The Playas

at the Paris Peace Talks

J Marshall 2009

The Peace Process

• Opened 12 January, 1919 – Wilson was welcomed as a royal hero by the French

• 32 world leaders in total• 5 main allies: UK, USA, FR, Italy (Japan)

Wilson and Clemenceau represented the two poles of the Allied position

• 5 treaties; one per Central Power loser(we usually focus on Versailles)

55 Different Peace Treaties

VersaillesVersailles = Germany = GermanySt Germain = Aus/HunSt Germain = Aus/Hun

Trianon = HungaryTrianon = HungaryNeully = BulgariaNeully = BulgariaServes = TurkeyServes = Turkey

(All named after Paris suburbs)(All named after Paris suburbs)

President Woodrow Wilsonthe idealist

14 Points = USA war aims Father of the League of

Nations Nobel Peace Prize Treaty defeated by his

own Congress =

USAIsolationism

David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd Georgethe pragmatistthe pragmatist

Public Image:Make ‘em pay!

Privately: a weak Germany may allow Bolshevism to spread

Georges Clemenceauthe realist

• We must drive the Boche to his knees!

• They call me “Tiger”• Wilson is too

academic• If Germany can’t pay,

we’ll get to stay in the Rhineland.

Vittorio Orlandothe indignant

• Hey Guys, what about me?…

Italy’s limited military ability in 1919

Tainted image from time in Triple Alliance