Peace Treaties 1919-1923 Flashcards
AIMS + MOTIVES OF CLEMENCEAU
- G. must pay 200,000,000 gold francs for damage. It would help Fr. repay USA.
- G. must be made weak.
- Take away land, industry + armed forces.
- Return Alsace - Lorrane.
- Revenge for WW1 + France Prussian War.
AIMS + MOTIVES OF WILSON
- Make future wars impossible by making a fair peace.
- No more secret agreements (if countries were open, less suspicion + misunderstanding).
- Countries must reduce their armed forces + weapons.
- National self-determination (people living under the rule of foreign empires). He wanted people from E. Europe to rule themselves.
- League of Nations (all countries should belong to it). International co-operation.
- Strengthen democracy in defeated countries, not leading to war.
AIMS + MOTIVES OF LLOYD
- Agreed with USA.
- Make G. pay reparations (less than Fr. because G. was their main trading partner).
- He wanted justice, not revenge. Not want to provoke bitterness.
- Wanted to expand his Empire. Eg. Tanzania, Nambia.
- G. was too poor, Communist Russia could invade.
- He wanted G to lose its navy + colonies as they were a threat.
Disagreements on the peace-making process
- War affected them differently. Fr was poor, USA was rich.
- Different future needs: GB wanted G to be healthy, Fr didn’t.
- Geographical position: GB and USA were safer. Fr was neighbour.
- Different ideology: Wilson wanted new system. GB + Fr no.
- Clemenceau + Wilson: USA had not suffered as badly as Fr. Wilson was more generous. Disagreed on what to do about G.’s Rhineland + coalfields in Saar. Clemenceau won, but Wilson was given what he wanted in E. Europe.
- Clemenceau + Lloyd: they agreed on taken G’s colonies + navy. Diagreed on how to treat G. Clemenceau was harsher.
- Wilson + Lloyd: Lloyd didn’t want to allow nations access the seas. Wilson wanted self-determination but GB ruled millions of people across the world from London.
Terms of T of V
- War guilt: G had to accept the blame.
- Reparations: 6600 million pounds payed to Allies.
- G’s territories + colonies: Rhineland was demilitarised. Alsace-Lorraine returned to Fr. Saarland run by League, then plebiscite held after 15 years. Union between G & Austria forbidden. West Prussia & Posen & Upper Silesia returned to Poland. Danzing run by League to give Poland a sea port (polish corridor). Lithuania, Estonia + Latvia became independant states after G had taken these from Russia in 1918. North Schleswig to Denmark after a vote. Overseas empires taken away.
- Armed forces: army reduced to 100,000 men. No conscription, soldiers had to be volunteers. Not allowed armoured vehicles, aircraft or submarines. Only 6 battleships.
- League of Nations: not invited to join until shown that it was a peace-loving country.
Germany’s reactions to the T of V
- War guilt + reparations: Did not feel the started the war, at least thought that blame should be shared. Bitter about paying for all the damage, as their economy was severly weakened.
- Territories: major blow to G’s pride and economy.
- Non representation: anger. They did not feel they lost war, so shouldn’t be treated as a defeated country.
- League: G felt insulted by not being invited to join.
- Disarmament: unfair. Army was too small for them, lost their pride.
Impact of the T of V on Germany
- Political violence: constant threat. Opponents of Ebert’s gov didn’t bear the Treaty. They attempted a revolution. Failed but added chaos in G + bitterness toward the Treaty. Numerous political assassinations. Hitler led an attempted rebellion in Munich.
- Conflict in the Ruhr: G did not pay reparations in 1922. Fr. ran out of patience + entered the Ruhr + took what they owed (raw materials + goods). G went on strike, not producing anything for Fr. French killed over 100 workers + expelled over 100,000 protesters from region. Strike meatn G had no good to trade + no money to buy.
- Hyperinflation: extra money was being printed but it was worthless so prices rose up.
T of V views at the time
UNFAIR: none of Big 3 were happy with the Treaty. Peacemakers were blind and selfish + produced a disastrous Treaty that could lead to another war.
FAIR: Versailles was less harsh than Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918 (German treaty for Russia). Fact that G’s economy problems were partly self-inflicted.
PRESENT DAY: we know that it helped create the cruel Nazi regime and helped cause WW2. Others say that a more generous Treaty would have been unacceptable to public opinion in Fr + GB. Peacemakers had a difficult job balancing public opinion.
Treaty of St. German
Signed by Austria. Land lost to part of Italy, Czechoslovakia, Austria & Hungary. No reparations due to financial situation. Army of 30,000 soldiers. Separated Austria & Hungary (no anschluss). +ve: gave Italy, Serbian + Rummanian govs many livestock. Nations created. -ve: land taken away, weak financially, militarily unstable. Lost empire, so trade routes cut and industry run at 20%.
Treaty of Trianon
Signed by Hungary. Land lost to Germany, Slovakia, Croatia, Rommania, Bunjevac and Serbia. No reparations due to collapse in Hungarian economy. Only 30,000 soldiers, no consctription. Not abke to join Germany. +ve: independent Hungarian state, alliance with Romania, Yugoslavia + Czechoslovakia. -ve: 3,5 million Hungarians were in areas given to other countries. Gave 3 allies to Nazi Germany.
Treaty of Neuilly
Signed by Bulgaria. Land lost to Yugoslavia + Greece. Pay 100 million pounds. Reduce army to 20,000 men. +ve: Romania was returned some of its land.
Treaty of Sevres
Signed by Turkey. Land lost to Iraq, Transjaran, Palestine, British. No reparations. 50,700 men. Allies controlled Empire’s finances. Under control of League of Nations. +ve: no more tension in Turkey. -ve: financial restriction.
Treaty of V: fair or unfair
UNFAIR: 10% of land + entire overseas empire taken away. Lost Saar (coal supplies), Upper Silesia (iron + coal). Br + Fr took control of German + Turkish territories in Africa. Unfair because they had not worked as hard to belong to them. Treaty went against self-determination as they did not permit G to join its ally Austira. Polish door taken away, separated East Prussia from G. Clauses not fair as G was not the only one to blame. Had to borrow money from America. Currency decline and inflation.
FAIR: Br did not get well with G due to overseas empires. Avoided problems. Not letting Austria join G was a good idea since as Austria would’ve added 12 million people to G. Alsace Lorraine returned to Fr. Prevented the rage of another war.
