Impact of Versailles

Expectations and Reality of the Paris Peace Conference

Germany's expectations, and the reality of, the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 were very different. Germany did not have a voice at the conference.

Expectations of the Paris Peace Conference

Germany had expected to negotiate a peace based on Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points.
Wilson’s key ideas were: self-determination; free trade; a general reduction in armaments; and a new international body, the League of Nations, to settle disputes; and ensure peace through collective security.
Hite and Hinton (2000):
- ‘Germany hoped the Fourteen Points … would lead to a fair peace: they were in for a major shock.’

The 'Big Four'

The 'Big Four' (Britain, France, Italy, USA) met in January 1919. France, Britain and Italy carried most weight because they had been damaged most, especially France.
France had been attacked by Germany twice (1871 and 1914) and wanted it permanently weakened to ensure French national security.

November Criminals?

The German delegates arrived in Paris in April expecting to negotiate, but found they had observer status only.
By April 1919, Germany’s army had been demobilised. Britain’s navy was still blockading its ports while French and Belgian troops were poised on its border.
In May 1919, Germany was presented with a list of non-negotiable demands.
The new German government signed The Treaty of Versailles. German opinion called it a Diktat and branded those who signed it as ‘November Criminals.’

Historical assessment

Hite and Hinton (2000): ‘Ludendorff’s manoeuvre … the myth of the ‘stab-in-the-back’ and the shock of defeat [were] the background of the birth of democracy in Germany. It was not a promising beginning.’

Terms and Problems at the Paris Peace Conference, 1919

The main aspects of the Treaty of Versailles were territorial issues, demilitarisation, reparations and war guilt.

Territorial issues for Germany

Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France.
Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium.
The coal-rich Saarland was given to France for 15 years. There would then be a plebiscite to determine its future.
Poland got Poznań and West Prussia, separating East Prussia from Germany. The port of Danzig became a ‘free city’ under League of Nations control.
Czechoslovakia was given the Sudetenland.
Control of Germany’s overseas colonies was given mainly to Britain and France.
Anschluss (unification) with Austria was forbidden.

Demilitarisation

Germany’s army was cut to 100,000 troops and conscription was banned.
There were to be no tanks, military aircraft, submarines or vessels over 10,000 tons.
The Rhineland was demilitarised. Allied troops occupied its west bank and would stay there for 15 years.

The War Guilt Clause

Article 231 – the ‘War Guilt Clause’ – made Germany accept responsibility for starting the war and so all the losses that resulted.
Article 231 led to Germany paying reparations. A commission decided the amount. These were set in April 1921 at £6.6 billion (132 billion gold marks).

Historical assessment

Nicholls (1979): ‘The peace settlement continued to poison the political atmosphere in Germany for many years.’
Hiden (1974): ‘The pernicious effects of the Treaty of Versailles [are that it] added dimensions to existing conflict…which had…survived the revolution.’

Attitudes to the Treaty of Versailles

Countries wanted to treat Germany with differing degrees of severity. This was largely driven by how World War One had impacted them.

Impact of World War One

Dead: 1.3 million in France; one million in Britain; two million in Germany
- The war dead left widows and orphans to be cared for.
Wounded: four million in France; two million in Britain; 6.3 million in Germany.
In France, 300,000 buildings and 21,000 square km of farmland was destroyed. The war was not fought on British or German soil, so such damage was small.
Belgium’s economic losses were so large that it needed a hefty loan from the Allies to repair the damage done to its economy and infrastructure.

Would Germany have been less harsh?

Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg issued a memo on 9 September 1914 that detailed the annexation of French and Belgian territory to Germany as a war aim.
The Bethmann-Hollweg memo also said that Germany was aiming for: ‘A commercial treaty that makes France economically dependent on Germany'.
The Brest-Litovsk Treaty of March 1918 required Russia to give up almost half its European territory.
- Cavnedish (2008): ‘[The terms] were very harsh'.

Impact of Versailles on Germany

Versailles damaged national pride and reduced the size of Germany and its army. The war guilt clause and reparations bill were deeply resented.
Although you could argue that Treaty damaged Germany economically, it was a source of anger and propaganda for German nationalists.
7 million Germans found themselves living as minorities in other countries.
The new Weimar Republic was associated with signing it, as well as being blamed for the defeat by the army’s stab-in-the-back myth.

Assessment of Versailles

Preuss (1923):
- ‘The criminal madness of the Versailles Diktat was a shameless blow … The [Republic] constitution was born with this curse upon it'.
Troeltsch (1919):
- ‘This … peace was possible because of the formal German declaration of war and its invasion of Belgium, thus making Germany exclusively responsible…’
More recently, historians such as Hiden (1974) have concluded that the ultimate failure of the Weimar Republic cannot be blamed on Versailles.

