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The Group of Ten
In short order, ten countries – Britain, France, the United States,
Italy, Japan and five others – took control of the talks. But before long,
three leaders – Wilson, Lloyd George and Clemenceau – dominated the
talks. The French Prime Minister wanted revenge for the defeat in 1871 at the
hands of the Germans and demanded reparations for the massive loss of French
life (almost 1.5 million dead) and the damage to the country, particularly in
the north. British Prime Minister Lloyd George had campaigned on the slogan “make
Germany pay” and was acutely aware of the more than 760,000 British men
and women who had given their lives in the war. After six months of intense negotiations,
Britain and France were successful in punishing Germany in what would come to
be called the “Victor’s Treaty.”
In all, the Peace of Paris consisted of five separate treaties, one for each
of the defeated countries: Austria, Germany, Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria. Ignoring
Wilson’s advice to |
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draw new borders based not on military victory but on
the nationality and language of the people, the leaders re-drew the map of Europe
and drafted harsh terms for the defeated countries, sowing the seeds of future
conflict. Of the treaties signed, though, by far the most important for the world
was the treaty with Germany – the famous Treaty of Versailles. |
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