The Paris Peace Conference 1919
Purpose
decide on peace terms offered to Central Powers. Sign peace treaties with them. Countries Excluded Russia – Although it had fought with Allies, surrendered to Germany in 1917. Many Allied leaders distrusted new Bolshevik govt. Central Powers - Not consulted about terms of treaty. Other treaties signed Treaty of St Germain (1919) - Austria Treaty of Trianon (1920) - Hungary Treaty of Neuilly (1919) - Bulgaria Treaty of Sevres (1920) - Turkey |
The Terms of the Treaty
Military Terms
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Economic Terms
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Territorial terms
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Why did all the victors not get everything they wanted?
Because:
Because:
Because:
Finally, the negotiations were always going to be a compromise, that is what happens when two or more people try to come up with a decision. Either one person gives in completely = not getting everything you need, or both have to give up something = not getting everything you need! |
What was the impact of the peace treaty on Germany up to 1923?
The German people took a long time to understand that (on paper) they had lost the first World War. This was due to the following factors:
The Germans believed that the peace would be settled fairly and that it would be based on the 14 points. However, the armistice included harsh terms, and the fact that none of the defeated nations were allowed representatives at Versailles, should have been a warning of the kind of peace that Germany could expect. The Germans were stunned by the harshness of the treaty, and wanted to reject it. But what was the alternative? A resumption of hostilities. Ebert's government felt they had no choice but to sign the treaty. At this point they were labeled as traitors and blamed for the peace. Extremists (like Hitler) called them the November Criminals and stated that they had stabbed Germany in the back. All of this shows that the German people did not accept the peace, and many were prepared to resort to any means necessary to ensure the treaty did not work. Military Terms: The army was angry about the restrictions imposed by the treaty. Many ex-soldiers refused to disarm, and joined the Freikorps. War Guilt: This clause caused the most resentment amongst the German people. But was needed to impose reparations. Some politicians who argued that Germany should try to pay were assassinated. It was not just the Germans who thought reparations were a burden that was too difficult for Germany to bear. British economist John Maynard stated that "by keeping Germany's economy weak, reparations would undermine trade between nations and therefore harm everyone". Economic Terms: By 1921 the German economy was in serious trouble as it had accrued huge debts during the war, and was printing money to meet its expenditure. This meant that inflation was rising rapidly, and the German government asked to delay reparations payments due to the financial crisis. By 1923 France and Belgium sent troops into the Ruhr to seize goods in replacement for reparations. The Weimar Government organised a campaign of passive resistance and paid the Ruhr workers not to work. However, they did not have the money for this, and so printed even more, which led to hyperinflation. The French saw that the occupation would not result in more reparations and eventually withdrew. However by the end of 1923 Gustav Stresemann had a plan, to pay reparations and to rebuild Germany within the confines of the Treaty. |
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Could the treaties by justified at the time?
"This is not peace. It is an armistice for fifteen years." Marshall Foch, French commander-in-chief of the Allied armies in 1917
"It was a peace of revenge. It sowed a thousand seeds from which new wars might spring. It was as though the Devil had sat beside Clemenceau and whispered madness into the ear of Wilson and grinned across the table at Lloyd George." British historian, 1929 "Now…while the economic defects of that settlement were, for the most part, illusory or exaggerated, the present writer shares the opinion of those who, with every justification, will come to the conclusion that we were very stupid men…We arrive determined that a Peace of justice and wisdom should be negotiated: we left it, conscious that the treaties imposed upon our enemies were neither just nor wise…" Harold Nicolson was a writer and diplomat. In 1919, he was a member of the British delegation to the Versailles conference. He believed that political considerations saw the defeat of Wilson’s idealistic vision for Europe. When in the year 1919 the German people was burdened with the peace treaty, we should have been justified in hoping that precisely through this instrument of boundless repression the cry for German freedom would have been immensely promoted. Peace treaties whose demands are a scourge to nations not seldom strike the first roll of drums for the uprising to come. Adolf Hitler. |
A cartoon about the Treaty of Versailles. It shows the figure of Germany about to be guillotined. The other three figures (left to right are Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George.
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