tterly resented their defeat in the Franco - Prussian War and were eager to seek revenge. Moreover, they were determined to regain Alsace - Lorraine."12 This gave the French the motivation of increasing their military strength and ultimately, destroying their life-long enemies. During the war, France's portion of the war debt amounted to twenty percent. Their loss, in terms of war casualties, was thirty-three percent.13 Most of the battles were fought on French soil. This resulted in the destruction of "ten million farm acres, twenty thousand factories and six thousand public buildings".14 After the war, France suffered terribly, economically. Inflation and a deflated French Franc spurned the French to ! take advantage of the armistice. "Clemenceau wanted revenge as well as security against any future German attack."15 He also wanted a huge amount of reparations, to annex the coal rich Saar Basin, the return of Alsace - Lorraine and an independent Rhineland for a buffer zone between Germany and France.All the leaders had different opinions and motives regarding the Treaty of Versailles. Coming to a consensus was difficult. The Treaty had to be revised several times before the final copy was signed on January 18, 1919. "There was scarcely a section of the treaty which was not attacked, just as there was scarcely a section of the treaty which was not attacked."16 The German's were reluctant to agree to such harsh terms. "Even the most humble German was appalled by the severity of the treaty."17 France and Britain were both eager to have revenge on Germany but selfishly wanted each other's benefits. "Clemenceau pointed out that the British were making no effort to placate the Germans at the expense of British interests. They offered no proposals to reduce the number of German ships to be handed over, or to return Germany's colonies, or to restore the German Navy, or to remove the restrictions on Germany's overseas trade. Instead, it was al...
