10/20/22, 1:23 PM Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

The Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

The treaty was signed today at Versailles. At 10:30 am Washington time Phillips and I Links
sat in the telegraph room on the 4th floor of the Dept. and had a direct wire from there to Terms of the treaty - fuller outline
Versailles - with only two relays, one at London and one at Newfoundland, where it Key terms of the treaty - full text
went into and came out of the submarine cable. It was 5¼ hours different time at
Podcast:
Versailles. As each signed it was signalled out over the wire and ticked off on the
- Giles Hill on the Treaty of Versailles
receiver at our side and the operator read it by ear and wrote it out as received on a
typewriter. We leaned over his shoulder and read the bulletins. It was a unique and - simple description
most interesting experience - and a great occasion. A map
Breckenridge Long, Diary (Saturday, 28 June 1919)
Long was an US diplomat
Describe how the Treaty of Versailles weakened Germany: a.
Through the loss of territory, b. Militarily, c. Economically.

For five months the Big Three debated the terms of the Treaty. They
crawled over huge maps of Europe spread over the floor. Clemenceau
and Wilson quarrelled to the point where the Conference was in danger of
failing altogether; that was where Lloyd George stepped in -- on 25
March he issued the Fontainbleau Memorandum, then he persuaded
Clemenceau to accept the League of Nations, and Wilson to accept
reparations, and the Conference was saved.

Meanwhile, thousands of people turned up to lobby the Big Three, hoping

to get a hand-out in the final treaty. The Arab and Zionist Jewish
delegations competed to get control of Palestine (in the end, it was given
to Britain). Queen Mary of Romania turned up in person and flirted with
Wilson; he thought she was a dreadful woman, but Romania came away
with Transylvania. A group of 20 Ukrainians turned up and tried to
persuade the Big Three to recognise the Ukraine as an independent
country (they failed). The Conference became a huge goody-bag, in
which everybody was trying to dip their hand.

The small German delegation in Paris, who had been watching

proceedings but not allowed to take part, were at last given the text of
the Treaty on 7 May 1919. They issued an outraged statement and
returned home. For a while, it seemed that Germany might reject the
Treaty. However, Germany had no choice but to accept whatever was
decided, and eventually two Germans were found who were prepared to
sign the Treaty. Extra:
If you had been a German in Paris in 1919, can
On 28 June 1919, the victors met at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of you find FOUR things about the conduct of the
Versailles, near Paris, and the two Germans were called into the room Conference which would have outraged you?
and instructed to sign.

Source A
The Allied governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the
The main points of the Treaty [BRAT] responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all
The first 26 Articles of the Treaty set out the Covenant of the League of Nations; the rest
the loss and damage to which the Allied governments and
of the 440 Articles detailed Germany's punishment: their peoples have been subjected as a result of the war.
The Treaty of Versailles, Clause 231 (the 'War Guilt' clause)
1. Germany had to accept the Blame for starting the war (Clause 231). This was vital
because it provided the justification for...
2. Germany had to pay £6,600 million (called Reparations) for the damage done
during the war.
3. Germany was forbidden to have submarines or an air force. She could have a navy
of only six battleships, and an Army of just 100,000 men. In addition, Germany
was not allowed to place any troops in the Rhineland, the strip of land, 50 miles
wide, next to France.
4. Germany lost Territory (land) in Europe (see map, below). Germany’s colonies
were given to Britain and France.

(Also, Germany was forbidden to join the League of Nations, or unite with Austria.)

Source B

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