Core Content A: Were the peace treaties of 1919-1923 fair?

Question 1

What was the outcomes of the First World War?

Answer 1

The war generally had an uneven impact on different countries:

1. US joined the war late, and took 1 year before mobilising so they lost very few soldiers and as they were far away from the battlefield, the only losses were from German navy attacking their trade ships
2. Britain suffered over a million people being killed during the war and the country was in huge debt
3. France had the highest death toll, both civilian and military and therefore bore huge brunt of war particularly on their infrastructure
4. Germany, despite losing the war, had not suffered as much as others. Main problem during the war was blockade, but they surrendered at sensible moment as their strategic position deteriorated

Question 2

How many Peace treaties were signed?

Answer 2

5 were signed and agreed upon, but 6 where drafted

Question 3

Who were the Big Three?

Answer 3

Lloyd George, British Prime Minister
George Clemenceau, French Prime Minister
Woodrow Wilson, US President
Negotiations were largely influenced by these three as representatives of major post-war countries.

Question 4

What were the motives and aims of Clemenceau at Versailles?

Answer 4

Clemenceau was a realist and, like the French public, demanded revenge against Germany and terms that guaranteed future French security.

1. Wanted German army dismantled as they were still stronger than France’s.
2. Massive reparations (for infrastructural damage) to punish and cripple German economy, Which would be used to rebuild France and pay off its debts
3. Wanted the Rhineland to be independent state, a border state.
4. Wanted to regain Alsace Lorraine, receive the Saar industrial area, to break Germany into smaller confederations and possibly break up Germany altogether

Question 5

What were the motives and aims of George Llyod at Versailles?

Answer 5

George Llyod was a mediator, wanted punitive but just peace. He would publicly pledged to squeeze Germans until pip squeaks, in line with public demands for revenge and to ‘Hang the Kaiser!’
In private much more pragmatic and sought middle ground by wanting to help German rebuild and recover as trade partners
1. Agreed with dividing colonies up but not breaking up Germany
2. Wanted reasonable reparations to pay off war damage, but not cripple Germany and risk revolution
3. Wanted to reduce German navy as it threated the British Empire, but not destroy

Question 6

What were the motives and aims of Woodrow Wilson at Versailles?

Answer 6

Wilson was naturally idealistic leader, wanting to keep new world order based on his 14 points (however US public not as interested in global affairs and demand isolationism)
His main aims were:
1. The creation of League of Nations to maintain peace
2. All countries should disarm and dismantle armies, not just Germany
3. Believed in self-determination of all nations of Europe
4. Did not want Britain and France to use German colonies to expand their own empires, instead go under League of Nations control
5. Germany should pay reparations but again, not crippling amount

Question 7

What where Woodrow Wilsons 14 points?

Answer 7

1. Open diplomacy without secret treaties
2. Economic free trade on the seas during war and peace
3. Equal trade conditions
4. Decrease armaments among all nations
5. Adjust colonial claims
6. Evacuation of all Central Powers from Russia and allow it to define its own independence
7. Belgium to be evacuated and restored
8. Return of Alsace-Lorraine region and all French territories to France
9. Readjust Italian borders
10. Austria-Hungary to be provided an opportunity for self-determination
11. Redraw the borders of the Balkan region creating Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro
12. Creation of a Turkish state with guaranteed free trade in the Dardanelles
13. Creation of an independent Polish state
14. Creation of the League of Nations

Question 8

When was the Treaty of the Versailles signed by Germany?

Answer 8

28 June 1919

Question 9

What did the Treaty of Versailles take away?

Answer 9

It took away 13% land, 12.5% population, 16% coalfields, nearly 50% iron and steel industry and 3/4 iron ore

Question 10

What were the terms the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 10

GARGLE
Guilt: Article 231 appointed blame on Germany, called ‘diktat’
Arms Restriction: Army 100,000 soldiers, Navy 15,000 sailors, 6 battleships and no submarines, Airforce was forbidden. Demilitarize Rhineland, and conscriptions was banned
Reparations: 6.6 billion pounds
German territory: Her Colonial Empire: Shared among winners. Alsace-Lorraine (which had 75% of Germany’s iron resources) to France. The Saar was handed over to League for 15 years, France to run it’s coal mines. West Prussia given to Poland so that she could gain access to the sea which splits Germany in two.
LE: League of Nations was established

Question 11

Who was the Treaty of St.Germaine with and when was it signed?

