Wilsons 14 Points

1. No more secret agreements between countries. Diplomacy shall be open to the

world.
2. International seas shall be free to navigate during peace and war.
3. There shall be free trade between the countries who accept the peace.
4. There shall be a worldwide reduction in weapons and armies by all countries.
5. Colonial claims over land and regions will be fair.
6. Russia will be allowed to determine its own form of government. All German
troops will leave Russian soil.
7. German troops will evacuate Belgium and Belgium will be an independent
country.
8. France will regain all territory including the disputed land of Alsace-Lorraine.
9. The borders of Italy will be established such that all Italians will be within the
country of Italy.
10. Austria-Hungary will be allowed to continue to be an independent country.
11. The Central Powers will evacuate Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania leaving
them as independent countries.
12. The Turkish people of the Ottoman Empire will have their own country. Other
nationalities under the Ottoman rule will also have security.
13. Poland shall be an independent country.
14. A League of Nations will be formed that protects the independence of all
countries no matter how big or small.

The Treaty of Versailles

includes 440 Articles.
The principal items are:

Germany has to cede Alsace-Lorraine to France.

Germany has to cede the coal mines in the Saar-area to France.
Germany has to cede an area with Moresnet, Eupen, Malmdy and St. Vith to Belgium.
Germany has to cede the main part of West-Prussia and almost the whole province of
Posen to the new state of Poland.
Germany has to cede all colonies: Togo en Cameroun, the territories in East- and SouthWest Africa, islands in the Pacific and possessions in China.
All German properties in foreign countries are confiscated.
Germany has to cede al war material to the allies.
German compulsory military service is abolished, as well as the General Staff.
Germany is not allowed to have tanks, airplanes, submarines, large warships and poison
gas.
During 15 years Germany is not allowed to station troops on the left border of the river
Rhine and in a 50 km strip on the right border of the Rhine.
The total size of the Germany army is not to exceed 100.000 men.
The German navy has a maximum of 15.000 men.
Germany is allowed a total of 4.000 officers.
Germany is not to take part in the League of Nations.
Austria has to cede South-Tirol to Italy.
Turkey has to cede all foreign possessions. England gets Iraq, Palestine and Trans-Jordan,
France gets Syria and Lebanon.
Germany has to cede to the allies all seagoing ships with a carrying capacity exceeding
1600 Brt, plus half of all ships between 1000 and 1600 Brt. Furthermore one fourth of the
fishing fleet and two fifths of the inland navigation fleet has to be ceded.
Germany has to cede large amounts of machinery and building materials, trains and
trucks.
Germany has to deliver certain amounts of coal, chemicals, dye and fuel for many years.
All German sub-ocean telegraph cables are confiscated.
Germany has to pay 132 billion gold marks.

Questions for Discussion

Do you think Germany or Serbia was responsible for starting WWI? And why?

In Wilson's speech, he said of Germany that "We do not wish to injure her or to
block in any way her legitimate influence or power." What evidence supports or
contradicts this statement?

The leaders of the other Allied Nations, including David Lloyd George of Britain
and Georges Clemenceau of France, thought that Wilson was being too
idealistic. What evidence supports their claim?

 The Treaty of Versailles and the 1921 London Schedule of Payments required
Germany to pay 132 billion gold marks (US$33 billion) in reparations to cover
civilian damage caused during the war. Was this amount too excessive?

Making Germany give up their colonies made was a correct punishment for their
actions.

Exit Card Question

In the speech, Wilson referred to World War I as the "final war for human liberty."
What do you think is meant by this?