The Treaty of Versailles was introduced in 1919, shortly after WW1 had ended. The treaty was constructed to serve as a peace settlement between Germany and the Allies, as they intended to create solutions to manage the after-effects of the war. Many countries were deeply affected by the destruction and damage that was caused by the war and Germany was formally held responsible for World War 1. There were many conferences held in Paris during this period, where it was eventually decided that Germany was obligated to compensate the Allies in the form of reparations. The three most important politicians involved in this process were Georges Clemenceau, Woodrow Wilson and David Lloyd George, they were also known as ‘the big three’ and
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Despite the introduction of the Treaty, the French felt that Germany was still able to threaten France. As well as this, the French people also felt that France had suffered far more than Germany. In addition to this it is also important to consider many other contributing factors to help us understand why the French were so insistent on the payment of reparations during this period.
Whilst attempting to understand exactly what the French were so insistent on the payment of reparations, firstly it is important to understand the after-effects of WW1 on France. Todd (2001) writes, ‘it had been an economic disaster for France’. In Todd’s research, he highlights how ‘most of the fighting had been on French soil, so there had been massive destruction of farmland, factories, railway lines, roads, bridges and homes’ (Todd, 2001). Many people suffered great loss not only in their daily lives but also in the form of French casualties. There had been ‘3.5 million French casualties during WW1, …show more content…
In addition to this, there are other factors which must also be considered such as the huge war debts that the French government had run up with the US. By the end of the war France owed ‘$4 billion’ (Gomes, 2010) to the US. Gomes (2010) writes, ‘Britain would repay the United States so long as Britain was repaid by France; which in turn, was counting on reparations from Germany’. Gomes (2010) refers to this as the ‘reparations/war-debt tangle’. Research shows that Washington insisted on the payment of the repayment of these loans and this poisoned relations among the United States, Britain and France throughout the interwar years’ (Spencer Tucker, 2005). From this information we are able to identify that France was relying on the reparation from Germany as a means of repaying their loans to Britain and also to the
Despite the introduction of the Treaty, the French felt that Germany was still able to threaten France. As well as this, the French people also felt that France had suffered far more than Germany. In addition to this it is also important to consider many other contributing factors to help us understand why the French were so insistent on the payment of reparations during this period.
Whilst attempting to understand exactly what the French were so insistent on the payment of reparations, firstly it is important to understand the after-effects of WW1 on France. Todd (2001) writes, ‘it had been an economic disaster for France’. In Todd’s research, he highlights how ‘most of the fighting had been on French soil, so there had been massive destruction of farmland, factories, railway lines, roads, bridges and homes’ (Todd, 2001). Many people suffered great loss not only in their daily lives but also in the form of French casualties. There had been ‘3.5 million French casualties during WW1, …show more content…
In addition to this, there are other factors which must also be considered such as the huge war debts that the French government had run up with the US. By the end of the war France owed ‘$4 billion’ (Gomes, 2010) to the US. Gomes (2010) writes, ‘Britain would repay the United States so long as Britain was repaid by France; which in turn, was counting on reparations from Germany’. Gomes (2010) refers to this as the ‘reparations/war-debt tangle’. Research shows that Washington insisted on the payment of the repayment of these loans and this poisoned relations among the United States, Britain and France throughout the interwar years’ (Spencer Tucker, 2005). From this information we are able to identify that France was relying on the reparation from Germany as a means of repaying their loans to Britain and also to the