On 4 November 1918, the Austro-Hungarian empire agreed to an armistice, and Germany agreed to an armistice on 11 November 1918, officially ending the war in victory for the Allies. In January 1919, the Paris Peace Conference convened at Versailles, just outside Paris, to establish the terms of the peace after World War I. Though nearly thirty nations participated, the representatives of the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Italy became known as the “Big Four”. The “Big Four” dominated the proceedings that led to the creation of the Treaty of Versailles, a treaty that ended World War I. The Treaty of Versailles articulated the compromises reached at the conference. It included the planned formation of the League of Nations, which would serve both as an international forum and an international collective security arrangement.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was a strong advocate of the League as he believed it would prevent future wars. The nations that joined the League of Nations agreed to settle disputes rather than go to war. Even though Wilson created and promoted the idea of the League of Nations, the United States never joined. The League lacked an armed force of its own and depended on the member nations to keep their word to follow through on resolutions.

Peace Settlements

Before the United States entered the war in 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson delivered his speech, “Peace Without Victory,” to the U.S. Senate. In this speech, he called for an agreed upon and sustainable peace where peace is not “forced upon the loser,” leaving the losers humiliated and resentful. He also said that “it makes a great deal of difference in what way and upon what terms [the war] ended” rather than that the war just ends. Concerned about how the world would emerge from the war, in a January 1918 address to Congress, Wilson proposed a 14-point program for world peace with the first point being, “Open covenants [agreements] of peace, openly arrived at, after which there shall be no private international understandings of any kind but diplomacy shall proceed always frankly and in the public view.”

Peace Settlements

​“Victory would mean peace forced upon the loser, a victor's terms imposed upon the vanquished. It would be accepted in humiliation, under duress, at an intolerable sacrifice, and would leave a sting, a resentment, a bitter memory upon which terms of peace would rest, not permanently, but only as upon quicksand."

What does peace “forced upon the loser” mean? Why do you think this is important?

What is the difference between a permanent peace and one built “upon quicksand?”

Why do think Wilson thinks it is important to consider “upon what terms it [the war] is ended”, rather than just settling with ending the war?

What are the 14 points? Why were they written?

Why do you think it is important to have “Open covenants of peace … in the public view”? What might happen if there are treaties made secretly?

CLICK HERE!

QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS

1. Based upon your examination of the excerpts of the Treaty of Versailles, did the peace treaty heed Wilson’s warning about “peace forced upon the loser?” Explain.

2. Did the Treaty of Versailles create a permanent peace or one built “upon quicksand?” Explain.

3. How might the Treaty of Versailles have impacted Germany’s relationship with other countries after the war?

4. How might the Treaty of Versailles have impacted Germany’s perception of itself?

5. In 1939, World War II began. The Treaty of Versailles was supposed to create peace between all nations, however, only 20 years later another war broke out. Why do you think the Treaty of Versailles was unable to prevent another war?

STATISTICS REVIEW

FOUR CORNERS

Around the room there are four papers labeled: Strongly Agree, Agree, Strongly Disagree, Disagree

1. I will read one statement at a time.

2. After I read, you will walk to the corner that best represents your opinion.

3. Once in your corners, you will discuss your reasoning with your group.

4. Each group selects one or two representatives to share their reasoning with the class.

Those who win a war have the right to impose any punishment they wish on those who lost.

Germany should accept the primary blame for the outbreak of World War I.

Germany should pay war reparations to the Allied countries for all the damages

All countries should be allowed to maintain a powerful military, even in peacetime.

Countries should be allowed to keep their colonial possessions after World War I.

All countries should join an international peacekeeping and decision-making organization to prevent war (even Germany).

TAKE OUT WWI GUIDED NOTES

CLICK HERE