<P> Prior to the American entry into the war, Wilson had talked of a' peace without victory' . This position fluctuated following the US entry into the war . Wilson talked of the German aggressors who there could be no compromised peace with . However, on 8 January 1918, Wilson delivered a speech (known as the Fourteen Points) that declared the American peace objectives: the rebuilding of the European economy, self - determination of European ethnic groups, the promotion of free trade, the creation of appropriate mandates for former colonies, and above all, the creation of a powerful League of Nations that would ensure the peace . The aim of the latter was to provide a forum to revise the peace treaties as needed, and deal with problems that arose as a result of the peace and the rise of new states . </P> <P> Wilson brought along top intellectuals as advisors to the American peace delegation, and the overall American position echoed the Fourteen Points . Wilson firmly opposed harsh treatment on Germany . While the British and French wanted to largely annex the German colonial empire, Wilson saw that as a violation of the fundamental principles of justice and human rights of the native populations, and favored them having the right of self - determination via the creation of mandates . The promoted idea called for the major powers to act as disinterested trustees over a region, aiding the native populations until they could govern themselves . In spite of this position and in order to ensure that Japan did not refuse to join the League of Nations, Wilson favored turning over the former German colony of Shandong, in Eastern China, to Japan rather than return the area to Chinese control . Further confounding the Americans, was US internal partisan politics . In November 1918, the Republican Party won the Senate election by a slim margin . Wilson, a Democrat, refused to include prominent Republicans in the American delegation making his efforts seem partisan, and contributed to a risk of political defeat at home . </P> <P> In June 1919, the Allies declared that war would resume if the German government did not sign the treaty they had agreed to among themselves . The government headed by Philipp Scheidemann was unable to agree on a common position, and Scheidemann himself resigned rather than agree to sign the treaty . Gustav Bauer, the head of the new government, sent a telegram stating his intention to sign the treaty if certain articles were withdrawn, including Articles 227, 230 and 231 . In response, the Allies issued an ultimatum stating that Germany would have to accept the treaty or face an invasion of Allied forces across the Rhine within 24 hours . On 23 June, Bauer capitulated and sent a second telegram with a confirmation that a German delegation would arrive shortly to sign the treaty . On 28 June 1919, the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the immediate impetus for the war), the peace treaty was signed . The treaty had clauses ranging from war crimes, the prohibition on the merging of Austria with Germany without the consent of the League of Nations, freedom of navigation on major European rivers, to the returning of a Koran to the king of Hedjaz . </P> <P> The treaty stripped Germany of 25,000 square miles (65,000 km) of territory and 7 million people . It also required Germany to give up the gains made via the Treaty of Brest - Litovsk and grant independence to the protectorates that had been established . In Western Europe Germany was required to recognize Belgian sovereignty over Moresnet and cede control of the Eupen - Malmedy area . Within six months of the transfer, Belgium was required to conduct a plebiscite on whether the citizens of the region wanted to remain under Belgian sovereignty or return to German control, communicate the results to the League of Nations and abide by the League's decision . To compensate for the destruction of French coal mines, Germany was to cede the output of the Saar coalmines to France and control of the Saar to the League of Nations for 15 years; a plebiscite would then be held to decide sovereignty . The treaty "restored" the provinces of Alsace - Lorraine to France by rescinding the treaties of Versailles and Frankfurt of 1871 as they pertained to this issue . The sovereignty of Schleswig - Holstein was to be resolved by a plebiscite to be held at a future time (see Schleswig Plebiscites). </P>

When was the treaty of versailles signed by germany