When the war was over the peace talks were held at the palace of Versailles in France.

1. The Treaty of Versailles • When the war was over the peace talks were held at the palace of Versailles in France. • European Leaders wanted to Punish the Losers.

2. The only people at the Peace Table were “The Big Four” • Woodrow Wilson – USA • David Lloyd George – Great Britain • Georges Clemenceau – France • Vittorio Orlando – Italy • Germany, Austria-hungry and Russia were not invited. 

3. (Left to right) The “Big Four”: David Lloyd George of Britain, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Georges Clemenceau of France, and Woodrow Wilson of the United States, the principal architects of the Treaty of Versailles.

4. The Treaty – 1918 • Allies split up all Germany’s Colonies. • Germany lost much of its valuable land to other nations. • New countries, such as Poland and Czechoslovakia, were created from the Central Powers. • Germany had to accept FULL blame for WWI. <- The War Guilt Clause

5. During WWI

6. After the Peace Treaty

7. The Allies Punish Germany! • The German army was reduced to 100,000 men. • Germany wasn’t allowed to have combat planes. • The German Navy was reduced and all subs were to be scuttled or handed over to Britain. • Production of war goods was banned in Germany. • Germany was forced to pay Reparations: Payments to the winners for the “total cost” of the WWI. • It was $33 billion! • Which is approx. 52.8 trillion today!!!

8. Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points • Wilson wanted to “reshape the world” after WWI. Other leaders were interested in enriching themselves and punishing the losers. • Wilson was seen by other leaders as preaching to the world and self-righteous. Five of Fourteen Peace Keeping Aims: Freedom of the Seas Free Trade Limitations on armies End to secret alliances Right to Self-Rule (Democracy)

9. The League of Nations • Wilson’s #1 objective at the Peace Conference. • It was a Gathering of Nations to discuss and resolve problems instead of war. • It was the only one of his points that he achieved there; however he did consider it the most important of the 14.

10. The U.S. Senate does NOT sign the Treaty of Versailles! • Senate was worried it would bring the U.S. into foreign wars. • And that it would take away the power of Congress to declare war. • U.S. instead signed separate treaties with each of the Central Powers. • League of Nations goes into effect without the U.S.