Treaty Of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was the treaty that officially ended World War I . The treaty was signed on June 28, 1919 by: Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Georges Clemenceau of France, David Lloyd George of England and Vittorio Emanuele Orlando of Italy. These four men comprised the group also known as, "The Big Four". This treaty signed by these men, embodied the results of the long and often bitter negotiations of the Paris Peace Conferences2 of 1919.

Prior to the Treaty of Versailles, Woodrow Wilson had conjured a plan of what he thought should be done, at the end of World War I. Wilson's plan was known as "Wilson's Fourteen Points". Included in these "Fourteen Points" was, number fourteen: A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike. This was further known in the Treaty of Versailles as the League of Nations. This "point" from Wilson, was one of the few taken into consideration for inclusion in the Treaty of Versailles.

The Treaty of Versailles includes four hundred and forty articles. The articles the Treaty of Versailles dictates for utilization are summed up into the following categories: The Covenant of the League of Nations, Boundaries of Germany, Political Clauses for Europe, German Rights and Interest Outside Germany, Military, Naval and Air Clauses, Prisoners of War and Graves, Penalties, Reparations, Financial Clauses, Economic Clauses, Aerial Navigation, Ports, Waterways and Railways, Labor, Procedure, Guarantees and finally Miscellaneous Provisions. On January 10, 1920, the Treaty of Versailles officially entered full force. Yes, the treaty was signed June 28, 1919, but in order to go into effect, it first had to be approved by the governments in all countries taking part.

The Treaty of Versailles is a large part of world history3 . The Treaty of Versailles was the chief treaty that put an end to World War I and the reigning powers of Europe, at the time. The Treaty of Versailles left Germany as the main, if not the only cause for World War I, to pay reparations4 for the war. It also, forced into effect territories and laws that not only had to be followed by Germany, but the rest of Europe and the world. Most of the territories depicted by the Treaty of Versailles are some of the countries of Europe that we now know today. The Treaty of Versailles also caused a trauma or anti-Versailles complex in Germany. This anti-Versailles complex in much of Germany, lead to the collapse of the Weimar Republic5, the rise of Adolf Hitler6 and of his followers of Nazi Germany. This treaty therefore, leads the world into World War II7.

The main issues still alive today, in the lives of people of the entire world is the issue of nationalism and the formation of the United Nations. It was because of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I, that an immense growth of nationalism sparked. Nationalism is described as the doctrine that your national culture and interest are superior to any other. Nationalism is still very alive today; this can be seen in the "War Against Iraq" or "Operation Iraqi Freedom"8. The United States is simply being nationalistic and trying to reestablish the United States way onto the Iraqis. The other issue still alive is the formation of the United Nations. The United Nations is the modern form of the Treaty of Versailles,