The Armistice of 11 November 1918 silenced the guns of World War One, yet the fighting in all its forms was far from over. With over 15 million dead and 23 million wounded, the Allied victory left Europe in a state of profound trauma. The path forwards needed to be forged. What followed was one of the most consequential diplomatic agreements of the 20th century: the Treaty of Versailles. In History Hit’s The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, Dan Snow and a hand picked team of experts participate in a thought-provoking panel discussion, exploring the critical moments and clashing ambitions that shaped this significant Treaty.  The conference began with 72 invited nations, quickly dissolving into a Council of 10, then ultimately to the ‘Big Three’, whom most of the crucial decisions fell to. In the programme, each expert on Dan’s panel represents the perspective of one of the ‘Big Three’, with Prof Heather Jones from University College London representing British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Prof Peter Jackson from Glasgow University representing the French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau, and historian and author Alexandra Churchill representing America’s President, Woodrow Wilson. They discuss the extent of the situation the Big Three found themselves collectively facing, and outline what each individual nation hoped to achieve.   Sign up to watch Europe in 1919 As nations convened in Paris for peace talks, Europe remained volatile. Violence flared from Germany’s Spartacist uprising to Ireland’s War of Independence, and the eastern front simmered with clashes between German troops and Bolshevik forces pushing into the Baltic states. Amidst this chaos, 12 million refugees crisscrossed Central and Eastern Europe.  Devastated France, still reeling from immense losses and the punitive terms imposed on them after the 1871 Franco-Prussian War, ensured neither the defeated Central Powers nor Bolshevik Russia were invited to negotiate at the peace talks.  Aims from each of the Big Three Each of the ‘Big Three’ brought profoundly different agendas to the table, setting the stage for a diplomatic showdown that would go on to shape the remainder of the 20th century. Lloyd George, hailed for his wartime dynamism, sought to restore Germany as a trading partner while preventing French dominance in Europe.  Georges Clemenceau, “The Tiger,” prioritised absolute security for France, aiming to secure British and American commitment to France’s safety, determined to prevent another German invasion.  Woodrow Wilson, representing America’s late entry into the war, sought to avoid indefinite military commitment in Europe and to ensure the allies repaid their vast war loans. Wilson also championed progressive ideals for a better world through his Fourteen Points, advocating free trade, self-determination, and disarmament, along with, importantly, the creation of a League of Nations.  Germany, now a vulnerable new socialist republic under Friedrich Ebert following Kaiser Wilhelm II’s abdication, was only invited to sign the final terms, not negotiate them. And with an ongoing Allied naval blockade exacerbating widespread starvation, the Big Three faced a monumental decision: how harshly should Germany be treated, and what would be the repercussions?  Points of contention The core issues, as Alexandra Churchill explains in the programme, revolved around “punishment, payment, and prevention” – making Germany financially and territorially pay for the war, and ensuring it could never again pose such a threat. Reparations would be a major point of contention, driven by clashing national agendas and domestic pressures. France initially sought collective security over immediate high payments, however Britain, driven by immense public demand, pushed for the highest reparations, with Lloyd George controversially arguing for soldiers’ pensions to be included as “civilian damages”. Meanwhile, a wary US President Wilson aimed to weaken Germany without sparking the rise of Bolshevism and thus had a more moderate stance, though was ultimately swayed by Lloyd George’s arguments. The French, strategically withholding their own desired figures, sought to leverage demands for favourable trade, a position opposed to Wilson’s free trade ideals. A further key debate centred on the size and nature of Germany’s post-war army. France opposed conscription, fearing a large trained reserve. Conversely, Britain advocated for a smaller, long-term volunteer force to limit the spread of military knowledge within Germany.  In History Hit’s The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, each of the panellists put forward the country they’re representing’s own views on the issues at stake, and indeed give their respective reactions to what was finally agreed.  On 28 June 1919, Germany reluctantly signed the Treaty at the Palace of Versailles, sealing terms that, while intended to ensure lasting peace, would fuel resentment and instability for decades to come.  The Treaty severely limited Germany’s military to 100,000 troops, with no air force or offensive weapons, and a vastly reduced navy. Germany lost 13% of its European territory and all colonies. Crucially, the infamous “war guilt clause” (Article 231) forced Germany to accept sole responsibility for the war. Intended to justify reparations, instead this fuelled deep resentment and nationalist propaganda. Born from a traumatised continent and the clashing agendas of three powerful men, the Treaty of Versailles had sought to reshape the world. But in attempting to solve one war, to what extent did it inadvertently lay the groundwork for another? Don’t miss History Hit’s compelling panel discussion, The Room Where It Happened: Versailles 1919, to explore how the complex decisions from this crucial moment in diplomatic history continue to resonate today. Sign up to watch Read about the 10 Key Points of the Treaty of Versailles