George’s Clemenceau
Georges Clemenceau, Prime Minister of France, did not get everything he wanted out of the Treaty. He was satisfied with clause 231 (which blamed Germany for the war), the disarmament clauses of the Treaty (army at 100,000, only 6 battleships, no airforce or submarines), getting back Alsace-Lorraine, and being given Germany colonies as mandates on behalf of the League of Nations. But even this did not go far enough. Clemenceau had wanted Germany weakened to the point where it would never be a danger to France ever again. He was angry that France got the Saar coalfields for only 15 years, and he was angry that the Rhineland was merely demilitarised – France had wanted it made into a powerless independent country, and Germany split up. Also, reparations were not high enough for Clemenceau. He wanted reparations so high that Germany would be crippled and paying for ever – when the Germans defaulted in 1923, France invaded and took them in kind.
An open letter to the French people
An Open Letter to the People of France
By Georges Clemenceau, June 1919
My Fellow Citizens,
With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, we stand at the end of a long and brutal war. France has emerged victorious, and there is much that should fill us with pride. Alsace-Lorraine, unjustly seized by Germany nearly half a century ago, has been returned to us—a long-awaited homecoming. The Saar, rich in coal, has come under our control, providing the resources needed to rebuild our industries and economy. Germany, the architect of this devastation, has been forced to accept responsibility for the war and to pay reparations for the destruction they caused to our land and people. This is justice.
These are victories that bring us great satisfaction. France, so grievously wounded, can now look toward recovery and a more secure future. Our borders are safer, our resources strengthened, and our honor restored.
Yet I must speak honestly with you. The treaty, despite these accomplishments, has left me deeply disappointed. I fought hard for the permanent security of France, but in key areas, we fell short. The Rhineland, which I hoped would be an independent buffer state to protect us from future German aggression, remains under mere military occupation for 15 years. After that, it could return to German control—this, to me, is a grave risk. The terms of disarmament, while significant, do not go far enough to ensure that Germany will never rise to threaten us again. The reparations, though substantial, will never fully repair the damage they caused to our nation, nor truly make them pay the full cost of their crimes.
I wanted more for France—more security, more justice, more peace. But we must move forward with resolve, aware of what has been won, and vigilant for what remains fragile.
Vive la France!
Georges Clemenceau
President of the Council of Ministers
By Georges Clemenceau, June 1919
My Fellow Citizens,
With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, we stand at the end of a long and brutal war. France has emerged victorious, and there is much that should fill us with pride. Alsace-Lorraine, unjustly seized by Germany nearly half a century ago, has been returned to us—a long-awaited homecoming. The Saar, rich in coal, has come under our control, providing the resources needed to rebuild our industries and economy. Germany, the architect of this devastation, has been forced to accept responsibility for the war and to pay reparations for the destruction they caused to our land and people. This is justice.
These are victories that bring us great satisfaction. France, so grievously wounded, can now look toward recovery and a more secure future. Our borders are safer, our resources strengthened, and our honor restored.
Yet I must speak honestly with you. The treaty, despite these accomplishments, has left me deeply disappointed. I fought hard for the permanent security of France, but in key areas, we fell short. The Rhineland, which I hoped would be an independent buffer state to protect us from future German aggression, remains under mere military occupation for 15 years. After that, it could return to German control—this, to me, is a grave risk. The terms of disarmament, while significant, do not go far enough to ensure that Germany will never rise to threaten us again. The reparations, though substantial, will never fully repair the damage they caused to our nation, nor truly make them pay the full cost of their crimes.
I wanted more for France—more security, more justice, more peace. But we must move forward with resolve, aware of what has been won, and vigilant for what remains fragile.
Vive la France!
Georges Clemenceau
President of the Council of Ministers
