Juxtaposing the effect of the Spanish influenza pandemic on the 1919 treaty of Versailles: A review of selected bibliographies
Author(s): Ishika Binu
Abstract: The paper examines the historical context of the impact of Spanish influenza on the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, France, where the Allied nations gathered to formalize the German surrender terms and ascertain the indemnity awaiting them. The pandemic ravaged many parts of the world, including troops fighting in WWI. During the third pandemic cycle, the President of the United States of America, Woodrow Wilson, was infected while negotiating the treaty's terms in France. He had earlier set the tone with a 14-point agenda he hoped would be used to close the chapter of the war. He planned that there would be no winner or loser in the war and that Germany would be reintegrated into the Committee of Nations. This policy was vehemently opposed, especially by France; it demanded considerable reparations to be paid by Germany. Eventually, France had its way with most of its demands. The paper analyzes the impact of Spanish influenza on the final agreement reached; considering that Wilson was diagnosed with the flu during negotiations, was this a significant factor in the events that played out? Was President Wilson affected by the illness that seemingly made him capitulate to French demands? Reviewing two scholarly works, this paper strategically discusses the influence of the pandemic on the Versailles Treaty.
Pages: 99-105 | Views: 522 | Downloads: 292Download Full Article: Click HereHow to cite this article:
Ishika Binu. Juxtaposing the effect of the Spanish influenza pandemic on the 1919 treaty of Versailles: A review of selected bibliographies. Int J Hist 2022;4(2):99-105.
