International Relations

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Simulation: The Treaty of Versailles

This activity accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

Instructions You are going to take part in a simulation of the Versailles negotiations. Your teacher will put you into groups of three or four. Distribute the roles of the Big Three leaders amongst your group. Referring to the table on the sheet entitled The Versailles Agenda, negotiate each issue on the Versailles agenda until you agree on one of the available options. Remember, you must stay in character at all times. Do what your character would have done not what you think is fair! The fourth group member will act as the scribe and keep an impartial record of your decisions and reasoning. The politician profile sheets and the map of Europe will help you in this task. Later in the lesson you will have the chance to compare the terms you agreed on in your group with the actual terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Rules No shouting or bad language. A diplomat does not raise his or her voice to answer a question or attack an opposing viewpoint. Remain seated at all times. Make sure everyone in the group has a chance to have their say. You may not confer with other groups.

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International Relations
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Profile: Woodrow Wilson, President of the USA

This fact sheet accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

b. 1856, d. 1924. Wilson entered politics in 1910 and was President by 1912. He brought the USA into the war in 1917. Wilson was an idealist and reformer who saw the Treaty of Versailles as an opportunity to end war forever by binding all countries together in a mutual alliance the League of Nations. Wilson came to Versailles with a 14 point programme which he hoped would shape modern international relations. The points were based upon a number of principles: ending the old world diplomacy which had led to war establishing self-determination people should rule themselves rather than being subject to other nationalities Germany should lose all its territorial gains disarmament restrictions on trade should be abolished. Wilson was prepared to compromise on some issues so long as the League of Nations was established.

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International Relations
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Profile: Georges Clemenceau, President of France

This fact sheet accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

b. 1841, d. 1929. Clemenceau entered politics in 1871. He was President from 1906 to 1909, and was re-elected in 1917. Clemenceau was nicknamed the tiger because of his fiery and uncompromising personality. An old man 77 at the time of the Treaty of Versailles he had seen his nation invaded by the Germans twice, first during the Franco-Prussian War of 187071 and again in 1914. Clemenceau came to Versailles determined to exact vengeance on the German nation. He wanted to weaken Germany so that it could never threaten France again. Clemenceau wanted French troops stationed in the Rhineland to guard against any future German attack. He wanted Germany to return the province of Alsace-Lorraine, which had been captured from France during the Franco-Prussian War. He wanted Germany to pay all the costs of the war. This would cripple the German economy and make France the most powerful country in Europe.

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International Relations
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Profile: David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Britain

This fact sheet accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

b. 1863, d. 1945. Lloyd George entered politics in 1890. He was elected as Prime Minister in 1916. Lloyd George was in a difficult situation. On the one hand he was a realist. He saw the need to compromise and make sure that Germany was not punished so harshly that trade became impossible or the country staggered towards Bolshevism. On the other hand he had just been elected by a British public who wanted to see Germany suffer. Some British people even wanted to have the German Kaiser hanged for starting the war. Lloyd Georges moderate stance towards Germany contrasted with Clemenceaus tough line, but Lloyd George also disagreed with Wilson on two points. Lloyd George did not want Wilson to abolish restrictions on trade to the extent that British supremacy at sea was challenged. He also felt that Britain and France should gain control of Germanys colonies.

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International Relations
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Mapping out a new Europe

This map accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

This map of Europe shows some of the territories which came up for discussion at Versailles.

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International Relations
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The Versailles Agenda

This table accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

Negotiate each issue in your groups, and put a cross against the option you agree on. Issue What should happen to the colonies of the defeated nations? What should happen to Alsace-Lorraine? What should happen to the Saar? Option 3 They should be administered by the League until they develop selfgovernment. Germany should keep it. It should be returned to Placed under the control of France. the League of Nations. Germany should be Should be given to France Should be given to the allowed to keep it. for 15 years, after which the French permanently. people of the Saar should decide whether to be French or German. Allied troops should remain Rhineland completely Full control of the there for 15 years, demilitarized and controlled Rhineland returned to Germany banned from ever by the League of Nations. Germany. stationing troops there. Polish territories should Poland should be run by Poland should become an remain in German and the League of Nations. independent country with Russian hands. access to the sea. Let the Germans keep it. Give it to Poland. Make it a free city. Option 1 They should be allowed to govern themselves. Option 2 They should be divided up between Britain and France.

What should happen to the Rhineland?

What should happen to Poland? What about the disputed port of Danzig?

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International Relations
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The Versailles Agenda (cont.)

This table accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

Issue What should happen to Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? What should happen to Czechoslovakia? Who should take the blame for the war? How much should the Germans be made to pay the Allies in compensation (reparations)? What should happen to the German armed forces?

Option 1 They should become independent nations. It should become independent. Germany. 700,000,000

Option 2 They should be run by the League of Nations. It should be run by the League of Nations. All the great powers. 2,200,000,000

Option 3 They should be returned to Russia. It should be run by Austria. No one. 6,600,000,000

German armed forces restricted to pre-war levels.

Conscription banned. German forces limited to 250,000 men, 40 battleships, 10 submarines and 90 planes.

Conscription banned. German forces limited to 100,000 men and 6 battleships. No submarines, tanks or planes.

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International Relations
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The Terms of the Treaty

This map accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

Now find out what the actual terms of the Versailles treaty were and enter them in the table below. How do they compare with the terms you agreed on in your groups? Issue What should happen to the colonies of the defeated nations? What should happen to Alsace-Lorraine? What should happen to the Saar? Your terms Versailles terms

What should happen to the Rhineland?

What should happen to Poland? What about the disputed port of Danzig?

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International Relations
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The Terms of the Treaty (cont.)

This map accompanies slide 15 of The Treaty of Versailles (part 1).ppt

Issue What should happen to Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? What should happen to Czechoslovakia?

Your terms

Versailles terms

Who should take the blame for the war?

How much should the Germans be made to pay the Allies in compensation (reparations)? What should happen to the German armed forces?

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