KQ1: Peace Treaties 1919-1923
4 Mark:
What were Germany’s main territorial losses under the Treaty of Versailles?
Germany lost all her overseas colonies, which mostly became BR or FR-controlled mandates.
She lost the Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia, which was an important industrial region and
was mainly German. She lost West Prussia and Posen, which became the Polish Corridor,
and Danzig became a free city under the League. Germany lost 10% of her land. The
Saarland was run by the League for 15 years before a plebiscite would be held to determine
who the land would go to.
Describe what Lloyd George, Wilson and Clemenceau each wanted to achieve in the peace
settlement
Wilson's aims: create a League of Nations, which would maintain peace in the future and
prevent future wars. To ensure Germany was not destroyed. The 14 Points (e.g. free access to
all the seas, disarmament, self-determination). Not to blame Germany for the war - he hated
the War Guilt Clause (231).
Clemenceau's aims: Revenge and to punish Germany, to the extent of splitting GER into
many small states. To return Alsace-Lorraine to France. An independent Rhineland to act as a
buffer between GER and FR. Huge reparations. To disband the German army and to cripple
GER so that she would never be strong enough to attack France again (as she had in 1870 and
in 1914).
Lloyd George: A 'just' peace tough enough to please the electors who wanted to 'make
Germany pay' but leave Germany strong enough to trade, as previously Germany had been
BR’s second biggest trading partner. To take away GER’s overseas colonies so that there was
less competition in terms of their empires. To safeguard Britain's naval supremacy by
limiting their naval strength.
What military restrictions were imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles?
No submarines, no aircraft, no tanks. 6 battleships. Conscription was banned. Army of
maximum 100,000 soldiers. Anschluss was forbidden. Rhineland demilitarised.
In what ways was the Treaty of Versailles designed to restrict Germany’s ability to attack
France?
Demilitarisation of the Rhineland. Reduction of its military (disarmament, no submarines, no
aircraft, no tanks. 6 battleships. Conscription was banned. Army of maximum 100,000
soldiers. Anschluss was forbidden). Reparations.
,With reference to the terms of the peace settlements of 1919-20, what were mandates and
plebiscites?
Mandates were areas previously owned by Germany that became controlled by Britain and
France. For example, Togoland and Cameroon. Plebiscites were votes taken by the
population of the region to decide who would rule the region. For example, the Saarland took
a plebiscite 15 years after being ruled by the League and it was decided that it would return to
Germany.
What did the Treaty of Versailles decide about the Saar and the Rhineland?
The Rhineland was demilitarised. All German troops were taken out of the Rhineland. The
Saarland was ruled by the League of Nations for 15 years. The Saarland then had a plebiscite
to decide if it should go to France or Germany. Over 90% of its inhabitants voted to return to
Germany.
In what ways did the Treaty of Versailles affect the German economy?
The Treaty of Versailles demanded for £6.6 billion in reparations. This would have been paid
until 1984 if not for the Young Plan (1929). However, this was less than 5% of GER annual
GDP. In 1923 the Ruhr incident, in which around 100 workers were killed, occurred as
Germany was unable to keep up with reparation payments. Hyperinflation in 1923 in
Germany also occurred. However, GER steel production actually surpassed BR’s in 1923.
What did France gain from the Treaty of Versailles?
It regained Alsace-Lorraine which was an important industrial region. It gained a sense of
security as Germany disarmed. No submarines, no aircraft, no tanks. 6 battleships.
Conscription was banned. Army of maximum 100,000 soldiers. Anschluss was forbidden.
£6.6billion was taken in reparations. Germany’s economy was severely damaged.
What did the Treaty of Versailles state about Danzig and the Polish Corridor?
West Prussia and Posen were given to Poland and became the Polish Corridor. Danzig was
previously a German sea port. Danzig became a free city under the League. This was to
provide Poland with a sea port. However, its population was mostly German.
How was the Paris Peace Conference organised?
There were 32 nations represented. The losing nations such as Germany were not
represented. It was dominated by France, Britain and USA. It lasted for twelve months from
January 1919 to January 1920. It was under the chairmanship of Clemenceau. There were
over 50 commissions set up to give advice.
,What were the main terms of the Treaty of Saint Germain with Austria?
