PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE & TREATY OF VERSAILLES

PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE

The First World War came to an end with the Paris Peace Conference (1919). The representatives of almost all the countries of Europe met at Paris to draw up the peace treaty, but in reality, everything was monopolized by the representatives of the four powers, England, France, Italy and America. President Wilson of America, Prime Minister Clemenceau of France, Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England and Orlando of Italy were the big four of the Peace Conference.

The Paris Peace Conference was made up of five treaties. These were:

The treaty of Versailles – between the Allies and Germany.

The treaty of St.Germaine – between the Allies and Austria.

The treaty of Trianon – between the Allies and Hungary.

The treaty of Neuilly – between the Allies and Bulgaria.

The treaty of Sevres – between the Allies and Turks.

TREATY OF VERSAILLES

The treaty of Versailles is the longest on record. It was signed by Germany on the 28^th of June 1919, in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. The terms of the treaty were dictated. The German delegation was not allowed to discuss it with the allies. They were simply called to receive it and sign it. The chief provisions of the treaty were as follows:

-        Germany was subjected to a huge war reparation of 300 crore dollars.

-        Germany lost the territories of Alsace and Lorraine to France

-        A lot of territories were taken away from her

-        Germany lost all her colonies. These were distributed among the allies

-        The main aim of the allies was to destroy the military strength of the Germans so the German army was to be reduced to 1-lakh men and officers.

-        The number of guns and battleships were reduced and no submarines to be built

-        The German navy was destroyed

-        German industries were destroyed

-        Germany was charged with war guilt

-        As a guarantee to the fulfillment of the treaty, the Allies were to occupy the left bank of Rhine for a period of fifteen years.

CRITICISM OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

-        The terms of the treaty of Versailles were very severe.

-        There was no representative from the defeated nations. So there were no negotiations.

-        The treaty of Versailles humiliated the Germans. As this treaty was forced on her she started nursing a feeling of revenge, which later leads to the rise of Nazism.

-        The treaty sowed the seeds of the Second World War.