World War I: Paris Peace Conference (1919)


Figure 1.--

There was great hopes for the Peace Conference. Some saw it as a conference on the very future of makind. The Versailles opened on January 18, 1919. The Big Four were represented by David Lloyd George (Britain), Vittorio Orlando (Italy), and Georges Clemenceau (France), and Woodrow Wilson (United States). These men had widely dissimilar backgrounds, but they had one common trait--they were all successful politicans who had lead their countries during the War. None had great experience in diplomacy or were knowledgeable about international relations. [Wells, pp. 923-924.] Russia the other major Allied power and the country that had suffered more than any other in the War was not invited. The Bolsheviks had seized power killed the Tzar and his family and signed a separate peace with the Germans. At the time of the Conference a vicious civil war was waging in Russia and the Allied had intervened. President Wilson submitted a Draft Covenant for a League of Nations on February 14, 1919. This Covenant became the first of the 26 Articles of the Treaty. The Germans came to the Peace Conference believing that Wilson's 14 Points would form the basis for the peace treaty. The original Allies (Britain, France, and Italy), however, all had interests that they were determined to pursue that had nothing in common with Wilson's 14 Points. They were the predominate influence at Versailles. The Conference which so many had attached such hopes gradually declined into what some saw as more of an old-fashioned diplomatic conspiracy. [Wells, p. 924.] In the end the Germans felt that Wilson and the other Allies leaders had deceived them. The Peace Conference was largely a debate between Britain, France, and Italy as to how to achieve their war aims. America had played a major role in the War, but after the American Army had been largely sent home, Wilson had much less influence at the Conference. France was by far the most belligerent member of the Big Four. Lloyd George and Wilson managed to dissuade Clemanceau from actual territorial gains on the east bank of the Rhine. Germany had virtually no influence and simply had to accept what was decided.

Hopes

There was great hopes for the Peace Conference. Some saw it as a conference on the very future of makind. The Conference which so many had attached such hopes gradually declined into what some saw as more of an old-fashioned diplomatic conspiracy. [Wells, p. 924.]

Opening

The Versailles opened on January 18, 1919. Meetings were held at various locations in and around Paris until January, 20, 1920.

The Big Four

The Big Four were represented by David Lloyd George (Britain), Vittorio Orlando (Italy), and Georges Clemenceau (France), and Woodrow Wilson (United States). These men had widely dissimilar backgrounds, but they had one common trait--they were all successful politicans who had lead their countries during the War. None had great experience in diplomacy or were knowledgeable about international relations. [Wells, pp. 923-924.] Russia the other major Allied power and the country that had suffered more than any other in the War was not invited.

Participating Countriess

Delegations represenring 32 states representing about 75 percent of the world's population attended the Paris Peace Confrence. The Peace Conference largely devolved into a debate between Britain, France, and Italy as to how to achieve their war aims. America had played a major role in the War, but after the American Army had been largely sent home, Wilson had much less influence at the Conference. France was by far the most belligerent member of the Big Four. Lloyd George and Wilson managed to dissuade Clemanceau from actual territorial gains on the east bank of the Rhine. Many other countries came to Paris. Italy, Japan, and the Serbs had played important roles in the War as well as the British Dominions. Many other countries attended as well as groups representing erhnic groups or colonial possessions of the Great Powers with national aspirations. The Germans had accepted the terms of the Armistice endingthe War with the understanding that Wioson's 14 Points would serve as the basis for the peace. The original Allies (Britain, France, and Italy), however, all had interests that they were determined to pursue that had nothing in common with Wilson's 14 Points. They were the predominate influence at Versailles.

Britain

The British had obstensibly entered the War as a result of thec German invasion of Belgium. It was, however, Kaiser Wilhem's decision to build a high seas fleet and extrofinarily recklass behavior thatvhad paved the way for war. By the time of the Paris Peace Conference, the the German fleet was safely interned at Scapa Flow. German officers had sculted many vessels to avoid intenment. Thus Germany was no longer a naval threat to Britain. The British could thus afford to adopt the imperious role of disinterested mediator.

France

The chief objective of the French was to weaken Germany militarily, strategically, and economically sothat it could never again invade France. Having suffered two devestating German invasions in 40 years, the French were determined tonmake another such invasion impossible. Premier Clemenceau was particularly anxious to obtain American and British guarantee of French security. Clemenceau largely dismissed Wilson's Fourteen Points: "Mr. Wilson bores me with his fourteen points. "Why, God Almighty has only ten!" While the French were the most outspoken proponents of dealing harsly with germany, they also dispacted a secret mission to Berlin offering a Franco-Germam raprochment, arguing that the Anglo-Saxon powers were the greayest threat to Europe. The Germans rejected the offering concluding that the French were not to be trusted.

Germany

In the end the Germans felt that Wilson and the other Allies leaders had deceived them. Germany had virtually no influence and simply had to accept what was decided. The Germany people who had been astonished at how the victory that seemed so asured in early 918 turned into defeat, were shocked at the terms of the Treaty. They thought the terms that they had imposed on Russia appropriate, but were outraged when even less drastic terms would imposed on them. The Versailles Peace Treaty would become a major issue in German politics.

