The Road To Pearl Harbor, 1919-1941 Season 1 Episode 1 Versailles: The Lost Peace

The Road To Pearl Harbor, 1919-1941 is a documentary series that delves into the events leading up to the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. It explores the complex relationships, shifting power dynamics, and global events that set the stage for one of the most catastrophic moments in history.

Season 1, Episode 1 is titled "Versailles: The Lost Peace." This episode examines the aftermath of World War I and the treaty negotiations at the Palace of Versailles. The treaty was meant to bring an end to the devastating war, but instead, it laid the groundwork for the next global conflict.

The episode begins by discussing the war's impact on Europe and the United States, which had entered the war in 1917. It highlights the enormous loss of life and resources and the dissatisfaction with the treaty terms. The Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, which were meant to prevent future wars, are criticized for their weaknesses.

The episode explores the various perspectives of the treaty negotiators and how their differing agendas led to the treaty's shortcomings. It looks at the views of leaders such as U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau.

However, the focus of the episode remains on the treaty's impact on Japan. The country had been a major ally of the United States during the war, but its interests had not been fully considered during the peace negotiations. Japan's growing economic and military power is seen as a threat to Western powers, and this becomes a major factor in Japan's future actions leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The episode also highlights the rise of nationalism in Japan and explores how it led to the militarization of the country. It discusses the influence of the samurai code and the role it played in shaping the Japanese military's attitudes towards war.

The episode concludes by discussing the growing tension between Japan and the United States. Japan's frustration with the unfavorable treaty terms and the rise of its own power led to an increasingly aggressive foreign policy. The U.S., on the other hand, feared Japan's expansionism and sought to maintain its own power and influence in the Pacific.

Overall, "Versailles: The Lost Peace" lays the foundation for the rest of the series by showing how the treaty negotiations and international power dynamics set the stage for the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. It provides valuable insight into the complex web of relationships and events that ultimately led to one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.