Review of Paris 1919: Un traité pour la paix

The importance of this "virtual documentary" is a factual basis of the events over a year, with excellent portrayals of the leaders of the "winning" side in the First World War, although I use the conclusion that there were any winners rather loosely as the film so accurately portrays. The three most influential World leaders were Clemanceau of France, Lloyd-George of the English and the ill-fated President of the U.S. in Woodrow Wilson. In spite of the "10" rating which I have given, there are points of interest that I would have wished more emphasis. Short shrift was given to the "Map Makers" in the very beginning....those men assigned (obviously with the input of the leaders), who contributed greatly to future disasters in the Balkans, Yugoslavia and even in the Rhineland area of Germany where I spent three years in the military over fifty years ago and witnessed in many extensive travels, the travails resulting from the lack of foresight of said leaders who set Germany up for the arrival of Adolf Hitler by the monstrosity of their dismantling of a once proud nation led astray by that very same family of Royalty that led such diverse countries as England and Russia. Nevertheless, this is a Must See by younger generations who have no concept of the damage done in Paris leading to (twenty years later) a 1000 day occupation of this most lovely of cities and the irony of Hitler forcing a French surrender at Versailles in the same rail car used by the French to humiliate the German people who were fortunate to be untouched by the war itself while France suffered horrendously from the seemingly never ending trench warfare. Please understand that neither this film, nor I can defend the atrocities such as the first use of Poison Gas by the Germans, nor is it the purpose of the film to recreate the four years of horror on the fields of France and nearby neighbors, but an understanding of those three men and the many others who insisted that Germany pay dearly for their misdeeds. And the unseen Kaiser Wilhelm in his vanity is another flaw but of a minor key in subsequent historical impact that would all to soon engulf the entire World in yet another horror story. And to see the impact first hand will linger the few years that will be left to me to give witness to such tragedy. Tadeo38 in sad remembrance.