Treaty of Versailles
Court Stiens
Significance of Treaty of Versailles and Background Info
The Treaty of Versailles was the treaty that officially ended World War I on June 28, 1919. It was negotiated by the Allied powers, and it reassigned Germany's boundaries and assigned liability for reparation. The treaty contained fifteen parts and 440 articles. The treaty revealed a split between the French and the British and Americans. The Germans signed the treaty under protest, and the U.S. government took no responsibility for most of its provisions. However, the French and the Belgians strongly re-enforced the treaty for five years. The treaty and its enforcement angered the Germans, possibly leading to the next World War.
German delegates in Versailles
Newspaper article
Ending World War I
Impact of America and American Literature
The United States didn't actually sign the Treaty of Versailles because it objected to the United States terms and feared of retaliation from Germany. They also feared that the League of Nations would corrode U.S. power and pull them into further wars. The treaty ended the war for the U.S., but eventually led to the start of WWII. It affected literature because many Americans feared that the U.S. would be dragged into war, and the League of Nations would reduce America's ability to control its foreign affair policies.