Answer 11

Austria and it was signed in 1919

Question 12

Who was the Treaty of Trianon with and when was it signed?

Answer 12

Hungary and it was signed in 1920

Question 13

Who was the Treaty of Neuilly with and when was it signed?

Answer 13

Bulgaria and in 1919

Question 14

Who was the Treaty of Sevres with and when was it signed?

Answer 14

The Treaty of Sevres, was signed in August of 1920 between the Allies and the former Ottoman Empire. But was an unsuccessful treaty as it was deigned by Mustafa Kemal.

Question 15

What was the result of the Ottoman Empire not signing the Treaty of Sevres?

Answer 15

Negotiations between Kemal’s representatives and the Allies finally resulted in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which recognized the new nation of Turkey. This proved the longest-lasting of all the Paris treaties, a testament to equal negotiations between participants and the acceptance of compromise.

Question 16

Why was the Treaty of Sevres deigned?

Answer 16

Because then leader Mustafa Kemal, a Turk nationalist then leading a war for independence. He wanted to negotiate the territorial terms

Question 17

Who was the treaty of Lausanne with and when was it signed?

Answer 17

The Ottoman Empire and 1923

Question 18

What were the terms of the Treaty of St. Germaine?

Answer 18

1. It established Anschluss ban. Imposed reparations.
2. Reduced their army to 30,000 men.
3. Ended dual monarchy.
4. Gave Galicia to Poland, Bohemia and Moravia to Czechoslovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina to Yugoslavia.
5. Which caused severe economic problems as a their industrial land was given to Czechoslovakia, which lend to displacement of people

Question 19

What were the terms of the Treaty of Trianon?

Answer 19

1. Gave Transylvania to Romania, Slovakia and Ruthenia to Czechoslovakia, Slovenia and Croatia to Yugoslavia.
2. Induced economic crisis in Hungary, 3 million Hungarian were displaced.

Question 20

What were the terms of the Treaty of Neuilly?

Answer 20

Because it was a minor player in the war, gained territory from Turkey. Reduced army to 20,000 men, owed 100 million in reparations and lost land to Greece, Romania, Yugoslavia and access to the Mediterranean Sea

Question 21

Why did all the victors not get what they wanted?

Answer 21

They all had to make compromises. They were disagreements over self-determination, how the LON was to run, the harshness of the treaty and the access to sea clause.

Question 22

What compromises did Clemenceu make, at Versailles and how satisfied were they?

Answer 22

1. Clemenceau wanted harsh peace,
2. he got limited compensation and military restrictions, a unified Germany and demilitarized Rhineland. He felt this was not harsh enough, didn’t get independent Rhineland or control of Saarland.
3. Clemenceau felt that Britain was happy to treat Germany fairly in Europe which threatened France yet were less happy to treat them fairly when it came to concessions of colonies and military which threatened Britain.

Question 23

What compromises did Wilson make, at Versailles and how satisfied were they?

Answer 23

Wilson wanted a just peace based on 14 points: he did not want Germany blamed (article 231 & reparations) in TOV but they were. League of the Nations was established. Pleased to see self-determination achieved through creation of independent Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. However, Britain and France had clearly rewarded themselves with Germany’s former colonies, despite officially being mandates. They were exceptions to self-determination like Austria and Sudeten Germans. And only defeated countries made to disarm

Question 24

What compromises did Llyod make at Versailles and how satisfied were they?

Answer 24

1. Britain, was probably the most satisfied;
2. On the whole, got his way of having moderate peace, allowing European economy to recover.
3. Lloyd successfully managed to temper the demands of Clemenceau, punishments therefore resembled his compromise proposals. British interests served by expansion of colonies, empire reached its peak in 1919. Naval restrictions bolstered already strong British position on the sea

Question 25

What was the reactions of the TOV in Germany?

