Between the Wars — Season 1, Episode 1: Versailles: The First Peace

Episode synopsis

President Woodrow Wilson's idealistic hopes for world peace through collective security clash at Versailles with the harsh old-world real-politik of Europe, which wanted to punish Germany. The resultant punitive treaty, in effect, sows the seeds of World War II. Mini-biographies of Wilson and his mysterious behing-the-scenes advisor, Colonel Edward House, who compromised Wilson's ideals. The startling effects of Wilson's bout with influenza struck him down during a critical period of negotiations. Wilson was forced to compromise his ideals, but he returned home to fight for ratification of the League of Nations.

About Between the Wars

This classic series follows the events that sparked the greatest conflict of the century, capturing the drama, the excitement and the ideological juxtapositions of these crucial years. Former CBS News correspondent and commentator Eric Sevareid, one of the world's most respected figures in journalism, presents this extraordinary series featuring stunning original newsreels, soundtracks, and rare archival footage.

More episodes from Season 1

• E2Return to Isolationism
• E3The First SALT Talks
• E4Radio, Racism and Foreign Policy
• E5The Great Depression and Foreign Affairs
• E6FDR and Hitler: the Rise to Power
• E7FDR and Hitler: The Dynamics of Power
• E8America in the Pacific: The Clash of Two Cultures
• E9The Recognition of Russia: A Climate of Mutual Distrust
• E10Latin America: Intervention in Our Own Backyard
• E11The Italian-Ethiopian War: Africa in World Affairs
• E12The Spanish Civil War
• E13The Phony War