The Treaty Of VersaillesThe Treaty Of Versailles

And The Effect It Had On And The Effect It Had On GermanyGermany

The Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was a peace settlement The Treaty of Versailles was a peace settlement signed after the World War in 1918signed after the World War in 1918

It was signed at the Versailles Palace near Paris It was signed at the Versailles Palace near Paris between Germany and the Alliesbetween Germany and the Allies

Georges Clemenceau, David Lloyd George and Georges Clemenceau, David Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson – ‘The Big Three’ at the Woodrow Wilson – ‘The Big Three’ at the conference. The treaty was decided mainly by conference. The treaty was decided mainly by them.them.

The treaty was signed on June 28The treaty was signed on June 28thth 1919 1919

The Big ThreeThe Big Three

And their OpinionsAnd their Opinions

David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd GeorgeBritainBritain

He was a politician and so had to also take the public’s He was a politician and so had to also take the public’s opinionopinion

The British public had two opinions – “Hang The Kaiser” The British public had two opinions – “Hang The Kaiser” and “Make Germany Pay”and “Make Germany Pay”

So he too portrayed these viewsSo he too portrayed these views Actually, he was concerned about communism taking Actually, he was concerned about communism taking

over Russia at around the time all this was happening over Russia at around the time all this was happening and wanted to treat Germany in such a way that if and and wanted to treat Germany in such a way that if and when the communism spilled over into Germany it should when the communism spilled over into Germany it should not effect themnot effect them

But, if they were too harsh on Germany, the people But, if they were too harsh on Germany, the people would rebel and turn to communismwould rebel and turn to communism

So he said that they shouldn’t be too harsh on GermanySo he said that they shouldn’t be too harsh on Germany

Woodrow WilsonWoodrow WilsonUSAUSA

He genuinely wanted world peace and He genuinely wanted world peace and wrote the world famous 14 Points for peacewrote the world famous 14 Points for peace

The American public wanted the US to The American public wanted the US to adopt ‘isolationism’ or a belief in which adopt ‘isolationism’ or a belief in which they were to stay isolated from the rest of they were to stay isolated from the rest of the worldthe world

He wanted to create a League of Nations in He wanted to create a League of Nations in which all countries were includedwhich all countries were included

He thought that Germany should be He thought that Germany should be punished but not too harshly as other wise punished but not too harshly as other wise they would want to get revengethey would want to get revenge

Georges ClemenceauGeorges ClemenceauFranceFrance

He just had one belief – Germany should He just had one belief – Germany should be crippled and badly punishedbe crippled and badly punished

The French Public also believed the The French Public also believed the samesame

Germany had attacked France once Germany had attacked France once many years ago and France hadn’t done many years ago and France hadn’t done too well, he wanted to make sure that too well, he wanted to make sure that they don’t attack againthey don’t attack again

The Terms of the TreatyThe Terms of the Treaty

Decided by mainly ‘The Big Decided by mainly ‘The Big Three’ and Germany’s opinion Three’ and Germany’s opinion

not takennot taken

MilitaryMilitary

Germany could only have an army of Germany could only have an army of 100,000 people100,000 people

No air forceNo air force West Rhineland demilitarised West Rhineland demilitarised Allies to keep army west of Rhineland Allies to keep army west of Rhineland

for 15 yearsfor 15 years

TerritorialTerritorial

West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silisia to West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silisia to PolandPoland

Alsace-Lorraine to FranceAlsace-Lorraine to France Hultschin to CzechoslovakiaHultschin to Czechoslovakia Eupen and Malmedy to BelgiumEupen and Malmedy to Belgium Northern Schleswig to DenmarkNorthern Schleswig to Denmark Saar, Danzig and Memel and Germany’s Saar, Danzig and Memel and Germany’s

Russian territories to League of NationsRussian territories to League of Nations

GeneralGeneral

Germany had to accept full Germany had to accept full guilt for starting the war – the guilt for starting the war – the ‘War Guilt Clause’ ‘War Guilt Clause’

