treaty of versailles : peace that failed

germany’s last gasp

• 1918 - moved troops from the eastern front to the west

• russia was out (revolution 1917, communist revolution →) as they just stopped fighting

• operation michael - huge offensive thrust on western front

  • fails : too many enemies, including usa

  • food andsupplies run out for german troops

  • allies blockaded germany

  • their citizens were surviving on preserved turnips

• november 11, 11:00am 1918 germany surrenders

  • had riots, king abdicated, new government wanted to end the war

the peace treaty

• big three meet in paris (bitain, france, united state)

  • usa only fought recently but now recognized as a world superpower

  • canada had own representative

  • germany was not invited (unusual)

• common goals:

  • lasting peace - no war ever again, they truly believed

  • reward the winners

  • punish the losers (no punishment, they won;t learn)

• two conflicting philosophies

  • usa - dignity in defeat - punish but allow germany to rebuild (respect)

  • britain/france - humiliate and cripple, make them pay so they can never do it again

• the treaty of versailles

  • attempt to compromise

  • severe punishment of germany

  • $33 billion penalty paid to victors

  • lost land and territory (alsace and lloraine), strategic and resource rich, borders germany and france

  • war guilt clause - accept responsibility that they were the sole cause of wwi (schlieffen plan)

  • lasting peace

    • broke up old empires and imperialism, austria hungary, russia

    • new counttries created via national self determination - letting the people decide based on language and culture