Terms of the Paris Peace Conference There were 5 treaties that made up the Paris peace settlement, but Versailles is the most frequently discussed since it dealt specifically with Germany. All 5 contained the ‘Covenant of the League’, which stated the foundational principles for the operations of a League of Nations. 1. Versailles – Germany (war guilt clause, reparations, disarmament) 2. St. Germain – officially dissolved Austro-Hungarian Empire (signed between Allies and Austria) 3. Trianon – officially established the nation of Hungary 4. Neuilly – signed between Bulgaria and Allies, est. the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (what would become Yugoslavia) 5. Sevres/Laussane – officially dissolved the Ottoman Empire and divided up territory in the Middle East ** See chart on pg. 27 in the IB Course Companion for specific summary

Europe (Before and After Versailles) Map of Europe, 1915 Map of Europe, 1918

Criticism of the Settlement John Maynard Keynes Was most vocal opponent of the treaty (resigned his post as British economic advisor at the conference) Claimed it was made in the “spirit of revenge” and ignored the economic consequences for both Germany, and Europe as a whole Started the British revisionist sentiment (the public became more sympathetic to plight of Germany and called for adjustment of terms) In 1919 Keynes wrote The Economic Consequences of the Peace, in which he criticized the Allied leaders for the punitive reparations imposed on Germany and warned of future economic catastrophe for Europe as a result.

Criticism of the Settlement Harold Nicolson Junior advisor to the British delegation in Paris during the conference Argued that the failure in Paris was primarily due to the vengeful nature of Clemenceau and Wilson’s failure to deliver on his expansive promises of peace Disillusioned by the secret agreements, alliances and pacts made by numerous nations at the conference and blamed these in part for the rise of communism, fascism and militarism that led to WWII Wrote Peacemaking 1919, a memoir of his time at the Paris Peace conference. It was published in 1933, the same year Hitler took power in Germany.

Criticism of the Settlement Ray Stannard Baker Was Wilson’s press secretary at Versailles Applauded Wilson’s skills as a diplomat, statesman and negotiator but was frustrated by the lack of “open diplomacy” at the conference His writing about the conference challenged the perception of Wilson as naïve, overly idealistic and easily manipulated and instead presents a man of principle faced with the challenges of negotiating a peace with secretive, self-serving nations Biographer of Woodrow Wilson and muckraking journalist

Effect on Germany It is important to distinguish between the effects of World War I on Germany and the effect of the Treaty of Versailles. Many of Germany’s problems would have still existed even without the harsh terms of the settlement. Notable effects of the terms: Germany actually emerged stronger after the war than before (definitely had more bargaining power after the imposition of such punitive terms) Collapse of Austria-Hungary shifted the balance of power in the East (weak, small states to the East easily conquered) Created a power vacuum that Germany could fill and left numerous unhappy minority groups in new nations that were willing to follow German leadership

Effect on Germany Treaty of Rapallo (1922) Between Germany and Soviet Russia Offered mutual assistance (and essentially allowed Germany to develop weapons and continue armament) Created out of sense of resentment that both nations felt after being excluded from the League of Nations