Treaty of Versailles

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Treaty of Versailles

• 1919

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• The leaders of Britain, France USA had very
  different aims for the peace settlement.
• The Treaty of Versailles was a dictated peace.
• The terms of the peace settlement after the First
  World War were drawn up without consulting
  Germany. Some elements of the settlement were
  very harsh and many Germans felt bitter and
  resentful about the treaty.
• Germany lost land and was disarmed. Germany also
  had to accept the War Guilt Clause and pay
  reparations to the Allies.
• Many Germans were angry and ashamed of the Treaty
  of Versailles.

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Terms of the Treaty (1)

• Article 231 of the Treaty blamed Germany her
  allies for starting the war the War Guilt
  Clause.
• Germany had to pay 6,600 million reparations to
  the Allies, (½ what France wanted).
• German army reduced to 100,000 men conscription
  banned. Navy only allowed 6 battleships, no
  submarines. Air Force banned.

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Terms of the Treaty (2)

• Germany lost about 13 of her European lands and
  about 10 of her population. She lost 75 of
  iron ore.
• Germany lost all her colonies
• Germany could keep the Rhineland, but no German
  soldiers or military equipment were allowed in
  this area.
• Germany and Austria were forbidden to unite to
  form one country, (Anschluss).
• League of Nations was set up to prevent war in
  the future.

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Task Draw complete this table
Terms of Treaty Main Aim of Term Consequences






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Exam Question
Source A is about the effects of the Treaty of
Versailles.
Source A
In 1920 Keynes published a book criticising the
Treaty of Versailles. He said that the Treaty
would eventually prove disastrous. He was very
critical of the economic terms of the Treaty.
The reparations, he said, could never work.
Keynes argued that the Treaty would cripple
Germany. A poor Germany would mean a poor
Europe. Many Britons growing up during the next
twenty years agreed that the Treaty of Versailles
was not worth defending.
1. Explain why many people criticised the Treaty
of Versailles.
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Exam Question
Source B was written by British Prime Minister,
David Lloyd George, about the Treaty of
Versailles.
I cannot imagine any greater cause of war than
surrounding the German people with a number of
small states containing large masses of Germans
demanding reunion with their native land. The
Treaty will strip Germany of her colonies and
reduce her army to a mere police force. If
Germany feels she has been unjustly treated she
will seek revenge.
Source C is from Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler.
In the year 1919, the German people were burdened
with the unjust peace treaty. You would have
thought that the cry for German freedom would
have been loudly promoted by the government but
it was ot. The Treaty was a shame and a
disgrace. It must be our aim to get back to
Germany the land and the people to which we are
entitled. State boundaries are made by man and
can be changed by man and we will change them
when our army is restored to its full strength.
2. How far do Sources B C agree about the
Treaty of Versailles? 4 marks
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Exam Question
Source D is from a German newspaper, Deutsche
Zeitung, 28 June 1919.
Source D
VENGEANCE! GERMAN NATION! Today in theHall of
Mirrors a disgraceful Treaty is being
signed. Never forget it! On the spot where, in
the glorious year of 1871, the German Empire in
all its glory began, today German honour is
dragged to the grave. Never forget it! The German
people, with unceasing labour, will push forward
to reconquer that place among the nations of the
world to which they are entitled. There will be
vengeance for the shame of 1919.
3. How useful is Source D as evidence of the
attitude of the German people towards the Treaty
of Versailles.
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Sample Answer

• Source D is useful because it is from a German
  newspaper dated 28 June 1919. This makes it a
  Primary source so it has the benefit of being
  written at the time. It was written to show what
  the German people thought of the Treaty of
  Versailles. The source says that the Treaty of
  Versailles was a disgrace, and there should be
  vengeance for it.It gives no details on the
  terms of the treaty, like Germany having to take
  the blame for the war, or having to pay
  reparations. The German people were expecting a
  better treaty because they had got rid of the
  Kaiser and had a new democratic government.

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Exam Question
Source E was written by Sir Phillip Gibbs who was
a British representative at the Peace Conference.
Source E
It was a peace of vengeance. It was very unfair.
The economic terms of the treaty were mad.
Germany had to pay for all the damage caused
during the war. The impossibility of getting all
this money from a defeated country was obvious
even to the most ignorant schoolboy.

• Explain why many people in Germany and elsewhere
  were unhappy with the Treaty of Versailles.
• 4 marks

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Exam Question
When news of the terms of the treaty reached
Germany and elsewhere were unhappy with the
Treaty of Versailles.

• How far do you agree with the author of Source E
  that Germany was unfairly treated at the Peace
  Conference?
• Use evidence from the source and your own
  knowledge to come to a conclusion.