1Political & Governmental Change, 1918-1989

1.1Creation & Collapse of Weimar, 1918-1932

1.1.1Creation of a Republic

1.1.2Strengths & Weaknesses of Weimar Constitution

1.1.3Overcoming Challenges to the Constitution

1.1.4The Great Depression

1.1.5The Collapse of Democracy

1.1.6The Collapse of Democracy 2

1.1.7Hitler Becomes Chancellor

1.2Nazi Dictatorship, 1933-1945

1.2.1Establishing a Dictatorship

1.2.2Consolidating Power

1.2.3Nature of Government

1.2.4Government in Wartime

1.2.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Political & Governmental Change

1.3Return to Democratic Government, 1945-1989

1.3.1Creation of the FRG, 1945-1949

1.3.2Consolidation Under Adenauer

1.3.3Consolidation Under Erhard

1.3.4Maintaining Stability Under Brandt

1.3.5Maintaining Stability Under Schmidt

1.3.6Maintaining Stability Under Kohl

1.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Return to Democratic Government

2Opposition, Control & Consent 1918-1989

2.1Opposition to Government, 1918-1989

2.1.1Impact of Versailles

2.1.2Political Extremism & Crises, 1918-1932

2.1.3Opposition & Dissent in Nazi Germany, 1933-1945

2.1.4Political Dissent from the Left, 1949-1989

2.1.5Political Dissent from the Right, 1949-1989

2.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Opposition to Government 1918-89

2.2Controlling the People, 1918-1989

2.2.1Attempts to Control Extremism

2.2.2Repression, 1933-1945

2.2.3Censorship & Propaganda, 1933-1945

2.2.4De-Nazification Policies of Western Allies, 1945

2.2.5Constitutional & Legal Response to Extremism, 1949

2.3Popular Support, 1918-1989

2.3.1The Nature of Support for the Weimar Government

2.3.2Support for the Nazi Regime

2.3.3The Nature of Support for Democracy, 1945-1989

2.3.4Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the People

3Economic Developments & Policies, 1918-1989

3.1Reacting to Economic Challenges, 1918-1932

3.1.1Economic Crises & Government Response, 1918-1923

3.1.2Economic Loans, 1924-1928

3.1.3Policies for Recovery, 1924-1929

3.1.4The Great Depression

3.1.5Change in Living Standards

3.1.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Reacting to Economic Challenges

3.2Controlling the Economy, 1933-1945

3.2.1Attempting Economic Recovery

3.2.2Creating a Command Economy

3.2.3Change in Living Standards

3.2.4Impact of War

3.2.5Impact of War 2

3.2.6Top Grade AO2/3 - Controlling the Economy

3.3Creating the Social Market Economy, 1945-1989

3.3.1Economic Recovery, 1945-1955

3.3.2The Economic Miracle, 1955-1966

3.3.3Surviving the Recession, 1960-1969

3.3.4The Oil Crisis

3.3.5Integration into the European Economy

3.3.6Change in Living Standards

3.3.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Creating Social Market Economy

4Aspects of Life, 1918-1989

4.1Attitudes Towards Women, 1918-1989

4.1.1Role & Status of Women in the Weimar Republic

4.1.2Impact of Kinder, Küche, Kirche

4.1.3Impact of WW2 on Women

4.1.4Role & Status of Women in the FRG

4.1.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Attitudes Towards Women

4.2Education & Cultural Developments, 1918-1989

4.2.1Education in Weimar

4.2.2Cultural Experimentation in Weimar

4.2.3Education Under the Nazis

4.2.4Nazi Culture

4.2.5Education in the FRG

4.2.6Generational Conflict

4.2.7Top Grade AO2/3 - Education & Cultural Development

4.3Position of Ethnic Minorities, 19189-1989

4.3.1Ethnic Minorities in the Weimar Republic

4.3.2Nazi Racial Policies, 1933-1939

4.3.3Nazi Racial Policies During the War

4.3.4Ethnic Minorities in the FRG

4.3.5Top Grade AO2/3 - Position of Ethnic Minorities

5Historical Interpretations

5.1Influence of German History

5.1.1Influence of German History

5.2Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.2.1Hitler & Foreign Policy

5.3Contribution of Other Nations to WW2

5.3.1Weak Nations

5.3.2Appeasement

5.3.3The Rise of Fascism

5.4Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.1Reasons for Invading Poland

5.4.2Top Grade AO2/3 - Historical Interpretation

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