THE VERSAILLES SETTLEMENT 1919-20

THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES 1919

Background

When Germany sought peace terms in 1918, the Germans thought that these terms would be based on Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points. Wilson had set these out in an address to the American Congress in January 1918. Wilson had set out his beliefs on a peace based on justice, democracy and equality. Wilson later stated that the peace should include no annexations, no contributions and no punitive damages.

The Big Three

In the years following the end of World War One, peace treaties were signed with Germany and her allies (Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria). The treaties were, Treaty of Saint Germain with Austria in 1919, Treaty of Neuilly with Bulgaria in 1919, Treaty of Sevres with Turkey in 1920 and the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary in 1920. The terms of these treaties were made up mainly by the Big Three, Clemenceau of France, Lloyd George of Britain and Woodrow Wilson of the U.S.A. during meetings in Paris. The one with Germany was by far the most important. It was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in June 1919 and is called the Treaty of Versailles.

When judging the terms of the peace treaties, in particular the Treaty of Versailles, it is important to keep in mind the atmosphere in Europe and the attitude towards Germany in the period just after the war. Obviously anti German feeling was strong in 1919.

Woodrow Wilson the American President aimed to secure a peace based on the Fourteen Points. A peace that would be based on justice, that would have liberal principals at its core and that would be maintained by a new international organisation (The League of Nations). Wilson did agree that Germany needed to be punished for starting the war, but he wanted the punishment to be fair.

David Lloyd-George the British Prime Minister was in a difficult position. Britain had suffered huge casualties in the war and the general public was demanding revenge. Typical headlines in British newspapers such as 'Make Germany Pay' and 'Hang the Kaiser' reflect public feeling. Lloyd-George was determined to maintain Britain's naval supremacy and to enlarge the British Empire. He had also announced in the 1918 election campaign that he expected Germany to pay as much as she could for the damage she had caused. Lloyd George was also prepared to see Germany's military strength reduced. On the other hand he was also aware that the new Weimar leaders of Germany were different to those of the Kaiser's time and that an over harsh treaty might undermine them and create an embittered Germany. He was also concerned that if the peace treaty humiliated Germany it might provoke a Bolshevik revolution. Whilst he was prepared to talk in harsh terms for the people home in the UK, Lloyd-George worked to ease some of the harsher terms wanted by Clemenceau.

Clemenceau the French leader was determined on a punitive peace. This had been the second time in living memory that France had been invaded by Germany. In 1871 Germany had taken Alsace-Lorraine from France and forced her to pay huge reparations. French casualties had also been massive during the war and were the highest amongst the Allies. Clemenceau wanted German power reduced so that she could never again pose a military threat. The French people were fully behind their leader

It should also be remembered that the war had been extremely expensive and that by the end of it Britain and France had large debts to repay. In addition, France especially had suffered extensive damage to large parts of the country that would cost a great deal to put right. Following the war public opinion in both Britain and France understandably felt strongly that Germany should be made to meet these costs of the war.

The Main Terms of the Treaty of Versailles

Territorial changes

Before the war finished the American President, Woodrow Wilson, had issued his famous 'Fourteen Points'. Germany had signed the armistice in November on the understanding that these 'Fourteen Points' would be the basis of the Peace Treaty.

One of these points established the principle of self-determination. This principle laid down that the old pre-war European empires should be broken up and that the map of Europe should be re-drawn so that each nationality should live within its own borders, independent of foreign powers and with its own form of government. This was a sound principle in theory but the racial mixture in some parts of Europe meant that some groups of people would unavoidably have to be left in the ‘wrong’ 'country. (Such groups were called 'minorities'.) Also the principle sometimes had to take 'second place' to practical considerations - such as making sure that countries had sensible, borders for purposes of defence, trade, economic stability etc.

Alsace-Lorraine was given back to France.
Eupen and Malmedy on the border with Belgium were given to Belgium after a plebiscite.
The Saar region was placed under League of Nations control for 15 years, during which time the French could work its coal mines. A plebiscite would then be held to decide the area's future.
Northern Schleswig was given to Denmark after a plebiscite.
Parts of Upper Silesia, Posen and West Prussia were given to the new country of Poland. This was partly to make the new country of Poland stronger as this area contained mineral reserves and also to give Poland access to the sea. This was to cause great bitterness amongst the Germans as many Germans were in these territories. This also cut East Prussia off from the rest of Germany.
The city of Danzig was to be a free city under the League of Nations.
Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria.
All of Germany's colonies were taken away.

As a result of the territorial settlement Germany lost 13.5% of her land and 12.5% of her population. These losses were to hit the German economy hard in the following years.

These losses also created considerable resentment in Germany, especially the losses in the East and the perceived failure of the peace-makers to allow self determination.

Military Terms

The West Bank of the Rhine was to be demilitarised. An allied army of occupation was to be stationed there for 15 years. On the East Bank German troops were to be excluded of land 50 kilometres wide.
The German army was to be reduced to 100000 men.
The German navy was to have no capital ships and no submarines. The German High Seas Fleet was to be handed over to Britain. Incidentally, the High Seas Fleet which had been anchored in Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands since the end of the war was scuttled on the day the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This was an act of defiance and disgust at the treaty.
Germany was prohibited from having an air force.

An Allied Control Commission was set up to police these arrangements.

The Treaty also stated that Germany was being disarmed, this was only a precursor to general world disarmament.

Special Clauses

Article 231 stated that:

The Allied and Associated Governments affirm that Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for all the loss to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies. This was the War Guilt Clause and provided the moral grounds for demands for Germany to pay war reparations. In Germany it was seen as an unfair attempt to place the total blame for the war onto Germany and her allies. This was not unreasonable as the allies certainly shared some of the blame for WWI.

Article 232 imposed reparations upon Germany and was designed to help the Allied countries meet the cost of the war and to keep Germany financially weak for many years. The final amount that Germany had to pay was decided in 1921 and set at 6.6 billion English Pounds. The Germans saw this as an attempt to destroy their industrial power.

The League of Nations

The setting up of a League of Nations was also written into the Treaty of Versailles. The Allies had different views about the League, but all agreed that Germany should not be allowed to join until she had given concrete proof of her intention to carry out the peace terms.

It should also be noted that no representatives of the new Weimar Republic were allowed to take part in the negotiations at Versailles. The Germans were simply told to sign the treaty at the Palace of Versailles in 1919. The Germans did try to have input into the negotiations, but were not allowed to. This of course perpetuated the view that the Versailles Treaty was a diktat.

The Effects of the Treaty of Versailles

With hindsight it is very easy to pick holes in the treaty, but at the time the treaty was probably the best that could be hoped for given the differing views of the Big Three.

The treaty was well received in Britain although it did not take long for critics of the harshness of the treaty to emerge.

The French thought the treaty too soft.

Wilson was disappointed at the treaty's overall outcome.

The Germans felt that the treaty was both punitive and unfair, and a major departure from Wilson's Fourteen Points.

The treaty was to have long term effects for Weimar Germany and be a contributing factor to the events that led to the rise of the Nazi Party and WWII.

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