Treaty of Versailles

             The Treaty of Versailles was not the only cause of World War II, however was one of the important factors. The treaty was neither severe enough to keep Germany from once again being a significant power, nor was it lenient enough for the German people to meet its terms and move on. Instead it was only harsh enough to make life incredibly hard for a few years, just long enough to fester hatred for the Allies, especially the French. The main reason the treaty failed to keep the peace is because the Allies all had separate agendas. Britain wanted increase their colonial power all over the world. France wanted to permanently punish Germany harshly enough that they could never make war again. Wilson was trying to make a formula for an everlasting peace in Europe and create the League of Nations. In Germany the citizens were worried about what would be enforced upon them, since they had no say in the matter. However just twenty years and sixty-seven days later, war would once again break out in Europe. .
             After the defeat of the French by the Prussians in 1871 the Prussian diplomats met with French offcials in the "Hall of Mirrors- and hammered out an agreement. Then just 48 years later on the 28th of June 1919 the leaders of the Allied forces came togethor and forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was at first called by the Germans the Diktat, because the terms were dictated to them, they had no say in the matter whatsoever. Three of the Allied leaders met with representatives of Germany to witness the signing. The leaders were David Lloyd George of Great Britain, Georges Clemenceau of France and Woodrow Wilson of the United States.(1) The purpose of forcing this treaty upon Germany was the hope that the treaty would bring peace to Europe, which had just endured the bloodiest war of history. Even the choosing of the building as a setting for the signing of the treaty suggests more of an air of revenge more then for any practical reason.