Treaty of Versailles Notes

Chapter 1: Introduction

Walter Siemens, a lawyer for the German delegation, corresponded with his wife during the treaty negotiations.
Melkir, a Jewish banker, was part of the German delegation, accompanied by bankers Warburg and Wassermann.
Germany included Jewish bankers in their delegation, believing their expertise would help secure a favorable treaty.
The train carrying the delegation was stopped several times.
Verdun saw immense destruction with 420,000 deaths and the obliteration of nine villages.
Rakdov Ransal, the foreign minister, led the German delegation with a tough stance.
Doug Eisbertz was the postmaster general with little known information about him.
Walter Simons, from the German foreign office, specialized in law and was expected to be the delegation's writer.
Clemenceau believed the Germans were beaten but not crushed and wanted to ensure they could not cause further harm.
Clemenceau wanted to complete the job for those who died and those yet to be born.
The idea that if Germany felt unjustly treated, it would seek retribution.
Clemenceau had been anticipating this day since witnessing Germany's invasion of France 45 years prior.
During the war, there was a belief France was dead.
French authorities directed the German delegation's train to an isolated area near Versailles.
The German delegation was described as sad and dejected.
The German delegation was housed in the Hotel des Reservoir in Versailles, establishing their headquarters in the basement.
The Germans were certain there were listening devices and tapped phones, and they were correct.
Wilson received cables from the U.S. warning him that the League of Nations was in trouble.
The Germans played music loudly, such as Tannhauser, to mask their conversations.
The Kaiser was under house arrest in Holland.
The Germans feared humiliation if prosecuted.
The conference was creating small states as potential protection for France if peace failed.
Troops were returning home with stories of German atrocities.
Wilson faced an uneasy standoff with old-school politicians who favored alliances.

Chapter 2: Called Pro German

Wilson's approach was contrasted with that of seasoned politicians.
French newspapers criticized Wilson, despite previously praising him, due to editorials ordered by the French government.
Wilson threatened to leave Paris due to press criticism.
Lloyd George and Clemenceau were more accustomed to press criticism than Wilson.
Hungary succumbed to communism, and much of the world was facing starvation and unemployment.
Strikes occurred in Europe and North America due to pent-up anger from the war.
Paris was tense.
The Allies turned off the heat in the Germans' hotel.
The Allies delayed the presentation of the treaty to the Germans.
Parisians maintained a vigil in front of the German hotel.
Each of the major powers wanted a different kind of peace.
Britain wanted to maintain naval dominance.
Italy sought territorial gains.
France desired protection against future German aggression.
The US wanted global influence and repayment of loans.
The Allies were assessing Germany's financial worth for reparations.
The German merchant marine was estimated to be worth $600,000,000$ .
Estimates for foreign securities ranged from $500,000,000$ to $1,250,000,000$ .
German owned private property might raise $500,000,000$ .
The total estimate was $300,000,000,000$ maximum, but Germany needed most of that to survive.
Politicians had unrealistic expectations for reparations.
Everyone in Paris kept their own financial records.
Keynes was diverging from the enormous numbers that the leaders had promised.
Putting a price on a world war was difficult.
The Germans waited without information.
Broktow Ransow instructed Walter Siemens to prepare two responses to the treaty, one conciliatory and one harsh.
The Germans were informed they would receive the draft treaty at 3:00 PM.

