Conflict and tension

• The Treaty of Versailles was a harsh treaty, but it could have been harsher
• Some sections of German society called the treaty a 'stab in the back'
• The 'stab in the back' view

  • It was a simplistic and racist conspiracy theory blaming Jews, socialists and communists
  • The German Army was militarily defeated and did not need to be 'stabbed in the back'
• Many in Germany did not realise the depth of the German military defeat because there had been an Armistice and the German Army had simply marched back into Germany
• The leaders of the German Army had handed the defeat over to the new Weimar government to deal with
• Some people called the new Weimar government 'November criminals' for signing the Armistice
• Clause 231 of the treaty placed full blame for the First World War on Germany
• The German delegation at Versailles played no part in discussing the terms of the treaty, they were simply told the terms and had to sign them
• Many Germans resented the loss of German land where many ethnic Germans and German speakers were now living outside the new smaller Germany
• Count Brockdorf: 'We are told we alone are guilty of having caused the War. I would be a liar if I agree to this. We are not trying to avoid all responsibility, however we deny that the German people should be seen as the only guilty party.'
• Contemporary German cartoonist's view

  • A figure in shackles being led to execution on the guillotine, representing Germany, with Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George as the executioners
• John Maynard Keynes: 'It is not possible to lay the responsibility for the war on any single nation.'
• Keynes wrote 'The Economic Consequences of the Peace' and walked out of the Versailles conference in disgust at the unfair treatment of Germany
• Many writers and politicians, not just in Germany but in Britain too, agreed with Keynes that the treaty was too harsh and would destroy the economic life of Germany
• Sally Marks, an American historian, argued that the treaty was severe but not exceptionally so, and that the real difficulty was that the Germans thought it was too harsh
• Arguments against the Treaty of Versailles

  • It was wrong to put sole blame on Germany, as imperialism and imperial rivalry of many countries was a long-term factor
  • It punished ordinary Germans, not the rulers and military leaders who had started the conflict
  • It would destroy the German economy through reparations
  • The leaders of the German Army were not removed, leaving them potentially to start further conflicts in the future
  • It did not align with Wilson's 14 Points and the principle of self-determination
• Arguments in favour of the Treaty of Versailles

  • It did not take that much land from Germany
  • Germany's expectation of a peace based on Wilson's 14 Points was hypocritical, as Germany had the opportunity to sue for peace earlier but did not
  • The reparations did not destroy the German economy, as German industry was producing twice as much steel as Britain by 1925
• The question of whether the Treaty of Versailles was fair or not is debatable, with arguments on both sides
• The Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending World War I


  June 28, 1919
• 32 countries had come together in Paris in January 1919 to hold a conference which would make peace after the First World War
• The Big Three


  • David Lloyd George representing Britain
  • Georges Clemenceau representing France
  • Woodrow Wilson representing the USA
• Germany was not invited to the conference
• The Big Three wanted different things for Germany

  They disagreed on how harshly Germany was to be punished, reflecting how their countries were treated in the war
• The Big Three had to negotiate with each other


  Until there was a compromise
• This was difficult because Wilson was opposed to harsh punishment for Germany
• The USA had not been involved in the war as long as Britain and France


  And had not received as much damage
• Wilson's aims


  To prevent another world war by creating the league of nations based on his fourteen points to ensure Germany would not be destroyed and that Germany shouldn't be blamed for the war
• Clemenceau's aims


  • The harshest of the three, representing the damage Germany had done to France's land and people and its threatening proximity
  • Wanted revenge and to punish Germany to return Alsace Lorraine to France, an independent Rhineland, no league of nations, Germany to pay huge reparations for the damage and losses caused, the disbandment of the German Army so that Germany would never be strong enough to attack France again
• Lloyd George's aims


  • An in-between, reflecting Britain which had little land damage, but high war losses
  • Wanted a punishment that would be tough enough to please those who wanted to make Germany pay, but would leave Germany strong enough to still trade, land for Britain's Empire to safeguard Britain's naval supremacy
• When the Treaty of Versailles was ready, Germany was shown the document, but there was no negotiation, their rebuttal ignored
• The Delegates met at the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris and forced two German representatives to sign the Treaty of Versailles


  June 28, 1919
• The Treaty of Versailles


  1919
• Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

  • Territorial
  • Military
  • Financial and economic
• Alsace Lorraine


  Returned to France
• Lands in East Germany

  Including the farmlands of Posen and the Polish corridor between East Germany and East Prussia were given to Poland
• Saar


  Had rich coal fields, given to France for 15 years
• Germany's colonies


  Taken and given to France and Britain as mandates
• German army


  Restricted to 100,000 men
• German Navy


  Could only have six battleships and no submarines
• German air force


  Not allowed