The thing with Germany in 1918 was that it DIDN'T START WWI! Two reasons why:
1) Germany was trying to back up its friend Austria-Hungaria in a fight.... And Britain and France were trying to back up THEIR mate Serbia...So how can you solely blame Germany? YOU CAN'T!
2) Germany was ruled by a King with a LOT of power. There were no elections. No elections means the PEOPLE of Germany had NO CHOICE in going to war! Can you blame the people of Germany for WW1? OF COURSE NOT
Why was Germany so outraged by the Treaty?
1) Germany was trying to back up its friend Austria-Hungaria in a fight.... And Britain and France were trying to back up THEIR mate Serbia...So how can you solely blame Germany? YOU CAN'T!
2) Germany was ruled by a King with a LOT of power. There were no elections. No elections means the PEOPLE of Germany had NO CHOICE in going to war! Can you blame the people of Germany for WW1? OF COURSE NOT
Why was Germany so outraged by the Treaty?
- No foreign soldier had actually entered German territory, so many Germans felt as though they were not militarily defeated.
- The old government of the Kaiser had run away and the new one, the weimar Republic, had to take the blame...perhaps dooming them from the start!
- Germany was in bad shape and The Treaty makes it worse...and even seem like it would never end.
- Taking total blame for the war was considered ridiculous.
- Germany had surrendered thinking that the basis for the Treaty would be Wilson's 14 Points, which were focused on being less harsh.
- Germany had been excluded from the Peace proceedings, so many felt it was a Diktat, a dictated peace.
"The Big Three"
Which were the most important countries in the world?
Well in 1918 they were France, Britain and the USA.
They called themselves...."The Big Three"
Each of the Big Three had different aims and motives.
An AIM is what you want to happen.
A MOTIVE is WHY you want that to happen.
Task 3: Aims and motives of the "Big Three"
Well in 1918 they were France, Britain and the USA.
They called themselves...."The Big Three"
Each of the Big Three had different aims and motives.
An AIM is what you want to happen.
A MOTIVE is WHY you want that to happen.
Task 3: Aims and motives of the "Big Three"
- Create a table with a header and 3 rows with 3 columns.
- For the header label the first column "Country/Leader", the second "Aim", the third "Motives"
- Research the aims and motives for each of the three leaders in your groups.
- Write down the aims and motives of the Paris Conference for each of the "Big Three"
The Fourteen Points
Since the US reluctantly entered the war and had no motives for revenge or territorial ambitions, Woodrow Wilson's 14 points were meant to bring a lasting peace and prevent future wars by ensuring that Germany was not destroyed by the punishment.
Summary of Wilson's 14 points:
Task 4: Put the points in order of importance
Since the US reluctantly entered the war and had no motives for revenge or territorial ambitions, Woodrow Wilson's 14 points were meant to bring a lasting peace and prevent future wars by ensuring that Germany was not destroyed by the punishment.
Summary of Wilson's 14 points:
- Open covenants of peace, openly arrived at
- Freedom of the seas
- The removal so far as possible of all economic barriers
- The reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety
- Impartial adjustment of all colonial claims
- The evacuation of all Russian territory
- The evacuation and restoration of Belgium
- The liberation of France and return to her of Alsace and Lorraine
- Readjustment of the frontiers of Italy to conform to clearly recognisable lines of nationality
- The peoples of Austria-Hungary should be accorded the freest opportunity of autonomous development
- Evacuation of occupation forces from Romania, Serbia and Montenegro; Serbia should be accorded free and secure access to the sea
- Autonomous development for the non-Turkish peoples of the Ottoman empire; free passage of the Dardanelles to the ships and commerce of all nations
- An independent Poland to be established, with free and secure access to the sea
- A general association of nations to be formed to guarantee to its members political independence and territorial integrity (the genesis of the League of Nations)
Task 4: Put the points in order of importance
- Put the points in order of how effective you think they will be in keeping a lasting peace.
- Explain your rationale for each.
The Treaty of Versailles
Task 5: Treaty Role Play
Participate in the role play to determine what you think is fair.
Participate in the role play to determine what you think is fair.
- Look at the different options in chart 1 based on the different areas of concern
- Research which options the leader of your delegation or country (French, English, American and German + Italy + Japan)
- Once you’ve decided on what your leader would have wanted - come together with the other leaders and try to negotiate a final Treaty
- Together we will review the chart and look at what actually happened
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