Reactions to the Versailles Settlement: Strengths and Weaknesses Flashcards
Was Clemenceau reelected?
No, the French public believed that the Treaty was not harsh enough
Was David Lloyd George reelected?
Yes, he was treated like a hero by the Britiah public.
Wilson wanted more of his 14 points included. What was the US Congress’ decision?
They had voted to become isolationist, due to not wanting to involve themselves with European affairs.
What was Clemenceau satisfied with regarding the treaty?
- France regaining Alsace-Lloraine, taken by Germany in 1871
- The demilitarisation of the Rhineland
- Receiving the German colonies as mandate
What was Clemenceau dissatisfied with regarding the treaty?
- The reparations, the French believed they were too low and they should be paid more, as most fighting occurred on French soil.
- Germany being allowed to have an army, even a small one. This was due to Clemenceau witnessing the French being attacked by the German’s twice in his lifetime.
- Clemenceau wanted the Rhineland to become its own independent state, to ensure the safety of France.
- He believed the Saar Basin, a rich coal-mining region of Germany, should be given to France rather than the League.
What was David Lloyd George satisfied with regarding the treaty?
- Britain being able to maintain Naval and imperial supremacy
- Receiving German mandates from Africa and Asia to increase the British empire.
- German naval restrictions
What was David Lloyd George dissatisfied with regarding the treaty?
- the treaty being too severe, meaning Britain losing a potential trading partner in Germany
- the severity of the treaty could possibly lead to a future war (within 25 years)with the German Nation seeking revenge.
- he wanted a stronger Germany to be a buffer against communism.
What was Woodrow Wilson satisfied with regarding the treaty?
- The creation of the League of Nation,
- Self-determination had been put in place for many countries and empires such as the Ottoman empire had disbanded
What was Woodrow Wilson dissatisfied with regarding the treaty?
- the majority of the 14 points being ignored in the treaty terms (self-determination- only partially put in place, massive empires still existed such as the British empire, freedom of the sea, disarmament, the banning of secret treaties)
- the harshness of the treaty terms
Germany failed to pay reparations in January 1923. This led to France and Belgium invading what?
The Ruhr (leading to economic chaos and hyperinflation- causing a loaf of bread to cost 201 billion marks)
The atmosphere of chaos and the weak governments encouraged the growth of what type of
parties?
Extremists like the Nazis and dictators
Why did the US citizens not want revenge against Germany?
- The USA had only joined the war in 1917, 1 year before the war had ended.
- No fighting had occured on US soil
What did the German people call those who signed the armistice?
The November Criminals
Why did the German people especially hate the German Government and the treaty?
They had been incessantly told they were winning the war, so felt they were stabbed in the back and betrayed by the German government. The German citizens named those who had signed the armistice as the November Criminals.
What happened to the German Kaiser after WW1?
The Kaiser had been forced to abdicate before the treaty was signed, so there was uncertainty on how the country would be run.
November 9th
People also felt the person responsible for the war (the Kaiser) had been punished therefore there was no need for further punishment.
What consequences occured in Germany in 1920 due to the Treaty of Versailles?
The Kapp Putsch- a coup d’état that attempted to overthrow the newly formed Weimar Republic.
How much did the USA loan Germany and what was the agreement called?
800 million gold marks, Dawes Plan.
What treaty was imposed as a punishment for Austria? When? Land? Reparations? Military Restrictions? Other prominent terms?
- Treaty of St Germain
- 10 September 1919
- Land taken away to create new countries Czechoslovakia and the Yugoslavia
- Agreed in principal, but actual amount was never fixed
- Only 30,000 soldiers in army, conscription and navy banned
- Anschluss with Germany was forbidden
What treaty was imposed as a punishment for Hungary? When? Land? Reparations? Military Restrictions?
- Treaty of Trianon
- 4 June 1920
- Land given away to Romania and Austria, and used to create Czechoslovakia and the Yugoslavia
- Agreed in principal, but actual amount was never fixed
- Only 30,000 soldiers in army, conscription banned, only 3 patrol boats
What treaty was imposed as a punishment for Turkey? When? Land? Reparations? Military Restrictions? Other prominent terms?
- Treaty of Sevres
- 10 August 1920
- Ottoman empire split up, Turkey lost nearly all its land in Europe
- None
- Only 50,000 soldiers in army, 7 sailboats; 6 torpedo boats
- Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits were opened to other countries
What consequence did losing land cause in Austria and Hungary in 1921?
Economic collapse
What happened to the Austro-Hungarian Empire?
The empire was split apart and east Europe was divided into lots of small countries which were self-determined.
What new country was created through German land?
Poland
What was the consequence of the Treaty of Sevres and what replaced this?
- Revolts were caused due to the treaty and threatened war.
- Due to this, the British replaced this with the Treaty of Lausanne in July 1923. A significantly less harsh treaty.
-This was hugely symbolic as it proved that the treaty could not be enforced and showed that the British were willing to undermine the treaties.
What were the strengths of the Treaty of Versailles?
- Brought peace to Europe after 4 years of fighting
- An international peacekeeping organisation, the League of Nations was set up to prevent future conflicts.
- The terms of the treaty were not as harsh as they could have been- for example, not as harsh as the brest-litvosk treaty of 1918 imposed on the USSR by Germany.
- commissions
- consequence of TOV, which was signed by 32 different nations
What were the weaknesses of the Treaty of Versailles?
- Germans felt bitter about unfair treatment- which extremist parties exploited.
- Reparations payments crippled the German economy
- The treaty punished Germany enough to seek revenge
- Too much faith was placed in the League of Nations
Treaty of Lausanne-
When? Land? Reparations? Military Restrictions? Other prominent terms?
July 1923
Turkey regained its lost land
It regained the Dardanelle straits
Limitations on the military were removed
Turkeys reparations were abolished
