5. Peace and the consequences of war The Paris Peace Conference In Januar y 1918, US president Woodrow Wilson (16) gave a speech to the US Congress. He recommended Fourteen Points for a fair and lasting peace. However, the peace treaties ignored his suggestions. The Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920) produced five treaties: The Treaty of Versailles, signed with Germany. The Treaty of Saint-Germain , signed with Austria . The Treaty of Trianon , signed with Hungar y. The Treaty of Sèvres, signed with Türkiye. The Treaty of Neuilly, signed with Bulgaria . The main decisions were taken by the USA, France, the UK and Italy. These countries forced the defeated countries to accept their conditions. The treaties had three main goals: The creation of the League of Nations In 1919, the League of Nations was created. It was an international organisation based on US president Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points. The objective of the League of Nations was to maintain peace and resolve conf licts among countries peacefully. However, it was not successful . It did not have an army or the capacity to enforce its resolutions. Furthermore, Germany, Russia and the USA did not join the League. ANALYSE A HISTORICAL TEXT Read the excerpt of Wilson's Fourteen Points. Summarise the main ideas. Analyse which principle inspired this text: pacifism or militarism. Compare this text with the Covenant of the League of Nations. What conclusions can you make? Our programme is […] the programme of world peace […]. It consists of the following points: 1. All peace treaties are public […]. There shall be no private international understandings […]. 2. Absolute freedom of navigation upon the seas […] in wartime and peace. 3. The removal […] of all economic barriers […]. 4. Adequate guarantees […] that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety. 14. A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of af fording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike. 16. President Wilson To prevent the resurgence of Germany as a great power : – It lost its colonies and some of its territor y. – It had to pay substantial war reparations. – I t had to demilitarise Rhineland (a region on the border with France) and its army was limited . These tough sanctions increased the German population's desire for revenge. To achieve a balance of power among the victors, especially in the Balkans and the colonies, in order to avoid potential conf lict. To isolate Russia, where a communist regime had been established, in order to avoid the spread of revolution. 34
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