Germany and the Treaty of Versailles essays

Germany and the Treaty of Versailles essays World War I ended on November 11, 1918, and the Treaty of Versailles was written soon after. The Treaty of Versailles, often known as the Peace Treaty, marked the beginning of a great period of poverty in Germany. The diplomats attending the Versailles Peace Conference intended to draft a general peace treaty to end the state of war and to redraw the map of Europe. To represent the United States at the Peace Conference was Woodrow Wilson. Representing the United Kingdom was David Lloyd George. France was represented by George Clemenceau. These three people were referred to as the 'Big Three.'1 Italy's role was quite limited. Other leaders of other nations came to this grand meeting in Versailles that is located near Paris, France. By November 11, when the truce that marked the end of the war was signed, eight million soldiers lay dead; twenty million more were mutilated or spitting blood from the gas attacks. At the end of World War I, twenty-two million civilians had been killed o r wounded. By the end of the war, four mighty empires, the German, the Austro-Hungarian, the Turkish, and the Ottoman, had fallen.2 The leaders of the many nations led by the 'Big Three' labored for six months, from January to June of 1919. Finally, these people signed the Peace Treaty at the Palace of Versailles. The principal aim of the Peace Conference was to create conditions favorable to the progress of civilization on new lines such as economic policy and political structure.3 Almost immediately, the 'Big Three' began to quarrel. The Germans had thrown themselves on the mercy of the Allies: they depended upon the Allies' promise to base the final peace settlement applied impartially to all, including Germany. Clemenceau and Lloyd George were primarily concerned with punishing Germany. Lloyd promised, "We shall squeeze the orange (Germany) until the pips squeak." Wilson was obsessed with creating the League of Nations. Woodrow Wilson marked major ...