A Brief Summary of the Treaty of Versailles

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The treaty that ended the First World War, also known as the “war to end all wars,” was signed at the Palace of Versailles, which had been the home of French kings until 1789 and remains one of the most beautiful structures in the world.
Though the men of Versailles (and they were overwhelmingly men) had arrived in Paris to put an end to World War I, by the time the conference ended, the main goal of the diplomats and national leaders had turned into ending wars for all time. Obviously, that did not work, and as a matter of fact, the end result of the Paris Peace Conference—the Treaty of Versailles—would likely cause more wars than any of its authors could have possibly dreamed of, including World War II.

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[mattzobian]

"War is about profit" is an old trope. It's often inaccurate, and always simplistic. International and ethnic relations are far more diverse and complicated than that.

[seanlander]

When Germany recommenced reparations in 1953-2010, why did they make that conditional on Australia being singled out to be paid nothing?

[darkacademiaaudiobooks]

The harshness of the Treaty of Versailles was the main cause of the Second World War

[lordsleepyhead]

I don't understand why Americans insist on calling him "Ay-dolf" Hitler when it's not exactly difficult to call him "Ah-dolf" Hitler which is how his name is actually pronounced. Same with Vincent Van "Go" instead of Vincent Van "Goff" which is closer to how it's actually pronounced.

[ralphbernhard]

*How "divide and rule/conquer" is revealed by events, not by digging around in archives.*
Wiki: "The Paris Economy Pact was an international economic agreement reached at the Paris Economic Conference, held from 14 June 1916 in Paris. The meeting, held at the height of World War I, included representatives of the Allied Powers: *Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Russia."* After a "won war" (perspective of 1916), these powers plus their dominions, colonies, and the potential "liberated assets" of the defeated nations after the "won war"-scenario (German colonies, German naval vessels, markets and concessions, etc.), formed a ring of powerful European survivors (plus one upcoming power in Asia) almost encircling the USA (geopolitics).

After the USA joined the war in full force, Russia was soon out of this potential "alliance of the winners" after the November Revolution in 1917, without much outside input.
*One down, 4 to go.*
Next out was Italy, by sending her liberals running back home crying (Wilson *sowing dissent* between the "winners" from the inside, a means used in "divide and rule". In this case, by "ruling" that her favorite's secret deals counted more that the secret deals made with Italy)
*Two down, 3 to go...*
After GB was persuaded to "dump Japan" by replacing a binding defence alliance with a wishy-washy non-binding "4 power treaty" (more detail in the thread below)...
*Three down, 2 left..."*

All that was left was the "cordial" non-binding "Entente of 1904 (GB/France).
These two "no obligations, just friends" (GB/France), just happened to be "US favorites" too. More "no obligations, just friends" (favoratism, another means used in "divide and rule/conquer"-strategies).
Europe was divided again.
Just like 1914.

Wilson at Versailles is often hailed as the idealistic neutral who wanted to save Europe...
Reality?
He was there as a forerunner of the American Century.
He came, he saw, and [divided and] conquered.
Vini, vidi, vici in slow motion.
Then he left again.
The USA didn't sign anything.
The USA didn't join any "leagues" of nations.
The USA didn't tie its hands with any rules.
There were no obligations, except the "rules" written by an expansionist Washington DC in the background ("think tanks" and other centers of strategic research).
A few years later, at the Washington Conference, her navy was "on par" with GB/Empire.
From an obscure colony on the fringes to a "5-5-3-2-2" (GB/USA/Japan/France/Italy) division of naval power in a 150 years.
Wilson: "Look at them jojos...that's the way you do it, get your empire for nothing and division for free..." ;-)
He was no different to most previous US Presidents, who put the USA first.
*And the "USA first" was best achieved by keeping those plucky Europeans divided.*

[princessolmeca]

So you're telling me that nobody on either side, liberal or conservative, liked this treaty? That doesn't surprise me.

[ralphbernhard]

Asking "peace or dishonor" is a false dichotomy.
It only provides two options as answers.
Open questions are better.
Then I would have answered "It was