ABSTRACT
The closing days of World War I were marked by a German naval mutiny, the concern of Berlin and the Western Allies that a “red tide” would overwhelm Germany, and the fecklessness of Kaiser Wilhelm, who was convinced that since no battles had occurred on German soil, the war could go on. When Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire did surrender, the Western Allies took very different positions on how to deal with the Central Powers. This chapter looks at the bitter vengeance demanded by Clemenceau, David Lloyd George’s balancing act between long-term pragmatism and the immediate demands for blood of his constituents, and Woodrow Wilson’s effort to transcend traditional politics in favor of global reconciliation. The multiple treaties that resulted, including the Versailles Treaty, set the stage for the first war crimes tribunals (foreshadowing Nuremberg) but also destroyed the economic and political fabric of parts of Europe. The chapter considers which approach(es) align with just war thinking on war’s end.
