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The World Between Wars
IN JANUARY 1919 the victorious nations of World War I met in the luxurious Hall of Mirrors at Louis XIV's Ver illes Palace to prepare a peace settlement They l ked out over a devastated Europe. The destruc­ tion was not so much of property-except along the front in Belgium and France-but of human life. Millions of the young men of Germany, Aus­ tria, France, England and Ru ia had en killed or wounded The sur­ vivors were discouraged, depre d and vengeful. England and France re­ fused to accept any res nsibility for the war, either its currence or the destruction it cau d, though either of th nations could have prevented the spread of war or brought it to an early end if they had en willing to act un lfishly. Their lfishne would continue in the peace negotiations, the results of which would play a large part in causing the next great war.
The Ve ill Treaty
The United States did not share the general m of the European delegate cau it had en almost untouched by the evils of the war, adn yet had played a ma r role in the Allied victory, the United States was optimistic and lf onfident It had emerged for the first time as a ma r world wer. President W row Wil n was a respected figure.
Wil n attended the Ver lles Conference as the r nal repre nta­ tive of the United States, ining President Clemenceau of France and Prime M ster Lloyd George of Great Britain. Wil n was different from his companion They were practical men: they wanted to get revenge on Germany and prevent its ever ing a ma r wer in Euro for the