Summary
In January 1919, following the defeat of the German-led Central Powers in World War I, delegates from the victorious Allied nations gathered in Paris to try to forge an enduring peace for the postwar world. The number and complexity of the issues confronting the Paris peacemakers in the wake of the deadliest and most disruptive war up to that time was daunting. The five separate treaties produced by the Peace Conference, and particularly the most famous one, the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, have been widely criticized over the years, primarily because they contributed to the rise of Nazi Germany and the Second World War a generation later. Nonetheless, faced with the overwhelming task of bringing order to a world shattered by four years of bitter fighting, the Paris delegates were convinced that they had fashioned a just and lasting peace.
Illustrated with full-color and black-and-white photographs, and accompanied by a chronology, bibliography, and further resources, The Treaty of Versailles, Updated Edition, provides a clear and comprehensive account of how world leaders struggled to deal with the aftermath of the War to End All Wars. Historical spotlights and excerpts from primary source documents are also included.
About the Author(s)
Louise Chipley Slavicek received her master's degree in history from the University of Connecticut. She is the author of numerous books for young people, including Women of the American Revolution, Israel, The Great Wall of China, Mao Zedong, and Carlos Santana. She lives in Ohio.