Download Germany objected that the treaty was

TREATY OF
VERSAILLES
REVIEW
HISTORY QUESTION STRUCTURE
A) 1 PARAGRAPH
B) 2 PARAGRAPHS
C) 2 FOR, 2 AGAINST AND YOUR OWN
CONCLUSION
MOTIVES AND AIMS (PG. 82-83)
Wilson: suggested 14 points, League of Nations, less harsh towards
Germany to prevent revenge, idealist, stability in the region, selfdetermination (France and the UK did not support as much), US was
new to war so more idealistic views
Clemenceau: wanted super revenge, cripple Germany, take back
Alsace-Lorraine and Rhineland (comprised with plebiscite), realist, little
comprise as possible, more threatened with Germany because of
geographic
Lloyd George: wanted to maintain trade relations with Germany, not
punish Germany harshly; but wanted to appease his British public so
agreed to go harsher on Germany; protect colonies and seas; Germany
should limit naval power and maintain UK naval supremacy, did want
Germany to keep colonies, did not want free access to the seas
GEORGE’S CHANGING APPROACHES
1918
Britain wanted
Germany’s colonies
The public felt Germany
should pay for the war
Britain was more in line
with France’s desire for
harsh treatment because
they faced direct attacks,
heavy casualties,
economy disrupted and
concerned about
France’s eastern border
1919
George wanted a more moderate
approach
Revive trade relations with Germany,
so wanted to make sure Germany
was still economically strong
If deprived of Rhineland, not as
wealthy so supported Rhineland to
Germany
High reparations would weaken
Germany’s economy and a weak
Germany would be inadequate to
stop the spread communism
Wanted to prevent Germany from
getting revenge
TOV MAIN FEATURES
(PAGE 86-87)
Blame
Reparations
Arms limited
Territorial loss
TREATY OF VERSAILLES
In 1919, the “big three” met to discuss how
Germany should pay for the damage WWI
had caused:
¡ Woodrow Wilson (USA): 14-point plan to
bring stability in region and creation of
League of Nations
¡ Georges Clemenceau (France): Seek
revenge and wanted to make sure Germany
could never start another war again. Gain
back Alsace-Lorraine.
¡ Llyod George (UK): Find a compromise
between Wilson and Clemenceau. He
agreed with Wilson, but knew the British
public agreed with Clemenceau.
MAIN TERMS OF TOV
Blame: The War Guilt Cause essentially made
Germany accept the blame for starting WWI.
Reparations: Germany had to pay 6,600 million
British pounds for the damage caused by the war.
Army limited: Germany had to disarm and was only
allowed to have small army and six naval ships. No
tanks, no airforce and no submarines were allowed. Rhineland area to be de-militarized.
Territorial losses: Germany had to give up some
land and its colonies were handed over to France
and Britain.
WAR GUILT CLAUSE
Article 231
Germany and her allies had to accept
total responsibility for starting the
war.