Answer 25

1. The German leaders surrendered believing it would earn them a lighter Treaty, however it didn’t
2. The Reparations pushed country deeper into state of near-starvation, feared it would cripple economy.
3. Germany felt the Treaty was very harsh and objected to the Treaty, they argued that the treaty was a diktat, as they were excluded from negotiations and had no choice but to accept.
4. Germans felt that War Guilt Clause was an unfair justification for harshness of the treaty as war was not all their fault.
5. They felt betrayed and blamed ‘November Criminals’, Jews, Communists, Germans did not feel that they had lost the war as most of war went well for Germany.
6. Germans saw disarmament and self-determination as hypocritical as the German army limited but disarmament not practiced by other countries and
   Germans were displaced, not allowed to rule themselves

Question 26

What political violence was caused as a result of TOV?

Answer 26

1. The Treaty caused political instability at least two high profile attempts by right-wing extremists to overthrow government, Kapp Putsch in 1920 and Munich Putsch in 1923 as well as numerous assassinations.
2. Treaty caused violence firstly because it created so much resentment among the public, communists, Jews and nationalists which made government unpopular
3. In weakening Germany’s armed forces, the Treaty made it more difficult to deal with political violence as well

Question 27

What was the first major crisis caused by the TOV?

Answer 27

The Ruhr crisis 1923, was the first major crisis caused by Treaty came after failure by Germans to pay second instalment of reparations. French/Belgian soldiers went into Ruhr to take payment in form of raw materials and goods. German government ordered workers to go on strike so no goods were produced and the French army harshly responded, killing 100 workers.
Production in the Ruhr shut down as a result

Question 28

What was the impact of the TOV on Germany?

Answer 28

Political violence, economic problems which lead to hyperinflation and the rise of Hitler, who used the TOV unpopularity to his advantage

Question 29

What caused the economic crisis?

Answer 29

German government paid workers during strike by printing off money however this created hyperinflation problem. Value of money became virtually worthless which was disaster for many Germans, pensioners, middle class families with savings etc. With exception of big industrialists who used situation to pay off debts, had terrible impact and left bitter memory even after economy recovered.

Question 30

Was the TOV fair? (Yes)

Answer 30

1. Germany were the most aggressive country during WWI, it was only fair that their army, navy and air force be targeted.
2. It was fair that Alsace Lorraine went back to France after Germany annexed it in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian Wars.
3. And In March 1918, Germany forced an extremely harsh treaty on Russia when Russia wanted to leave the war in 1918. They made Russia pay reparations and took their land.
4. Germany had given Austria a ‘Blank Cheque’ to start off war as well as commencing the Schlieffen Plan, therefore deserved War Guilt.
5. Economic troubles were self-inflicted as other countries raised taxes and practiced more Rigorous fiscal policy to pay for reparations (Britain had greater debt and paid off more than Germany by introducing high taxes, too)

Question 31

Was the TOV fair? (No)

Answer 31

1. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark that started the war and this had nothing to do with Germany and Germany had a new democratic government.
2. Many German citizens felt that they were being punished for the mistakes of the German government in August 1914 as it was the government that had declared war not the people.
3. By restricting the army to only 100,000 volunteers, the treaty left Germany defenceless and vulnerable. 100,000 men for a country the size of Germany, meant keeping order was difficult as well.
4. Too harsh as German’s economy crippled and people were in near-starvation state.
5. Germans not fairly represented at the conference, ‘diktat’, other countries were not blameless
6. War had devastating physical effects on Germany:
   farmers were recruited in army, by 1918 their was only 50% milk production, 60% meat and butter production of pre-war levels, their potato supply run out 1916-1917 winter and combined effects of hunger and disease kill ¾ million Germans

Question 32

Could the treaties be justified at the time? (No)

Answer 32

1. TOV led to the rise of Hitler as the army crippled, the defeated nation’s disadvantage was exploited.
2. Vengeance was probable, the treaty ignored it so bound to fail. Some were ineffective such as Treaty of Sevres which were re-drawn after 3 years failed to maintain peace.

Question 33

Could the treaties be justified at the time?(Yes)

Answer 33

1. Their Mood of post-war urgency,
2. Places were in a state of near-starvation and faced infrastructural ruin
3. Their was public pressure to punish defeated parties, some people thought it was not harsh enough, and that German problems were self-inflicted by bad fiscal policy and Brest-Litovsk hypocrisy.