Italy

The British and French had induced the Italians to enter the War with substantial offers of territorial games. At Versilles the actual gains were much more limited. The Italians felt they had been deceived and that the huge price they paid in blood and material had not been rewarded.

Japan

Japan as a member of the victorious Allied World War I coalition expected to be treated with considerable deference. The Japanese were, however, not satisfied with their treatment at Versailles. In fact the Japanese were largely ignored. They wanted a clause inserted in the Convenent of the League of Nations which would have affirmed the equality of all races. (The Convent of the League of Nations was part of the Versailles Treaty.) President Wilson promoted national self determination at the Conference, but he was not an advocate of racial equality. Racist attitudes were also common among the other European powers. This was strongly opposed by the Australian Government. The Japanese accepted the advise offered by the Americans to withhold their proposal. Both the United States and the Britain would have opposed it if it had been offered. The Treaty of Versailles awarded Japan a mandate over the Pacific Islands islands seized from Germany. Japan was also awarded the former German concession of Shantung. Despite these awards, the Japanese left Paris believing that they had not been accorded the deference they deserved. The victorious allies entered the peace-making process with significantly differing aims. The European powers, even Britain, were primarily focused on the future of Europe. Thus the Far East was essentially left by default to Japan, the inly substantial Asian power. Only the United States had substantial concerns about rising Japanese naval power and designs on China.

Soviet Union

There was one notable absence from the Conference--Russia or nowthe Soviet Union. Russia had played a key role in the War, preventing the Germans from winning the War by concentrating their forces on the Western Frint. This was only accomplished at enormous cost. The Russias experienced larger losses than any country. The Bolsheviks had seized power killed the Tzar and his family and signed a separate peace with the Germans. At the time of the Conference a vicious civil war was waging in Russia and the Allied had intervened. The Allies refused to recognize the Bolshevik Government and thus declined to invite it to send representatives to the Peace Conference. The Allies were disturbed by the radical nature of the Bolsheviks and their execution of the Tsar and his family. They also objected to the Bolshevik's repudiate Russia’s war debts. The Bolsheviks did historians a great favor by publishing the texts of secret agreements between the Allies concerning the postwar period. This was to be last Bolshevik contribution to historians. The Bolshevikspursued a degree of secrecy in state affairs un paralled at the time. The Soviets while not at the Conference, were one of te greatest bebeficiaries. The armistic had aborogated the Treaty of Brest-Litosk and required the German Arny to withdraw to German borders. This left the Bolshciks abd the Red Armny largely free to defeat the White Armies and to restablish Tsarist borders.This they did in the Uktaine and Central asia, but were unavlr to do in Finland, the Baltics, Poland, and Romanis.

United States

President Wilson was focused on the idea of a League of Nations. Before arriving in Paris, he had expected the other Allied powers to oppose his idea. This concern did not materialize. In fact, the draft Covenant of the League was prepared by Robert Cecil and Smuts at the British foreign office. Wilson submitted the Draft Covenant for a League of Nations (February 14, 1919). This Covenant became the first of the 26 Articles of the Treaty. The Germans came to the Peace Conference believing that Wilson's 14 Points would form the basis for the peace treaty.

Redrawing Borders

The delegations at the World War I Paris Peace Conference was involved in one of the most extensive efforts to redraw the boundaries of Europe in history, perhaps more important than the Congress of Vienna (1814-15) because four great Euuropean empires (Austria-Hungary, Germany, Ottoman, and Russia) were destroyed in the War. And for the first time ethnicity became a major, but not only consideration, in determining the new borders. The effort and subsequent fighting resulted in the creation of new countries (Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, and Yugolavia) and the reparearance of old countries (Poland). Much of the fighting was between the new Soviet state and the countries trying to escape Russian and now Soviet control. Thgere was fighting and disorders all along the new bordrs and a war between Greece and Turkey. The boundary issie was not just a subect at the Paris Peace Confrences ending the war with Germany, but with the other peace conferences ending the War with the other countries composing the Central Powers. (St Germain--Austria, Neuilly--Bulgaria, Trianon--Hungary, and Sèvres--Ottoman Empire). Drawing those borders was an enormous task, requiring the delegations to deave deep into the ethnic and geographic complexities of Europe. One historian writes, "During the Paris peace conference, the American president and his wife were housed in the Hôtel du Prince Murat ... [Edith Wison entered] one of the grand salons to find her husband and his adviser on hands and knees on the floor. They were poring over huge maps of Europe, trying to work out its new frontiers. 'You look like a lot of little boys playing at a game,' she laughed. The president turned to her gravely, 'Alas it is the most serious gan=me ever undertaken, for onthe result of it hangs, in my estimation , the future peace of the world.'" [Reynolds]

Sources

Reynolds, David. The Long Shadow (2014), 544p.

Wells, H.G. The Outline of History: The Whole Story of Man (Doubleday & Co.: New York, 1971), 1103p.






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Created: January 31, 2003
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Last updated: 9:04 PM 5/12/2014