THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES United States Reaction to the Treaty

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES

Wilson and the Allied leaders from Europe attended a peace conference in Versailles, France (near

Paris). The European leaders wanted a harsh treaty to punish Germany because they blamed

Germany for starting the war. On the other hand, Woodrow Wilson’s main goal was peace and believed

that all nations should abide by the terms of his Fourteen Points. However, to get what he wanted, he

accepted the idea of blaming Germany so that in return, the European countries would support his

idea of a League of Nations.

1. How were the European leaders’ views different than Wilson’s views? WHY?

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Key Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

• Austria-Hungary was divided

into new, smaller nations.

Austria and Hungary would

be separated, and the new

nations of Yugoslavia and

Czechoslovakia would be

created.

• The Ottoman Empire would

no longer exist. That land

would be divided into new,

smaller territories under the

control of Britain and France,

later to become the nations of

the modern Middle East.

• Germany would still exist,

but in a completely new, smaller and weaker form. Germany would be blamed for the war and

punished in the following ways:

➢ Germany would have to give up much of its territory, losing land to France in the

west and the new nation of Poland in the east.

➢ Germany lost its navy, and could only keep a tiny army for security within the

country (not to go to war).

➢ Germany had to pay billions of dollars in reparations (payments for damages caused

during the war) to the Allies.

• League of Nations was established – an association of nations formed after World War I with

the goal of keeping peace in the future. It would be the responsibility of the League of Nations to

make sure that the terms of the treaty were not being violated.

2. How do you think the German government and people felt about the terms of the Treaty of

Versailles? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________________

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3. World War I is considered a long-term cause of World War II. Why do you think this is the case?

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United States Reaction to the Treaty of Versailles

4. Even though President Wilson approved of the Treaty of

Versailles – particularly the League of Nations – the United

States DID NOT go along with this treaty because the

_______________ rejected it. They rejected it mainly because

it required the U.S. to join the _____________________.

5. What arguments could be made in favor of the U.S. joining the League of Nations?

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6. What arguments do you think the Senate used against the

U.S. joining the League of Nations?

The Allied leaders of Europe all signed the Treaty of

Versailles, officially ending World War I. In order for

the United States to be part of this treaty, President

Wilson took the treaty back to the United States to

have the Senate ratify (approve) it. But people at

home, upset by the costs of war and the loss of lives,

wanted to return back to a policy of isolationism. The

U.S. Senate did not ratify the treaty because they did

not approve of the League of Nations.

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7. Explain what is happening in this cartoon and the artist’s

main message.

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