Preview

Explanation for why the Big 3 at Versailles were in such disagreement.

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
497 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Explanation for why the Big 3 at Versailles were in such disagreement.
The "Big 3", Georges Clemenceau, Woodrow Wilson and Lloyd George, disagreed so strongly on the Treaty of Versailles because it was no more than a compromise, it satisfied nobody. All three of them had a different stance on whether or not the treaty was satisfactory. Clemenceau thought it would be better for Germany to suffer a great deal more than the treaty allowed, while Wilson considered the treaty far too harsh. Lloyd George on the other hand took what seemed to be more of a middle ground.

Clemenceau had personally been a witness to the devastation in France's north east corner at Germany's hand, and saw fit to make sure that Germany never be able to do it again. Although he was content with clause 231, in which Germany accepts the blame for the entire First World War, he thought that the reparation charges placed on Germany should have been higher. He wanted them so high that Germany would be crippled paying them off forever. He also wanted Germany split up into tiny pieces which would render the country powerless and easy to overpower. Clemenceau did like some aspects of the treaty, such as the disarmament limiting the German military to 100,000 men, 6 battle ships, no U-boats and no air force.

Woodrow Wilson was also forlorn when it came to the treaty as most of his "fourteen points" were either ignored or rejected. He believed the treaty was far too cruel towards the Germans and that the Allies should have been more forgiving. The two points he did manage to achieve were those about the League of Nations, and national self determination, but both of them had their downsides. After returning home from Europe, Wilson discovered the senate refusing to sign the treaty, as well as join the League of Nations. As for the self determination, it was only Eastern Europe which managed to comply as neither Britain, France nor Belgium would allow self determination with the colonies in their empires.

Lloyd George was also dissatisfied and thought the treaty to be too

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In order to understand the situation that led to the defeat of the treaty, it is necessary to identify what the sticking point was. In this case it was Article X of the Treaty which would commit US troops to involvement in foreign affairs if another member of the league was threatened. While President Wilson called this a war of keeping the world safe for democracy so he could justify having sent troops over to Europe in the Great War (Document C) many viewed it was a marriage of America to Foreign entanglements (Document E). However Document E shows a figure labeled "US Senate" bursting through the window trying to stop this marriage. The main issue in the senate was the commitment of US troops to foreign conflicts. This issue caused Henry Cabot Lodge to lead the Republicans in the house to demand that Wilson edit this provision of the treaty. In response to this demand Wilson urged Democrats in the Senate to accept no compromises and to only offer to ratify…

    • 522 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1918, Wilson drew up his Fourteen Points; he believed Article X, the League of Nations, was the most important. These points were incorporated in an international accord made at the Paris Peace Conference at Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles offered numerous ways to create harmony. Nevertheless, the U.S. neither joined the League of Nations nor signed the treaty. It was not the influence of the opponent forces of the U.S., conservative or liberal, that led to the absolute defeat of the Treaty of Versailles, but rather the political unawareness, incapability, and stubbornness of President Woodrow Wilson.…

    • 696 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United States had entered World War I against many wishes of the American public, which made the ratification for the peace agreement an even more difficult task. Woodrow Wilson justified American involvement by claiming that an Ally victory would ensure a new world order. The war would be used as an instrument to "make the world safe for democracy". However, many Americans, government officials, and even the Allies did not agree with the progressive ideals that would be enforced to attain the peace that Wilson had desired and promised. This was made evident when Wilson's negotiations for the peace treaty were criticized and rejected by the leaders of the other Allied nations and isolationists. Even when Wilson acknowledged objections against his proposals, he refused to accept any compromises or different versions of the treaty. Therefore, both the inflexibility of Wilson and strength of the opposition forces led to the defeat of the Treaty of Versailles.…

    • 1033 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    November 11, 1918 would mark Germany’s surrender as the kaiser fled to Holland, yet it was only the beginning of the quarrel between President Wilson and the American people over the Treaty of Versailles. Beforehand, Wilson had delivered the Fourteen Points Address to Congress January 8th declaring World War 1 as a moral cause and struggle for peace. Wilson mentioned fourteen points. Notably, the 14th point foreshadowed the concept of the League of Nations which would later be reintroduced as Wilson’s Ultimate goal to establish during the Paris Conference. Contrary to his goal, American liberal and conservative oppositions fought in regards to the Treaty of Versailles; created by the Big Four: US, Britain, France, and Italy, it would contain…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The strength and effort of opposition forces as well as the ineptitude and stubbornness of President Wilson led to the Senate defeat of the Treaty of Versailles. The opposing senators wanted to add reservations onto the treaty, but Wilson’s would not have it. This caused Wilson to kill his own treaty with some help from opposing senators.…

    • 510 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dbq Treaty Of Versailles

