CHAPTER 1
WAS THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES FAIR?
First world war involkved more countries, more powerful weapons. = greater casualties and physical
destruction
*bankrupted some countries and led revolution in others. Bitterness and resentment filled.
Any treaty is a balancing act. Peacemakers have to keep the victors happy but ensure the defeated
countries accept terms of the peace.
HIGH HOPES
Great optimism. Reason Woodrow Wilson. 1918, he made speech about 14 points which had
guidelines for just and lasting peace treaty to end conflict.
Wilson seen as saintly figure.
HIS IDEAS
*don’t be too hard on Germany
Germany be punished but not harshly as it would recover and seek revenge. Concerned about
extremist groups (like communists) exploiting resentment among germans and mught seize power in
G like Russia 1917.
*strengthen democracy in defeated countries
Democracy key to peace in Europe
If leaders needed to hear views of people and win votes, more likely for no war to occur.
*self determination to small countries once part of European empires
Diff people of eastern Europe to rule themselves rather be Austria-hungarian empire part
*international cooperation
League of nations
FOURTEEN POINTS
1. No secret treaties
2. Free access to seas in peacetime/wartime
3. Free trade between countries
4. Colonies ot have say in their future
5. Germans troops to leave Russia
6. Independence for Belgium
7. France to regain Alsace-lorraine
8. Frontier between Austria and Italy to be adjusted
9. Self determination for peoples of Europe
10. Serbia to have access to sea
11. Self determination for people in Turkish empire
12. Poland to become an independent state with access to sea
13. League of nations to be set up
PARIS PEACE CONFERENCE, 1919-20
Palace of Versailles
Twelve months
32 nations represented none from defeated countries
5 treaties drawn up
Imp decisions onnfate of Germany taken by the big three
Big 3 supported by huge army of diplomats and expert advicers but often ignored their advice.
LLOYD GEORGE AGREE W WILSON?
Public praised ideas
Private less positive
Complained that he came to paris being a missionary to rescue with his little sermons and lectures.
Agreed w Wilson on many issues like Germany treated harshly but not that much. He was also
deeply concerned about harsh treaty leading to communist revolution and wanted Britain and
Germany to start trading again (2nd highest trader).
Although he wanted germsany to loose navy and colonies as they threatened british empire.
He faced huge pressures at home as british not sympathetic towards Germany due to facing 1
million casualties and food shortages + more hardships. Fed anti-german propaganda for 4 years.
Also seen how Germany treated Russia after Russia surrendered.
*under treaty of brest-litovsk Germany stripped Russia of 25% of population and huge areas of
russias best agricultural land ‘
Llyod won 1918 election by promising to make Germany pay.
CLEMENCEAU AGREE W WILSON?
Public agreed aims for fair and lasting peace
Private - Wilson very hard to work with.
France saw treaty as an opportunity to cripple Germany so it couldn’t attack france again.
France suffered enormous damage on land, industry and people + self confidence. War affected
entire generation. Germany seemed powerful and threatening, its land and industry were not
affected as much as frances .
Wanted treaty that punish Germany and weaken it as much as possible. French president (Poincare)
wanted Germany to break uo into smaller states.
TERMS OF THE TREATY
1. War guilt – artic;le 231 seen by germans as extremely harsh. Germany had to accept blame
for starting the war.
2. Reparations – pay reparations to allies for damage caused by war. 1921 exact figure agreed :
132 billion golden marks (6600 million euros) changed later in 1929 by young plan. france
also received coal from Saarland for 15 years.
3. German territories and colonies – forbade germnay to join together with former ally Austria
(ANSHLUSS). Overseas empire was taken away. Former colonies became mandates
controlled by LON.
4. Germanys armed forces – army limited to 100000men, conscription (soldiers to be
volunteers) was banned, not allowed armoured vehicles, submarines or aircraft, navy to
have only 6 battleships and 15000 sailors, Rhineland to be demilitarized zone (boarder btw
france and Germany)
5. League of nations - international police force, Germany jot allowed to join until showed it
was peace loving
CONSEQUENCES OF TREATY FOR GERMANY
Universally resented. Germans viewed signing of treaty as a betrayal and humiliation. Right wing
groups refered to Weimar government as November criminals who stabbed Germany in the back.
Territorial losses to French, Belgium, Denmark and Poland meant germans living in diff countries.
Creation of polish corridor split east Prussia from rest of Germany causing many german families to
migrate back to mainland Germany. Military restrictions left citizens feeling defenceless and
demoralized.
*political violence
right wing opponents of eberts gov protested against treaty. 1920: band of ex soldiers FREIKORPS
ordered to disband by gov as existence broke military terms of treaty. Led by wolfgang kapp an
upriding in march 1920 to overthrow and install nationalist gov kapp putsch defeayed by
general strike by berlin workers
summer 1922, foreign minister Walther Rathenau murdered by extremists. Nov 1923 adolf hitler led
an attempted rebellion in munich munich putsch
was defeated and let off lightly when put on trial and over next 10 years exploitred german
resentment of TOV to gain support for himself and nazi party.
*conflict in ruhr
Under TOV, Germany was to pay 6600 million euros. First installment was made of 50 million euros
in 1921, 1922 nothing wqs paid. Ebert tried negotiations but france = out of patience. 1923 franch
and Belgium soldiers entered ruhr region and ‘stole’ what was owed in form of raw materials and
goods. *quite legal by tov
Result disastrous. German gov ordered workers to go on strike so no producing anything for French
to take. French reacted harshly by killing over 100 workers and expelling over 100000 protestors
from region.
*strike meant no goods, no money hyperinflation
*hyperinflation
Not hacing money? Print more money. Money virtually worthless so prices shot up. Gov and big
industrialists were able to pay off their huge debts in worthless amounts but pensioners practically
moneyless.
