The Big 4: Investigation and Notes
Who wrote the Treaty of Versailles and what did it say?
Directions:A group of men sat in on the judgment of Germany. They were known as the 'Big Four'. For each of the Big Four, please write what country they are from, what their country lost in the war, and what they wanted to get out of the treaty.
Person: / Country: / Losses from war / What they wanted:Woodrow Wilson
Vittorio Orlando
David Lloyd George
George Clemenceau
Vittorio Orlando
Who was he?
Italian Prime Minister
What did they lose?
Military Deaths: 651,000
Civilian Deaths: 589,000
Percentage of Population Killed: 3.48%
What did he want to get out of the treaty?
Wanted territory that had been promised to him in the Treaty of London (1915) and hoped to be granted more land as well. What Italy got out of Versailles did not satisfy those in Italy who expected a lot more - especially as Italy had been on the 'winning' side. At the very least, Italy expected to get control of the Adriatic coastline -- which she did not. Orlando’s failure at Versailles ended his political career.
Georges Clemenceau
Who was he?
French Prime Minister
What did they lose?
Military Deaths: 1,397,800
Civilian Deaths: 300,000
Percentage of Population Killed: 4.29%
What did he want to get out of the treaty?
Wanted to impose policies meant to cripple Germany militarily, politically, and economically, so as never to be able to invade France again. Clemenceau also particularly wished to regain the rich and industrial land of Alsace-Lorraine, which had been stripped from France by Germany in the 1871 War. Clemenceau wanted the Rhineland to be separated from Germany as it was a key area of industry. This land also acted as a buffer zone between France and Germany in case of repeated attack.
David Lloyd George
Who was he?
British prime minister
What did they lose?
Military Deaths: 885,138
Civilian Deaths: 109,000
Percentage of Population Killed: 2.19%
What did he want to get out of the treaty?
Hoped the treaty would even out power in Europe and was worried that if France got its way, France could become the most powerful force on the continent. Lloyd George was also worried by Woodrow Wilson's proposal for "self-determination" (independence for colonies) and, like the French, wanted to preserve his own nation's empire. Like the French, Lloyd George supported secret treaties and naval blockades.
Lloyd George managed to increase the overall reparations payment and Britain's share by demanding compensation for the huge number of widows, orphans, and men left unable to work through injuries due to the war.
Woodrow Wilson
Who was he?
American president
What did they lose?
Military Deaths: 116,708
Civilian Deaths: 757
Percentage of Population Killed: 0.13%
What did he want to get out of the treaty?
Many Americans were eager to remove themselves from European affairs as rapidly as possible and did not like being dragged into the war. The United States took a gentler view toward Germany, pushing for smaller German reparations. In order to maintain peace, Wilson wanted to reduce militarism and ban secret treaties. Wilson hoped that they could create a League of Nations that would prevent future wars from happening as well.