The Treaty of Versailles The Who’s and What’s

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES, 1919

Germany's defeat, 11 November 1918 With the failure of the Ludendorf Offensive, and with the exhausted state of Germany, the German generals recognised that it was time to sue for peace with the Allies. The Kaiser was forced to abdicate on the 8th November and a new democratic republic was established. But how would the Allies deal with a defeated Germany?

KAISER WILHELM ii AND IMPERIAL GERMANY On 8th November 1918, Imperial Germany came to an end when a democratic republic was established. Though it was intended to have Wilhelm tried as a ‘war criminal’ he was eventually allowed to spend the rest of his life in exile in the Netherlands. He died in 1941.

David Lloyd-George [Great Britain] Woodrow Wilson [USA] Orlando [Italy] Georges Clemenceau [France]

The Big Four at the Paris Peace Talks (1919) Woodrow Wilson - President, United States Georges Clemenseau - Premier of France David Lloyd George - Prime Minister of Britain Vittorio Orlando – Foreign Minister of Italy

Woodrow Wilson Idealist - thought WWI would be “war to end all wars” Fourteen Points (plan for lasting peace) Open Diplomacy (no secret treaties) Reduce military sizes Self-determination League of Nations

Compare and Contrast What were the four main causes of World War 1? What did Wilson say he wanted in his 14 points?

Georges Clemenseau France had been destroyed in WWI wanted protection from further Germany attacks get rid of German military make Germany pay for war

David Lloyd George Most afraid of German u-boats wanted to get rid of German navy wanted German colonies wanted to get paid for losses

Comparison/Contrast France’s Demand Britain’s Demands

Vittorio Orlando Italy entered war because of promise of cities in Austria. Was given Tryrol and Trieste demanded more but when others refused he walked out. The Big Four became the Big Three

Treaty of Versailles 1919 Weimar Republic, German democratic government, was forced to sign it.

Issues of Peace Everyone had their own “payback agenda” Germany not invited Principles were compromised to gain peace Wilson’s 14 points Self-Determination; Territory France’s security U.S Senate did NOT Ratify (agree to) treaty Means it is not law in the U.S

1914--------------------1919

The map of Europe was redrawn The Great War was to see the collapse of four continental empires. These were to be replaced by new nation states.

War Reparations $5 billion within 2 years $28 billion (after the damages were tallied) Final: ~$40 Billion

German military 100,000 soldiers 6 warships no planes no submarines

War Guilt Clause Germany was the blame for starting the war. The most hated part of the treaty. Did Germany actually cause this?

Legacy Idealism and Liberalism are shattered Idea that government serves the people No government intervention Because Governments gain so much power Speech laws, economic laws, etc. New Countries New Hatreds

A British newspaper cartoon, by David Low. Source 1: A British newspaper cartoon, by David Low. SOURCE WORK: 1) First, describe the storyline shown in the cartoon. 2) Then, relate the political message intended by the cartoonist – what does the horse represent, what does the cart represent, why is it stuck in the air, who are the two men, why is one carrying a whip and one a shovel – what is the political message ? What does the horse represent? Why is Briand holding a whip? What is this referring to? Briand, French Prime Minister Why is the cart up-ended? ‘Perhaps it would gee-up better if we let it touch earth.’ Why is a shovel left here? Lloyd-George, British Prime Minister Why is Lloyd-George holding a shovel? What is meant by the caption?

‘Punch’ was Britain’s main political magazine of the period. Source 2: Describe the scene shown, what is the storyline? Then, assess the individual features in the cartoon. Then, identify the political message intended by the cartoonist. ‘Punch’ was Britain’s main political magazine of the period. Why the candle ‘snuffer’? What political message does it represent? What does the ‘Angel’ represent? What does the candle represent? What is the general political message of the cartoon?

Source 3: What is the political message of this cartoon? Describe the scene shown, what is the storyline? Then, assess the individual features in the cartoon. Then, identify the political message intended by the cartoonist. What is being represented by the ‘hand’? What does the plank represent ‘Who’ / or, ‘what’ is the man representing? THE FINISHING TOUCH

Source 4 HOW USEFUL IS THIS SOURCE AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE: i. What do we learn from it about the period being studied? ii. How reliable is this source? Source 4 Describe the condition of the room in which this family is living? How is the child shown? Why? Look at the caption, what is its political message? How reliable is this source?

Source 6 HOW USEFUL IS THIS SOURCE AS HISTORICAL EVIDENCE: i. What do we learn from it about the period being studied? ii. How reliable is this source? Name the people emerging from the building. What does the building represent? Why is the ‘child’ weeping, and what is meant by ‘1940’? What is meant by this comment?

Vengeance! German Nation Source 5: Today in the Hall of Mirrors of Versailles the disgraceful Treaty is being signed. Do not forget it! The German people will with unceasing labour press forward to reconquer the place among nations to which it is entitled. Then will come the vengeance for the shame of 1919. From the ‘Deutsche Zeitung’ [‘The German Express’] newspaper. Source 5: Source 7: Only fools, liars and criminals could hope for mercy from the enemy. In these nights hatred grew in me, hatred for those responsible for the dead. By Adolf Hitler, who had served in the army and became a future leader of Germany

Mandate system Mandates - colonies of former Central Powers to be given to Allied nations To be given their independence sometime in future (NOT) From Ottoman Empire: Syria (France) Egypt and Palestine (Britain)

Issues of Treaties – Issue #1 Weak League of Nations President Wilson knew treaty had bad ideas in it. Made this organization. Problems U.S did not join because Senate did not ratify No agreement on when to use force to stop aggression

Issues of Treaties # 2 French Demands French wanted strict enforcement of TOV Focused on reparations Germany owed 33 Billion dollars Germany after its 1st payment in 1921, could not sustain this French furious, take over Ruhr Valley and German factories to pay it off.

Effects of Treaty - Germany Inflation was a huge problem German government printed money to pay for things, which caused prices to rise (inflation) even further Example: by 11/1923, 1 Dollar = 4.2 TRILLION marks Example: (Story) This lead to huge political problems, which caused France and Germany to look for a way out

Insert – The Dawes Plan American plan to fix Germany Step 1: Reduce the amount owed Step 2: amount to repay = amount able to pay Step 3: Loan of $200 million dollars Step 4: American investment opens up Prosperity from 1924 until 1929

Treaty of Locarno & Kellogg-Briand Pact Lead to a False sense of security Agreement between Germany & France about Germany’s borders Viewed as a new era of “peace” across the world K-B Pact: 63 countries sign and “Ban war as an instrument of national policy”

The Great Depression Causes: Examples: Economies across the world started to slow down Overproduction from the policies created for WWI U.S Stock Market crashed [illustrate] Examples: 40% of Germans unemployed 25% of Americans

Responses to Great Depression Government begins to get more involved Ideas to cut taxes and raise tariffs only make the situation much worse Renewed interest in radical ideas Marxism and Socialism The people begin to believe anyone who offers a simple solution Result = dictators like Hitler and Mussolini

The States After War Germany is the Weimar Republic: Weak, leaderless, and have seriously bad economic problems People lost everything financially, especially government workers Fear spread and people became desperate after 1930 France Becomes strongest power and more balanced economics Great Depression hits in 1932 New government creates French New Deal Collective Bargaining Fail to fix major problems and French loose confidence in 1938