REPARATIONS
Germany had to accept liability for
reparation, the amount that was agreed in
1921 was set at 6600 million British pounds
They would pay this until 1984, if it had not
been changed under the Young Plan in 1929
DISARMAMENT
•  Germany army restricted to 100,000 with no conscription
•  No military or naval air force was permitted
•  No tanks, armored vehicles or heavy artillery were
permitted
•  Navy restricted to 6 battleships, 12 destroyers, 6 light
cruisers, 12 torpedo boats and NO submarines
•  Rhineland had to be demilitarized (without troops,
armament or fortifications) and Allied army occupation of
Rhineland for 15 years
TERRITORY
•  Germany lost all her colonies in Africa and the Far East
•  Alsace-Lorraine returned to France
•  Other German regions transferred back to other European
countries (Denmark, Belgium, Czechoslovakia)
•  Saar Basin administered by League of Nations for 15
years when a plebiscite would decided whether it should
belong to France, Germany or remain under League
control
•  Treaty of Brest-Litovsk cancelled, with Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuanian taken away from Germany and set up as
independent states
•  Union of Germany and Austria to be forbidden
OTHER TREATY
TERMS
Common features
•  A war guilt clause
•  Obligation to pay reparations
•  Reduction in armaments
•  Acceptance of the League of Nations
TREATY OF ST GERMAIN
WITH AUSTRIA (1919)
•  New Republic of Austria had to accept break-up of AustroHungarian empire
•  Austria had to recognize the independence of Hungary,
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Poland
•  Territory from former Empire was given to
Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, Italy and Romania
•  Union between Austria and Germany forbidden
•  Felt they were being treated unfairly, as now a small
country surrounded by hostile countries
•  The Sudeten Germans were now under Czech rule, felt
this violated the principle of self-determination
TREATY OF TRIANON
WITH HUNGARY (1920)
•  Hungary had to accept break-up of Austro-Hungarian
Empire
•  Hungary had to recognize the independence of Yugoslavia
and Czechoslovakia
•  Territory from former Empire was transferred to
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania
•  More than 70% of its territory and 1/3 of its population had
been lost
•  Since the treaty also deprived Hungary of its seaports it
was now like Austria, a land-locked country
TREATY OF NEUILLY
WITH BULGARIA (1919)
•  Bulgaria had to recognize the independence of Yugoslavia
•  Bulgaria had lost territory to Greece, Yugoslavia and
Romania
•  Bulgaria treated less harshly than other of its allies
•  Also paid reparations and limited its armed forces
TREATY OF SEVREST
WITH TURKEY (1920)
•  Turkey had to recognize the independence of the Kingdom
of Hejaz (later form part of Saudi Arabia) and Armenia
•  Turkey lost its provinces in the Middle East to Britain and
France
•  Turkey lost territory to Greece and Italy
•  Dardanelles Strait was to become an international
waterway
•  Mustapha Kemal sparked a nationalist movement against
the terms of the treaty, driving the Greeks out of Smyrna
creating a renegotiated treaty: Treaty of Lausanne
TREATY OF LAUSANNE
WITH TURKEY (1923)
Mustapha Kemal sparked a nationalist movement against the
terms of the treaty, driving the Greeks out of Smyrna creating
a renegotiated treaty: Treaty of Lausanne
•  Turkey confirmed the loss of its provinces in the Middle
East
•  Turkey received back most of its European territory
•  The Dardanelles Strait was to return back to Turkey
•  Restrictions on armed forces were removed
•  Turkey was no longer to pay reparations
WHAT VICTORS LIKED AND DIDN’T
LIKE
France (wanted harsh peace)
•  TOV gave Clemeanceau some demands like Alsace-Lorraine
and transfer of some of Germany’s former colonies (e.g.
Syria, Lebanon, Togo, Cameroon)
•  France to get some reparations
•  France felt secure with demilitarization of Rhineland and got
some revenge as Germany was deprived of economic and
military capacities
•  Clemenceau wanted to be extra secure and proposed an
Anglo/American Treaty of Guarantee for France for UK and
the USA to assistant France in the event of future German
aggression
•  American Congress refused and went into isolationist
policies
•  UK unwilling to guarantee assistance
•  Clemenceau was defeated and lost election in 1920
USA (WANTED LENIENT PEACE)
•  League of Nations a reality
•  Movement towards disarmament, as defeated nations had to
disarm and limit armies
•  Rhineland still part of Germany reduced harshness of treaty and
Germany would still do economic business with America
•  Germany not burdened with heavy reparations
•  Pleased at self-determination for Poland, Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia
•  Free navigation of seas abandoned, Wilson didn’t approve of
British control of seas
•  Britain, France and Japan rewarded themselves Germany’s
colonies which Wilson disapproved of (they were supposed to
be governed by League of Nations under mandates, but in
