apart).
8–9 Nov 1923 Hitler’s Munich Putsch fails.

9 Apr 1924 The Dawes Plan gives Germany longer to pay reparations, and grants huge loans to get the
German economy going.
2 Dec 1924 Trade Treaty between Britain and Germany.
16 Oct 1925 Locarno Pact: peace agreement between Fr., Br., Belgium, Italy & Germany.

30 Jan 1926 British troops leave the Rhineland.

5 Aug 1926 France and Germany sign a trade agreement.
8 Sep 1926 Germany admitted to the League of Nations.

16 Sep 1927 German President Hindenburg denies German War Guilt; nothing is done.

27 Aug 1928 Kellogg-Briand Pact: 65 nations (inc. Fr/Br/USA/Ger) promise to abolish war.

7 Jun 1929 The Young Plan reduces reparations.

24 Oct 1929 Wall Street Crash; USA recalls all loans, causing an economic crisis in Europe.
30 Jun 1930 Last Allied troops leave the Rhineland.
13 Jul 1931 German economic crisis – all banks have to close (until 5 Aug 1931). USA, France and Britain
give Germany a huge loan.
9 Jul 1932 Lausanne Agreement: USA, France and Britain suspend all reparations payments indefinitely.

10
New Words The Other Treaties of 1919–1920
principles: ideas which say
how things should happen. The Treaty of Versailles was not the only treaty of
disarm: give up your 1919–20. But it was the most important.
armies and navies. It was the treaty with Germany, and was decided by
self-determination: the the Big Three. It was the Treaty which set up the
right of peoples to rule League of Nations. Also, the Treaty of Versailles set
themselves. down the principles of how the defeated countries
nation-state: a country would be dealt with:
where the people of a  the defeated countries had to pay reparations,
certain race rule over
themselves.
 they had to disarm,
Racial minority: where a  they lost land,
few people of one race live  self-determination.
in a country where most
people are of a different race
The Treaties [SaiNTS]
FOUR other treaties were made with the four countries
who had helped Germany in the war. They were
written by officials. They just followed the principles
of the Treaty of Versailles.
Tasks The Treaties were all named after parts of Paris:
Find four reasons the Treaty of
Versailles was more important  Saint Germain (with Austria),
than the other treaties of  Neuilly (with Bulgaria),
1919–20.  Trianon (with Hungary) and
Write down the names of the
four other treaties of 1919–20.  Sèvres (with Turkey).
Copy what the four other
treaties said.
Write down the names of five What the Treaties said
new nation-states created by
the treaties of 1919–20.
All four countries had to pay reparations, they all had to
Write down four problems disarm, and they all lost land.
facing the new nation states. The treaties also created new nation-states in Eastern
Europe out of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire.

11
  Source A Self-determination [CHAPS]
A map of Eastern Europe in 1920. The treaties created new nation-states (see map
Self-determination caused three above):
small wars:  Czechs and Slovaks in Czechoslovakia
1. Poland went to war with Russia
and took more land.  Hungarians in Hungary
2. Czechs and Poles fought over  Austrians in Austria.
the town of Teschen.  Poles in Poland,
3. An army of Italians marched into
the Yugoslavian town of Fiume.
 Slavs in Yugoslavia,
so it seems that self-determination was a success!

Problems with self-determination

[WiGWaM]
1. Self-determination caused small Wars (see map).
2. Self-determination was not allowed for Germany.
3. A large number of small, Weak countries were
created, which Hitler easily conquered later.
4. All the new nation-states had racial Minorities
living in them.

12
Revision Questions
1. What was the ceasefire of November 1918 called?
2. When did the Versailles Conference begin?
3. How many countries attended the Conference?
4. What did Sir Eric Geddes want?
5. Who were the three most important men at the Conference?
6. What was their nickname?
7. Who was the prime minister of France?
8. List 4 things Clemenceau wanted from the peace.
9. Who was the President of America?
10. Give 7 things Wilson wanted from the peace.
11. What were his ideas for a better world called?
12. What were the 3 main ideas of the Fourteen Points?
13. What was the name for the assembly, where Wilson wanted countries to talk about their
problems, instead of going to war?
14. Who was the Prime Minister of Britain?
15. Give 5 things Lloyd George wanted from the peace.
16. What were the FOUR terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
17. Which Clause blamed Germany for the war?
18. What were ‘reparations’?
19. How much were reparations eventually set at?
20. Explain the 5 things the Treaty said about Germany’s armed forces.
21. List four areas of land in Europe that Germany lost.
22. What is the word which means that troops were not allowed in the Rhineland?
23. What happened to Germany’s colonies?
24. What did the Treaty say about Austria?
25. Why did the Germans refuse to agree to Clause 231?
26. What made the Germans pay reparations in January 1921?
27. Why were the Germans angry about their tiny army?
28. What did the German sailors do to the fleet?
29. How much of its land did Germany lose?
30. Explain why the Germans thought the Treaty was unfair.
31. What did the Germans feel when they heard about the Treaty?
32. Who did the Treaty helped to rise to power.
33. What did a German newspaper promise?
34. List 5 things Clemenceau liked about the peace.
35. Why did he dislike it?
36. What two things did Wilson get that he wanted?
37. Why did he hate the Treaty?
38. Two things happened when Wilson went home. What?
39. Lloyd George liked two things about the Treaty. What?
40. What did Lloyd George hate about the Treaty?
41. What did Lloyd George say about the Treaty?
42. List the four other treaties of 1919–20.
43. List four reasons the Treaty of Versailles was more important than these treaties.
44. What were the four main principles of the Treaty of Versailles?
45. What does ‘self-determination’ mean.
46. List 5 new nation-states created by the treaties of 1919–20.
47. Which empire did it split up to make these new nation-states?
48. Which races ruled in Czechoslovakia?
49. Which people ruled in Yugoslavia?
50. List four problems with self-determination.

13