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In 1919, President Wilson joined delegates of Italy, France, England, and Japan in the Palace of Versailles to negotiate peace. When the conference was adjourned, the Treaty of Versailles had been created. However, the treaty was killed by Congress. It was not the strength of the opposing forces' argument, but rather the incompetence, rigidity, and obstinacy of President Wilson that lead to the Senate defeat of the Treaty of Versailles.…

    • 405 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treaty of Versailles. DBQ

    • 790 Words
    • 3 Pages

    By the time Wilson returned to the U.S. he was more surprised by the opposition he encountered in his home country. The treaty of Versailles failed and yet historians have asked whose fault it was. Obviously Wilson's ineptitude and stubbornness let to the senate defeat of the treaty of Versailles.…

    • 790 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The treaty of Versailles is believed by historians to have angered the Germans but also left the big three unsatisfied at the outcome of the pact. Germany felt exceedingly cheated by the treaty. The Germans in the treaty had been blamed entirely for the war and had to pay compensation in the sum of 6, 600million pounds as well as limit there army to no more then 100,000 men to name a few . Through the treaty Germany had to lose much of its territory to its neighboring countries - as well as the demilitarization of the Rhineland to protect France.…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Treaty Of Versailles Dbq

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “This is the Greatest Moment in history”.The Treaty of Versailles was the peace settlement signed after World War One had ended in 1918 and in the shadow of the Russian Revolution and other events in Russia. The treaty was signed at the vast Versailles Palace near Paris – hence its title – between Germany and the Allies. The three most important politicians there were David Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau and Woodrow Wilson.The Versailles Palace was considered the most appropriate venue simply because of its size – many hundreds of people were involved in the process and the final signing ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors could accommodate hundreds of dignitaries. Many wanted Germany, now led by Friedrich Ebert, smashed; others, like Lloyd George,…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    League Of Nations Dbq

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages

    President Woodrow Wilson, went up against Senator Henry Cabot Lodge who was the Republican majority leader and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. The Treaty of Versailles, and with it the League of Nations, was rejected by the US Senate. As a result, the United States refused to play a role in preventing the overthrow of Europe by Adolf Hitler during the World War.…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Versaille Treaty Dbq

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages

    After World War I, the world tried to construct some form of peace which would prevent another world war. President Wilson thought that World War I would be the “war to end all wars”. Wilson tried to make this possible through his Fourteen Points plan which would create and keep the peace throughout the world. Even though the Versailles Treaty included many of these points, Wilson failed at gaining the Senate’s support. Wilson pushed the Senate to ratify the Versailles Treaty, however, Wilson’s attempt was unsuccessful due to the strength and views of the opposition forces.…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The US failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles due to the part that the League of Nations came into play in. The League of Nations would require that the US give up too much power and submit to European countries. After hearing this concern, former president Wilson drafted his famous Fourteen Points, which still was not enough for the US. Much similar to the reasons that the US did not want to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, Germany felt that the treaty was unjust and too forceful in implementing the “Guilt Clause.” The Treaty of Versailles led to the desires of Germany wanting to expand, which ultimately led to the rise of Hitler who helped urge this desire.…

    • 240 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    As World War I came to a close, nations needed a way to keep the peace and prevent another world war from occurring. The Big Four - United Kingdom, France, the United States and Italy - attended the Peace Conference to determine what is known as the Treaty of Versailles. When taken back to the United States Senate, the ratification of the treaty was denied. Senator Harry Cabot Lodge and his committee offered some suggestions and were willing to compromise, but President Woodrow Wilson was sticking to his realistic ideal, therefore President Wilson is to blame for the defeat of the ratification of the Treaty of Versailles due to the feud between Senate and President Wilson, Wilson’s headstrong idea of his Fourteen Points, and Wilson’s health…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In January 1918, before the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson had written a list of war aims which he called the "Fourteen Points. " The Treaty of Versailles was included in them and was presented for German leaders to sign on May 7, 1919. It forced Germany to concede territories to Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Article 231, also known as the "War Guilt Clause," forced Germany to accept responsibility for initiating World War I.…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Once World War I came to a close, many decided they never wanted to go through such a terrible war again. In fact, they even said that World War I was “the war to end all wars.” They wanted to bring peace throughout the nations, something that would ensure that they would never have reason to fight again, at least not nearly as bad as the Great War had been. President Woodrow Wilson was a strong supporter of a peace between all continents, even constructing a 14 Point Plan that would focus on bringing peace to the world. As a result, when the League of Nations came into being, he fully supported the Treaty of Versailles, which would not only induct the United States into the League, but also hold every single one of the signers to their promise of peace and unity. President Wilson brought this to the attention of the United States government, and though the Treaty of Versailles supported many of Wilson’s points from his 14 Point Plan, it was unsuccessful in passing. Though Wilson was very stubborn in trying to get the treaty passed, the strength of the opposing forces was too great, and Senate declined the passing of the treaty.…

    • 646 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays