Treaty of Versails

President Wilson of the USA   also wanted Germany to be punished but not too much for fear that Germany might want to seek revenge. More importantly, Wilson was also an idealist who wanted world peace and felt this would be achieved if the desire for revenge was put aside and people concentrated on a new beginning. Hence he came to Paris with his 14-points, the most important of which was the 14th point. In this he proposed the setting up of an international body called the League of Nations. He also believed in self-determination – the idea that nations should rule themselves rather than be ruled by others. Hence in accordance to the terms of the Versailles Treaty, a League of Nations was formed as an international ‘police force’. Territories gained by Germany as a result of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with Russia were taken away from Germany and set up as independent states. This was an example of self-determination being carried into practice. In conclusion, punishment was the most important intention of the Allies at the Paris Peace Conference. Even if there were other goals, like wanting to preserve peace, the way to achieve this aim was still to punish Germany in some way. Limiting the size of her armed forces to keep peace was a punishment for Germany. The creation of new states under self-determination was also punishment as this reduced the size of Germany so that surrounded by these small states, Germany would not be a threat to the rest of Europe again.