reality Britain, France and Japan exerting their control)
•  American Congress did not approve League of Nations or
treaties
•  Austria and Sudeten Germans not consulted about their future
BRITAIN (MODERATE PEACE)
•  Most satisfied (moderate peace) because wanted European
economy to revive and that is what he achieved
•  Some features he did not like were placing German-speaking
peoples under French or Polish rule
•  He was able to expand British colonial empire
•  Persuaded France to adopt a more moderate approach by
offering assistance against any future German aggression
•  Reassured trade with Germany and reviving economy of
Germany will prevent spread of communism
•  House of Commons approved treaty
IMPACT ON GERMANY
•  Too harsh because had to pay heavy reparations and deprived of
the very resources (coal, iron ore) that were needed to pay these
reparations
•  Germans had the same harsh treaty towards Russia: the BrestLitovsk in March 1918
•  Germany objected that the treaty was “diktat” or a dictated peace
•  Germany excluded from negotiations and pretty much forced to
sign it, otherwise another naval blockade and restart of war
•  Germans not convinced of “war guilt clause,” as it could be
argued that Russian mobilization was the first military action in
the immediate lead-up to the war
•  Rubbing salt into their wounds: if you cause damage, its entirely
your fault and you must pay compensation
POLITICAL IMPACTS
•  New German government called Weimar Government
•  Because they signed the TOV, they were undermined
•  Munich Putsch on November 1923: tried to overthrow Weimar
republic because right-wing activists and politicians felt Germany’s
dishonor
•  Right-wing extremists carried out a number of assassinations of
high-ranking government ministers
•  Left-wing extremists exploited unpopularity of Weimar government
by promoting rebellions
•  Weimar Republic signing of TOV under a major disadvantage
from the very beginning of its existence
•  Freikorps: an unofficial anti-communist vigilante group that was
composed of army members….Weimar government tried to
disband group, but they staged a coup in Berlin and almost
succeeded but a general worker’s strike brought public services to
a standstill
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
•  No figure was actually stated in the Treaty until 1921, which was 6.6
billion British pounds
•  Immediate post-war period was characterized by inflation, rising
unemployment and social problems like poverty and homelessness
•  Germany made its first installment of reparations in 1921, but then
claimed unable in 1922
•  French felt Germany trying to escape Treaty obligations and France and
Belgium occupied the Ruhr, Germany’s most industrial area in 1923
•  German government not in position to order armed resistance, so
ordered the German Ruhr population to engage in passive resistance or
strikes
•  French responded by expelling 100,000 Germans and killing over 130;
German government faced economic problems trying to re-house and
feed displaced Ruhr population and income declined due to ending of
Ruhr tax receipts
•  German government began to print money, which stoked up the existing
high inflation into hyperinflation and the German mark became worthless
•  Germans had to barter goods such as eggs, cigarettes and sugar as
their form of currency
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
•  Gustav Stresemann became Chancellor in August 1923 and ordered
the ending of the passive resistance in the Ruhr
•  New currency introduced (Rentenmark), which strictly controlled
circulation and soon afterward he agreed to resume reparation
payments
•  More flexible reparation plans were put into place (Dawes Plan of
1924 and Young Plan of 1929)
•  Germans were taking more American loans during the 1920s than it
ever paid back the allies
•  Germany claimed that 100,000 men was insufficient for border
defense and that it would be difficult to deal with revolts and uprising
The Treaty of Versailles caused both political and economic
problems for Germany between 1919 and 1923.
The political problems arose from the fact that once the new
government of Germany had signed the treaty it became instantly
associated with one of the most unpopular and humiliating events in
German history. Between 1919 and 1923 there was considerable
support for communist and extreme right-wing groups that rejected the
treaty. The ability of the Weimar governments to deal with this
dissatisfaction was not helped by the clause in the Treaty which limited
the German army to 100 000 men.
Economic problems resulted from the loss of colonies, the loss of
mineral resources in Europe, and the imposition of reparations. The
crisis of 1923, that is, military occupation of the Ruhr followed by
hyperinflation, was directly linked to reparations since the Ruhr
occupation was the French and Belgian response to Germany’s claim
that it was unable to pay the 1922 reparations installment. Once the
reparations issue was resolved after the 1923 crisis, there was a return
to relative economic and political normality.