Peace Treaty Of Versailles: Essay, Research Paper
After the allied powers won the war over Germany in 1918, they tried to build a new and a safer Europe based on democratic principles for the generations to come. Several treaties between different countries were signed. These treaties aimed to punish Germany for its aggression and to normalize the relationship between all the parties which participated in the war. The Peace Treaty of Versailles which was signed in 1919 was considered to be the most significant one. Here arises the question to what extent these treaties really achieved their goal?
Article 231of the Peace Treaty of Versailles stated the sole responsibility for the war was given to Germany. As a result she lost some territories (Alsace-Lorraine to France, the Saar Valley to League of Nations, Saar Basin coal mines surrendered for fifteen years, while in the meantime it belongs to France, minor border regions to Denmark and Belgium, parts of Posen and West Prussia, to Polish Republic, Danzig to the League of Nations, and all of Germany s colonies were taken from her) and had to pay reparations (33 billions in gold) to the allied powers. This created a turmoil in Germany and its people resented the article. The new democratic regime which was agreed in Weimar in mid-1919, faced attacks from two new extreme parties. On the left, were those who wanted to build a communist government similar to the Bolshevic model. On the Right were those who wanted to bring the old authoritarian r gime. The first attempt to overthrow the Weimar Republic was made by the extreme nationalists lead by Wolfgang Kapp who was reinforced by ex soldiers of the old imperial army: the Freikorps. This putsch did not gain a big support among the people which caused it to fail.
This political weakness in Germany lead to an unstable economy which meant high rates of inflation, and a big debt which Germany had to pay to the allies. There was
a big deterioration in the health levels of the German society and many diseases were spreading. Children were starving in the streets, the school kids conditions were bad regarding food and clothing. Medicine prices increased, which many people could not afford. The catastrophic economic situation in Germany reached the point where Germany could not keep up with its payments anymore. As a result, an outbreak of violence between France and Germany started. French and Belgium troops occupied the Ruhr region which was Germany s main coal mine area. The Germans refused to cooperate with France and obey her orders, railway employees went on strike, navigation on the Rhine was stopped, and German workers bombed the railroads, blew up trains, ships, and boats. The economic situation in the Ruhr area reached the level of a disaster. The government printed more and more paper money which had less and less value. The allies understood that unstable Germany will cause unstable Europe . This leaded to two other agreements which attempted to adjust some articles in Versailles Treaty to a new reality: The Dawes Plan and the Locarno Pact. The Dawes Plan which was agreed upon by all parties stated that Germany will pay over a portion of her industrial output each year, and that France should withdraw from the Ruhr within twelve months. The agreement of the Locarno Pact stated that Germany, France, and Belguim will respect each others borders. This was a repeat of what was said in the Paris Peace Conference. Britain will help each of the countries which will be attacked by the other. The implications of the Locarno Pact were that France had protection by Britain in case of a German attack. There was a sense of security for Germany regarding its Western neighbors. Europe is divided into a secured west and an insecure east.
Germany , Under the rule of her new chancellor, Gustav Stresemann resumed the payments for Reparations. The nationalists rejected this act by revolting in Bavaria. This putsch failed, and their leader Adolf Hitler was sent to Jail.
Another initiative within The Peace Treaty of Versailles to protect the independence of all states was made by Woodrow Wilson, the president of the United States. He initiated The League of Nation which was supposed to work like today s United Nations. However, The United States itself didn t join the League, and soon it becomes clear that this organization cannot solve any significant problem that arose between the nations.
In conclusion, the development of events in Europe after The Versailles Peace Treaty and the other treaties which were signed shows a clear gap between the aspirations of the winners and the realization of them in reality. The Big Four differed from each other in their objectives and in the way to achieve them. The Big Four were: Britain, headed by prime minister David Lloyd Gerorge, France, headed by Gerorges Clemenceau, Italy, headed by Vittorio Orlando, and the United States, headed by president Woodrow Wilson. Lloyd George wanted to expand Britain s colonial empire, and to preserve its naval and industrial domination, and also make Germany pay. Georges Clemenceau, wanted revenge on Germany, and security on France. Vittorio Orlando, wanted to amplify Italy s territory, and expand its empire overseas. Woodrow Wilson, wanted peace and democracy, by implementing his Fourteen Points. The treaties didn t take into consideration the simple fact that in order to bring stability and new order to Europe, unbearable economic and political pressure should not be imposed on Germany. By that they created a situation that Germany had nothing to lose and planted the seeds for the rise of Hitler and the second world war.