League of Nations set up; but League of Nations set up; but Germany was not includedGermany was not included

FinancialFinancial

After the war, Germany’s economy was After the war, Germany’s economy was badbad

Since Germany had taken full war guilt Since Germany had taken full war guilt they had to pay high reparations which they had to pay high reparations which would go mainly to France and Belgium. would go mainly to France and Belgium. These could be in cash or in kindThese could be in cash or in kind

Vital industrial territory (Saar and Upper Vital industrial territory (Saar and Upper Silesia especially) were lostSilesia especially) were lost

Germany wasn’t allowed to combine with Germany wasn’t allowed to combine with Austria to make a super-state so that her Austria to make a super-state so that her economy could be kept to a minimumeconomy could be kept to a minimum

Reaction of the Germans Reaction of the Germans to the terms of the treatyto the terms of the treaty

After agreeing to the Armistice, Germans were After agreeing to the Armistice, Germans were confident that they would be consulted by the Allies confident that they would be consulted by the Allies before the treaty was madebefore the treaty was made

This didn’t happen and the German’s were furious but This didn’t happen and the German’s were furious but didn’t have the money or army to continue the wardidn’t have the money or army to continue the war

When they were consulted just before signing, they When they were consulted just before signing, they felt the terms were extremely unfairfelt the terms were extremely unfair

After the terms were made public, they became After the terms were made public, they became known as ‘Diktat’ as they were forced to sign with no known as ‘Diktat’ as they were forced to sign with no choicechoice

As a mark of protest, the German Navy scuttled its As a mark of protest, the German Navy scuttled its ships at The Scapa Flow (North of Scotland)ships at The Scapa Flow (North of Scotland)

They now had two choices They now had two choices Sign Sign the treaty or be invaded by the Alliesthe treaty or be invaded by the Allies

They signed the treaty as in reality They signed the treaty as in reality they had only one optionthey had only one option

After the ceremony was over, After the ceremony was over, Clemenceau was heard saying “It is a Clemenceau was heard saying “It is a beautiful day!” beautiful day!”

ConsequencesConsequences

The Big Three were satisfied with the The Big Three were satisfied with the treaty; they thought it was just as it treaty; they thought it was just as it weakened Germany but still kept her weakened Germany but still kept her strongstrong

It kept the French border safe from It kept the French border safe from attacks from Germanyattacks from Germany

They had also created The League of They had also created The League of Nations which they thought would Nations which they thought would make world peace for suremake world peace for sure

• However, The German’s did not agree, the treaty left them angry as they felt that Germany as a nation had been treated unfairly• They hated the “War Guilt Clause” and the “Reparations Clause”• The French people who signed the treaty came to be know as the “November Criminals”• Many Germans felt they were being punished because of something the Government did (Start the war)• The German’s weren’t able to pay the reparations which were 6600 million pounds• They paid 50 million pounds in 1921 but couldn’t pay anything in 1922• So, in January 1923, French and Belgian troops invaded Ruhr (It was actually legal according to the treaty) and they took food and other supplies that they wanted to take

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

The treaty of Versailles had an extremely bad The treaty of Versailles had an extremely bad effect on Germanyeffect on Germany

I believe that the treaty was extremely unfair I believe that the treaty was extremely unfair on Germany and it couldn’t have gotten world on Germany and it couldn’t have gotten world peacepeace

However, many historians believe that The Big However, many historians believe that The Big Three did the best they could at this pointThree did the best they could at this point

Many historians also feel that this harsh Many historians also feel that this harsh treatment of Germany could have been one of treatment of Germany could have been one of the causes for World War IIthe causes for World War II

BibliographyBibliography

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htmtreaty_of_versailles.htm

GCSE modern world history second GCSE modern world history second edition by Ben Walsh and John edition by Ben Walsh and John MurrayMurray