Paris 1919

Synopsis

Previously published as Peacemakers

Between January and July 1919, after the war to end all wars, men and women from all over the world converged on Paris for the Peace Conference. At its heart were the leaders of the three great powers - Woodrow Wilson, Lloyd George and Clemenceau. Kings, prime ministers and foreign ministers with their crowds of advisers rubbed shoulders with journalists and lobbyists for a hundred causes - from Armenian independence to women's rights. Everyone had business in Paris that year - T.E. Lawrence, Queen Marie of Romania, Maynard Keynes, Ho Chi Minh. There had never been anything like it before, and there never has been since.

For six extraordinary months the city was effectively the centre of world government as the peacemakers wound up bankrupt empires and created new countries. They pushed Russia to the sidelines, alienated China and dismissed the Arabs, struggled with the problems of Kosovo, of the Kurds, and of a homeland for the Jews.

The peacemakers, so it has been said, failed dismally; failed above all to prevent another war. Margaret MacMillan argues that they have unfairly been made scapegoats for the mistakes of those who came later. They tried to be evenhanded, but their goals - to make defeated countries pay without destroying them, to satisfy impossible nationalist dreams, to prevent the spread of Bolshevism and to establish a world order based on democracy and reason - could not be achieved by diplomacy. Paris 1919 (originally published as Peacemakers) offers a prismatic view of the moment when much of the modern world was first sketched out.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Birth of a New World

* Summary: The chapter paints a vivid picture of Paris in the aftermath of World War I, as the world's leaders gather for a historic peace conference. Amidst the celebrations and the mourning, the city becomes a hotbed of political intrigue and diplomatic maneuvering.
* Real example: The Italian delegation led by Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando demands additional territorial concessions from Austria-Hungary, igniting tensions between the Allied powers.

Chapter 2: The Big Four

* Summary: The focus shifts to the "Big Four" leaders who dominate the conference: Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Georges Clemenceau of France, David Lloyd George of Great Britain, and Vittorio Orlando of Italy. Each has distinct goals and motivations, creating a complex dynamic that shapes the negotiations.
* Real example: President Wilson's idealistic vision of a League of Nations clashes with Clemenceau's desire for French security and Lloyd George's pragmatic approach to reparations.

Chapter 3: The German Problem

* Summary: The chapter explores the thorny issue of post-war reparations and the fate of Germany. The Allies debate the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which will have profound implications for Germany's economy and international standing.
* Real example: German delegates, led by Count Ulrich von Brockdorff-Rantzau, reject the harsh treaty terms, arguing that they violate the Wilsonian principle of self-determination.

Chapter 4: The Russian Revolution

* Summary: The conference grapples with the aftermath of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Bolshevism. The Allies fear the spread of communism and consider military intervention against the Soviet Union.
* Real example: The United States and Great Britain debate whether to support anti-Bolshevik forces in Russia, but ultimately decide against direct involvement.

Chapter 5: The Mandate System

* Summary: The chapter examines the creation of the League of Nations and the mandate system, which assigns colonial territories to various Allied powers for administration. This system sparks debates over imperialism and the rights of indigenous peoples.
* Real example: Japan's demands for a mandate over the German Pacific islands face opposition from the United States and Australia, who view it as a threat to their own interests.

Chapter 6: The Legacy of Paris

* Summary: The concluding chapter assesses the impact of the Paris Peace Conference. Despite its lofty ideals, the treaty fails to address the root causes of World War I and sets the stage for future conflicts.
* Real example: The redrawing of national boundaries based on ethnic and linguistic lines creates tensions and minorities that contribute to instability in the years to come.