Why did the Big Three disagree so much during the peace discussions of 1919?

• They each sought to protect their own national interests

  • Lloyd George – the British Empire and trade

  • This included allowing Germany to recover economically at least

  • Whilst he would also want Germany to act as a counter-balance to French power as well as a bulwark against Bolshevism

• Clemenceau sought to ensure French security which meant a much-weakened Germany

• And to make Germany pay for the damage it had caused France and its people

• This meant inflicting a harsh punishment on Germany: taking territory, heavy reparations, a much-weakened military

• Wilson wanted a peaceful world to get back to trading as soon as possible because this would only make America wealthier

• He also wanted to prevent America having to come between warring factions in Europe again

• Lloyd George didn’t want Germany punished so much that it would seek

    revenge

• The French demands were simply to extreme, for example separating the

     Rhineland from Germany

• Whilst he was uneasy about Wilson’s 14 Points, eg free access to the seas and self-determination, at least when it came to the British Empire. He was also concerned that a League of Nations might involve Britain in conflicts around the world

• Wilson didn’t want to punish Germany so harsh that it would seek revenge either

• Wilson believed in the moral basis of his 14 Points, particularly democracy and self-determination

• Clemenceau as well as wanting to ensure France was safe also wanted revenge

• It could be said that both Lloyd George and Wilson, whilst not forgetting what had happened, were also trying to look to the future; whereas Clemenceau could only look back