Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair?

How far the victors get what they wanted?

Wilson was clever enough to get some of his demands met by refusing the cancellation
request of debts from the Allies owned to USA.

His ideas of formation of the League of Nations was immediately approved and formed
but the kind of League he was expecting was not going to work.

His idea of self-determination did not work in case of France and Britain.

France and Britain both wanted control over German and Turkish colonies, whereas
Wilson wanted them to be controlled by the League. Therefore, a compromise was
reached: colonies were divided among victors but were to be looked on behalf of the
League and came to be known as Mandates.

Clemenceau had demanded a strong Poland to weaken Germany. This demand was
somehow met. The new Poland comprised of :
a part of Germany,
a part of Russia,
part of Austria – Hungary,
west Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia of Germany.
A corridor of Polish territory was created which gave Poland access to the sea. Here
Wilson’s 13th point was met.

All Big Three had wanted the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France.

Clemenceau wanted Danzig from Germany to be given to Poland. Lloyd George

disagreed. Therefore, Danzig was turned into a free city as a compromise controlled by
the League.

Clemenceau wanted Saarland which was coal-rich industrial area. Neither Wilson nor
Lloyd George accepted it. Therefore, a compromise was reached. It was decided that
Saarland to be run by the League for 15 years. Meanwhile France could have control over
its coal mines.

Clemenceau wanted Rhineland to be permanently divided from Germany to become a

buffer state between France and Germany. However, this demand was not met. It was
decided that Rhineland would be made a demilitarized zone occupied by Allied troops for
15 years.

Clemenceau was quite successful in getting a limit on armed forces in Germany.

However, concept of general disarmament as proposed by Wilson was not met. Only
defeated nations were disarmed.

France wanted huge reparation of $ 200 billion. Wilson and Lloyd George disagreed.
Lloyd George wanted $ 120 billion to be paid whereas Wilson said the right figure would
be $ 22 billion. In the end, a compromise reached to 6,600 million pounds.

Some of Wilson’s demands were not met like greater independence for colonies, general
disarmament, free trade and free movement of ships anywhere in the world.

Wilson was not happy with the terms but alongwith Lloyd George, he was of the view
that the League of Nations would be able to sort out the problems later. He had too much
faith in the League of Nations.