Which French Premier wanted Germany stripped of weapons and the Rhineland to serve as a buffer state?

• A. Charles de Gaulle
• B. Georges Pompidou
• C. Georges Clemenceau
• D. Jacques Chirac

Answer: (C)

After World War I, France sought security from a potential future German threat. Georges Clemenceau, the French Premier who led France during the peace talks, argued that Germany should be stripped of its military power and that the Rhineland should be a demilitarized buffer zone under Allied control. He believed this would create a strong barrier that would prevent another invasion of France and reduce German capability to threaten France again. Clemenceau’s stance reflects his priority of French security and a strict peace to limit German power.

The other leaders listed were from different eras and did not spearhead the postwar terms at Versailles with that exact approach. So the best answer is Georges Clemenceau.