Anschluss was forbidden between Germany and Austria. The army size was restricted to
30,000 volunteers. Conscription was banned. Much of its land and industry was taken away,
for example Galicia. This led to severe economic problems after the war. Bank of Vienna
closed in 1922 and the League had to offer it support.
What were the main terms of the Treaty of Trianon?
Lots of land was lost, for example Transylvania. There was lots of population transfer. 3
million Hungarians were displaced. It was due to pay reparations but its economy was so
weak that it never did. Its industry suffered from loss of population and raw materials.
What were the effects of the Treaty of Trianon on Hungary?
3 million Hungarians were displaced. Lots of land, for example Transylvania, was lost.
Hungary was due to pay reparations but its economy was so weak that it never did. The loss
of population and resources led to a suffering industry.
What were the main terms of the Treaty of Sevres with Turkey?
The army size was limited to 50,000. Only 7 sailboats and 6 torpedo boats were allowed.
Territorial losses such as Smyrna. The Arabs who had helped the British in the war gained
little. The Turks were outraged. Turkish nationalists, led by Mustafa Kemal drove the Greeks
out of Smyrna, leading to the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
What problems were caused by the Treaty of Sevres?
The Arabs who had helped the British in the war gained little. This meant that people thought
that the Treaty terms were motivated by self-interest. The Turks were outraged. Turkish
nationalists, led by Mustafa Kemal drove the Greeks out of Smyrna, leading to the Treaty of
Lausanne in 1923. It resulted in political instability and caused civil war. This backfired,
considering that the aim of the League was to prevent future wars. This showed that it was
ineffective
What features of the Treaty of Versailles were shared by the other peace treaties of 1919-20?
War Guilt Clause. Defeated nations had lost land. Defeated nations paid reparations or were
due to pay them. Defeated nations had to disarm. Defeated nations’ army sizes were limited.
They were all diktat treaties.
, What did Wilson hope to achieve with his Fourteen Points?
He wanted to prevent another world war. He wanted to create a League of Nations
peacekeeping body. His points called for self-determination. His points called for free access
to the seas for everyone. He wanted disarmament.
6 Mark:
Why was Germany dissatisfied with the peace treaty?
Disarmament was harsh. It was to such a great extent – 100,000 was very small for a country
of Germany’s size. It meant that Germany wouldn’t be able to defend itself in case of attack.
Germany had previously been proud of its military strength, so this was humiliating and
damaging to the nation’s pride. No other country was forced to disarm to the same level,
although the 14 Points called for it. In fact, there was little talk of disarmament for other
countries until the 1932-1934 Disarmament Conference which completely failed. This shows
the double standards between Germany and other countries. This reduced the number of jobs
available, both in industries producing armaments and for soldiers themselves, and so left
many people unemployed. The harshness is shown in Hitler’s FP aims to rearm and
resentment against disarmament.
Economic damage. As well as the damage done by disarmament, reparations were harsh. £6.6
billion was a huge amount of money. They would only have finished paying by 1984, if not
for the Young Plan. The loss of land was harsh – Germany also lost large quantities of its
territory, including all its overseas colonies, 10% of its land, 16% of its coalfields and almost
half its steel and iron industry. The loss of land also resulted in displacement of Germans,
which went against self-determination of 14 Points (double standards). This severely
damaged Germany’s economy and industries and left many people unemployed. In 1923 the
Ruhr incident and hyperinflation show this.
The War Guilt Clause was harsh – This essentially meant that the Allies could increase the
harshness of all the other terms, because Germany had to take full responsibility for the war
It was a diktat treaty – the terms were non-negotiable so Germany couldn’t reduce the
damage done. There was a lot of damage done to the people instead of the leaders who had
caused the war.
Many Germans didn’t realise they had lost the war - Another reason for this is that the
majority of Germans had never realised the extent of their defeat. Ebert, the new president,
greeted them with ‘no enemy has conquered you!’’ In 1919 many Germans did not
understand how bad Germany’s military situation had been at the end of the war and believed
that Germany should not have been treated as a defeated state, but that the government had
simply agreed to a ceasefire. Since many Germans either did not acknowledge or did not
know about their defeat, it would only be logical for them to feel hard done by after the
Treaty of Versailles. Although GER was incapable of continuing and had been forced to sign
due to the BR naval blockade and their own lack of military power and resources, Hitler
called them the ‘November Criminals’ showing resentment.
Germany was not allowed to join the League of Nations. This was humiliating to its pride.