Chapter 3: Sign The Treaty

The treaty's terms were harsher than the Germans anticipated.
Germany would be paralyzed for generations.
Brokthorf Randsau knew which speech to use.
Brokthorf Ransow caused a sensation due to his directness with the victors.
The young diplomats worried about pushing Germany too far.
Andrei Chardieu believed that Germany's defeat had already provoked nationalist feelings.
The Germans had three weeks to respond.
They stopped playing music and ceased caring about eavesdroppers.
Life in Paris was returning to normal.
Harold Nicholson positioned himself close to the inner circle.
Wilson discussed the people's desires regarding the treaty.
Wilson's pronouncements had a touch of revivalism and arrogance.
Mapmakers were instructed to create Iraq from Shia, Sunni, Kurds, and Jews.
There were massive protests in Berlin.
German Chancellor Philipp Scheidemann protested the draft treaty.
The Germans requested moderation of the peace terms.
America asked for no reparations.
The US lost a little less than Australia in lives.
The speaker had problems with socialists and botulists.
The treaty had to be accepted or rejected as is.
Fascist leaders Donuncio and Mussolini were rising in Rome.
Orlando was failing to achieve anything in Paris.
Orlando and the Italian delegation left Paris in protest.
Belgium, Japan, and China were also unhappy.
Wilson was gambling.
Allied listening devices revealed frequent long-distance calls from Berlin to Brachto Franco.
It was important to convince the Germans they were defeated.
The Supreme War Council was ordered to prepare for potential renewed fighting and an invasion of Berlin if the Germans refused to sign the treaty.

Chapter 4: The German Treaty

War was a real possibility.
Many younger people were unhappy with the treaty's terms.
The British treasury man, Keynes, considered the treaty immoral and incompetent.
Keynes believed Germany could pay no more than $10,000,000,000$ .
Lloyd George had promised Britain thirty times that amount.
The conference was in its fifth month, and a just peace remained elusive.
Fewer calls were being intercepted between Brokdorf, Ransau, and Berlin.
The Allies feared the Germans might seek allies elsewhere.
Nicholson wrote that a bad treaty today was better than a good treaty months later, but later regretted this.
Brockdorf Ransau was informed Berlin expected war to resume if the treaty wasn't ratified.
There was significant pressure to accept the treaty.
Wilson had been out of America for a long time and had been advised against personally negotiating.
Germans were beginning to understand the hatred felt towards them.
Paris was the center of power.
Communism, starvation, and workers' revolutions were overtaking Europe.
Republicans were gaining ground in the US, and there were labor issues in Texas and rumors about China.
The Chinese were going to lose Shantong to the Japanese and were unhappy.
Lloyd George unexpectedly switched his stance and feared a weak Germany.
He believed a weak Germany would be susceptible to demagogues and unable to buy British goods.
Lloyd George wanted to trade with Germany but Wilson refused to compromise.

Chapter 5: Treaty Of Versailles

Lloyd George could not change Wilson's mind.
Keynes would not endorse Lloyd George's demand for $300,000,000,000$ .
John Maynard Keynes resigned.
Rocdorf Hansau, Simons, and Scheidemann resigned.
Orlando's government fell.
Fascists were becoming violent in Italy.
Mapmakers had redrawn the borders of Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Africa.
Wilson believed Germany would eventually join the League of Nations and redeem itself.
Two days before the signing, the Germans scuttled their fleet.
A new German government took power.
Two reluctant German officials, Muller and Bell, were found to sign the peace agreement.
The Great War started 1,797 days prior.
The Treaty of Versailles would be signed.
Harold Nicholson witnessed the signing.
Walter Siemens was in Germany with his wife.
Keynes was in London, and his estimate of $10,000,000,000$ was close to what Germany eventually paid.
The Chinese chose not to sign the treaty.
Orlando was not at the signing, and Mussolini promised to improve things.
Britain did not receive much German gold and lost its naval dominance.
Clemenceau came closest to achieving his aims, but the promised protection for France was not guaranteed.

Chapter 6: Conclusion

Claremont was rejected by the French people and died a bitter man.
Woodrow Wilson advocated for the League of Nations but his health suffered.
The treaty was signed in the Hall of Mirrors.
The signing was announced with gunfire.
Clemenceau, Wilson, and Lloyd George emerged to cheering crowds.
Germany never forgave the West for the Treaty of Versailles.
America rejected the League of Nations.
Woodrow Wilson died two years later.
The peace negotiators in Paris were convinced they would avoid the mistakes of the Congress of Vienna, but all generations believe they can avoid the pitfalls of previous negotiators.
The Treaty of Versailles failed to give meaning to the war's casualties.
It taught that military conquest does not ensure lasting safety.
Another world war was needed for the world to learn how to make peace.