Final answer:
The Allied powers had different goals for the Treaty of Versailles: the U.S. sought a peaceful future with the League of Nations, while France and Great Britain aimed to punish Germany and secure their own security and economic interests. In the end, France and Britain were more successful, obtaining reparations, territorial gains, and military restrictions on Germany.
Step-by-step explanation:
The different goals of the Allied powers in the Treaty of Versailles were shaped by their varied interests and experiences in World War I. President Woodrow Wilson of the United States arrived at the Paris Peace Conference with a plan known as the Fourteen Points, which included aspirations for disarmament, free trade, the right of nations to self-determination, and the formation of a League of Nations to ensure peace. However, France, led by Georges Clemenceau, sought to impose strict punitive measures on Germany to prevent future aggression and ensure security. Great Britain, under Prime Minister David Lloyd George, while also interested in punishing Germany, was motivated by the preservation of British imperial interests and the need for German economic recovery to help stabilize Europe.
In terms of who 'won' the negotiations, it can be suggested that France and Great Britain were more successful in dictating the terms of the Treaty. They pushed through provisions such as reparations, territorial losses, military restrictions, and the 'war guilt clause' onto Germany. The finished Treaty of Versailles effectively redrew the map of Europe and imposed harsh penalties on Germany, aligning more with the French and British objectives for reparations and ensuring security rather than entirely with Wilson's idealistic vision.
From the Treaty, Great Britain and France gained control over former German and Ottoman Empire territories, through mandates and outright annexations, successfully expanding their colonial empires. Germany was forced to accept the blame for the war and to pay reparations that totaled over $33 billion, significantly hampering its economy and contributing to the rise of the National Socialists. The creation of new sovereign states in Europe followed, although the borders did not always reflect the ethnicity or wishes of the populations involved.