February 12, 2013
History 153
Writing assignment
A Critique of the Versailles Peace Conference (1919)
Mao Zedong is one of the most influential figures in Chinese history and for that matter, the history of the world. Over his lifetime he has written many important documents that had a significant influence on the world. One of these documents was a critique of the outcome of the Versailles Peace Conference. Mao’s passage So Much For National Self-determination! voices his disappointment of the outcome of the Peace Conference. Mao explains how the Allies’ policy of national self-determination was not used fairly because it adhered to in certain areas of the world and violated in others. Places like Czechoslovakia and Poland were able to reestablish national existence. Also the Arabs were benefitted from the splitting up of turkey, which allowed them to become semi independent. However Korea lost its independence along with many of its people and land. In addition the Jewish people were not able to restore their nation in Palestine because it did not benefit the allies. In another passage entitled Poor Wilson Mao Zedong discusses how he feels sorry for The United States President Wilson at the Peace Conference. Mao compares Wilson at the conference to an ant on a skillet. He explains how Wilson’s other ally leaders were acting selfishly and would not let Wilson speak his mind. Mao explains how Wilson had no choice in the end but to side with the other ally leaders. Mao feels Wilson had very good ideas that he was not able to get across. In the end Mao expresses how he feels very sorry for Woodrow Wilson. According to Mao there was certain places that the principal of national self-determination was adhered to and other places it was violated. In Poland and Czechoslovakia national self-determination was adhered to, as they were successful in reestablishing their national existence. Also in the Middle East the Arabs were able to benefit