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The '''Paris Peace Conference''' of 1919, also called the '''Versailles Conference''', was the most important diplomatic meeting of the 20th century.  The victorious Allied powers of World War I dictated the peace terms to the defeated Central Powers, declared explicitly the guilt of Germany for starting the war, and imposed very heavy reparations on Germany so that it would eventually pay all the costs of the war, rearranged the map of Europe to allow some self determination and create numerous new nations (such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia), and created the League of Nations in order to prevent future wars. The major provisions were included in the '''Treaty of Versailles''', along with several other treaties. The U.S. led by President [[Woodrow Wilson]] played a major role at Versailles, but the U.S. Senate rejected the Versailles Treaty and refused to join the League of Nations. Historians give a mixed verdict to the conference. Many believe it sowed the seeds of World War II by mistreatment of Germany, others say it was about as good a result as could have been expected.  

The '''Paris Peace Conference''' of 1919, also called the '''Versailles Conference''', was the most important [[Diplomacy|diplomatic]] meeting of the 20th century.  The victorious [[Allied Powers]] of [[World War I]] dictated the peace terms to the defeated [[Central Powers]], declared explicitly the guilt of [[Germany]] for starting the war, and imposed very heavy reparations on Germany so that it would eventually pay all the costs of the war, rearranged the map of [[Europe]] to allow some [[self-determination]] and create numerous new nations (such as [[Poland]], [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[Yugoslavia]]), and created the [[League of Nations]] in order to prevent future wars. The major provisions were included in the '''Treaty of Versailles''', along with several other treaties. The [[United States of America|U.S.]] led by President [[Woodrow Wilson]] played a major role at Versailles, but the U.S. Senate rejected the Versailles Treaty and refused to join the League of Nations. Historians give a mixed verdict to the conference. Many believe it sowed the seeds of [[World War II]] by mistreatment of Germany, others say it was about as good a result as could have been expected.  

[[Image:Lgeorge1.jpg|thumb|290px||A pleased British Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] brings an Easter egg to Britain in the form of the Versailles Peace Treaty, April 1919'']]

[[Image:Lgeorge1.jpg|thumb|290px||A pleased British Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] brings an Easter egg to Britain in the form of the Versailles Peace Treaty, April 1919'']]

   

   

The Peace Conference met in Paris from January 1919 to January 1920, finishing its most important work regarding Germany in June 1919. It wrote five major treaties: (1) the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, June 28, 1919; (2) the Treaty of Saint-Germain with Austria, Sept. 10, 1919; (3) the Treaty of Neuilly with Bulgaria, Nov. 27, 1919; (4) the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary, June 4, 1920; and (5) the Treaty of Sevres with Turkey, Aug. 20, 1920 (which was modified by the Treaty of Lausanne, July 24, 1923).  

The Peace Conference met in [[Paris]] from January 1919 to January 1920, finishing its most important work regarding Germany in June 1919. It wrote five major treaties: (1) the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, June 28, 1919; (2) the Treaty of Saint-Germain with Austria, Sept. 10, 1919; (3) the Treaty of Neuilly with Bulgaria, Nov. 27, 1919; (4) the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary, June 4, 1920; and (5) the Treaty of Sevres with Turkey, Aug. 20, 1920 (which was modified by the Treaty of Lausanne, July 24, 1923).  

==Big Four==

==Big Four==

[[Woodrow Wilson]] was the hope of idealists everywhere; even the Germans looked to him for a statesmanlike peace. But the cry for vengeance was strong among the Allies, especially the French. Wilson sought the self-determination of peoples, but there were many overlapping interests and no simple solution was possible. Secret agreements among the Allies, especially promises made to Italy, hindered Wilson's treaty-making, and, idolized though he was by the peoples of Europe, he had to modify his aims to the practical demands of [[Georges Clemenceau]] of France, [[David Lloyd George]] of Britain, and Vittorio Orlando of Italy.  

[[Woodrow Wilson]] was the hope of idealists everywhere; even the Germans looked to him for a statesmanlike peace. But the cry for vengeance was strong among the Allies, especially the French. Wilson sought the self-determination of peoples, but there were many overlapping interests and no simple solution was possible. Secret agreements among the Allies, especially promises made to Italy, hindered Wilson's treaty-making, and, idolized though he was by the peoples of Europe, he had to modify his aims to the practical demands of [[Georges Clemenceau]] of France, [[David Lloyd George]] of Britain, and Vittorio Orlando of Italy.