Why did "The Big Three" disagree each other so strongly during the treaty of Versailles?

Essay by KeirHigh School, 10th gradeA-, October 2005

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The first dispute occurred in January 1919. A meeting was held at Versailles in France by the leaders of each country as to decide how to punish the Germans. The leaders who attended the meeting were Lloyd George, prime minister of England, Georges Clemenceau, prime minister of France, and Woodrow Wilson, president of America. They were also known as "The Big Three" However they disagreed with each other's ideas. They each wanted something, which benefits themselves.

Firstly, as the French were probably one of the worst victims of WWI. The prime minister of France wanted the German to be deeply punished. A request to have Germany demilitarized from the border of Germany to France and a restriction which Germans could only have 100000 men on their army. Also they wanted the Germany to pay all the reparations coursed during WWI. As well, he believed that Germany should be blamed for everything of what happened in WWI.

Secondly, the British Prime Minister Lloyd George had different opinions to Clemenceau's points. The main reason was because England got everything they wanted from the war. First the German military got destabilized. Second, the German naval threat was gone and the British colonies aren't threatened anymore. England's punishments for Britain aren't as harsh as the French. A restriction on German's army and pay a large amount for reparation was all they wanted. This was mainly due to the fact that Germany was one of their big trading partners. If Germany was bankrupt, England won't benefit at all. Lloyd George declared if the treaty listened to Clemenceau, Germans would revenge in 25 years.

Thirdly, the Americans had a total different idea. Woodrow Wilson believed that the factors, which caused WWI, weren't all because of Germany. France and England should also be blamed for...