1 Treaties of 1919-33 Flashcards
Woodrow Wilson (USA); what were his aims?
- Did not want to be too harsh on Germany
- Deeply concerned that a harsh treaty may lead to a communist revolution
- Strengthen democracy in defeated countries
- Give independence to small countries that had been part of European empires
- International co-operation
Lloyd George (UK); what were his aims?
- Shouldn’t punish Germany too harshly, may get mad and cause another war
- Deeply concerned that a harsh treaty may lead to a communist revolution
- Wanted trade between Germany and Britain again
- Wanted Germany to lose its navy and colonies because they threatened the British empire
Pressures on Lloyd George?
No one in Britain was sympathetic towards Germany, they wanted a harsh treaty
Clemenceau (France); what were his aims?
- Wanted Germany to suffer because he saw how much his country suffered due to Germany in the war.
Over 2/3rds of the men that fought in the army had been killed or wounded.
What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles?
- War guilt clause
- Reparations
- German territories and colonies
- Germany’s armed forces
- League of Nations
What was war guilt?
Germany was forced to accept full blame for starting WW1
How much money (in pounds) did Germany have to pay?
6,600 million pounds
What land was taken away from Germany?
Upper Silesia (to Poland)
Alsace-Lorraine (to France)
What happened to Germany’s armed forces?
- Army reduced to 100,00 men
- They were not allowed armored vehicles, submarines, or aircraft
- Navy could only have six battleships
- Rhineland became a demilitarised zone
Why did they set up the League of Nations?
Because previous peace treaties hadn’t worked out, set up as a ‘police force’
Germany couldn’t join until proving they were a peace-loving country
How much land and population did Germany lose?
10% of its land and 12.5% of its population
What was the Kapp Putsch?
In 1920, Germany attempted a revolution called the Kapp Putsch
What happened in the Ruhr?
After Germany agreed to pay reparations, they paid 50 million in 1921.
In 1922 nothing was paid.
Germany tried to negotiate with the Allies to help them pay, but the French ran out of patience and invaded the Ruhr.
They entered and took what was owned to them.
What happened due to the Ruhr invasion?
The German government ordered the workers to go on strike, to not produce anything for the French.
France reacted harshly, killing over 100 workers and expelling over 100,000 protestors from their region.
The strike meant Germany had no goods to trade or money to buy things with. This led to hyperinflation.
Why did people think that the Treaty of Versailles was unfair?
Many people thought that the peacemakers were bling and selfish - believed it would cause another war
