UF Summer Quiz 1 Revision: Treaty of Versailles

Flashcards covering the Treaty of Versailles, including context, aims, and motives of the Big Three.

Where were the peace talks held?

Versailles, Paris – France.

How many nations attended the peace talks, and what fraction of the world’s population did they represent?

32 nations, ¾ of the worlds populations

Which countries were uninvited to the peace talks?

Russia and all defeated countries.

Why was Russia not invited to the peace talks?

They went through a revolution in 1917; they made several secret Allied agreements public and refused to pay back loans from the Allies.

Who were the ‘Big Three’? Which countries did they represent?

Georges Clemenceau – Prime Minister of France
David Lloyd George – Prime Minister of Britain
Woodrow Wilson – President of the USA.

Define ‘national self-determination’

The right of an ethnic group to their own independent countries, ruling themselves.

Define ‘ratify’

To officially vote on, and accept the terms of a treaty.

What did the US President believe about the extent to which Germany was to blame for World War One?

They should take some blame, as their submarine warfare brought the USA into the war.

What was the name given to Woodrow Wilson’s list of solutions to create and maintain world peace?

Fourteen Points

Why did President Wilson wish to ban tariffs and quotas on trade between nations?

He felt that free trade was beneficial for positive relations between nations and would avoid any economic power struggles.

Why did President Wilson believe that armaments (military equipment and weapons) needed to be reduced?

To reduce the ability of nations to show aggression.

Which peace-keeping organisation did President Wilson envisage among his list of ‘Points’?

A League of Nations, which would guarantee the independence of all member nations and secure borders.

Wilson’s list was used as the basis for the Armistice, which ended World War One. When was the Armistice signed?

11am on 11th November 1918.

Why did the French Prime Minister take a tough approach to Germany?

Germany had seized Alsace-Lorraine from France, and had invaded them twice in 1870, and again in 1914.

What did the French Prime Minister want from the peace treaties?

To weaken Germany to the extent that it was no longer a threat, and for reparations to be paid for the damage done during the war.

The French Prime Minister’s 6 key demands were:

Disarmament of Germany’s army, air force and navy
High reparations
The return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
France to be given Germany’s Saarland region
The Rhineland to be made a demilitarised zone
France to receive some of Germany’s overseas colonies

Why was the European economy struggling after the First World War?

They had adapted their industries to a wartime economy, focused on military materials which meant had lost valuable overseas markets outside of Europe, such as Japan and the USA.

What did the British Prime Minister want from the peace treaties?

He wanted to ensure the growth and success of the British Empire.

The British Prime Minister’s key aims were to:

Re-establish a balance of power in Europe so that no single country could dominate

Resume trading in the British Empire in the manner before the war

Preserve British naval supremacy to protect the British Empire and her shipping lanes

Who was included in ‘The Council of Four’?

Georges Clemenceau – Prime Minister of France
David Lloyd George – Prime Minister of Britain
Woodrow Wilson – President of the USA
Vittorio Orlando - Prime Minister of Italy