...that the Treaty of Versailles was the main significant force responsible for the political and economic collapse of stability in Weimar Germany. Furthermore another angle of this debate could blame alternative factors for political and economic stability between the years 1919-23 such as the forming of coalition governments causing political instability and the famous Occupation of the Ruhr causing so called economic instability. Firstly it could be argued that the Treaty of Versailles was the leading factor which caused political instability. A significant element of the Treaty of Versailles which was known as Article 231 stated Germany must admit to starting WW1. This angered the German people. Despite at that moment in time German people united against article 231 and were a collective unit by the time 6 months had passed it was a completely different set of events. The Reichstag were issued an ultimatum to sign the Treaty (all of its terms) or be bombed. Germany understandably had no choice but to sign it. However the government felt no need to explain the Ultimatum to the public which made the public think the government were corrupt which developed the well known “stab in the back” theory. The people felt a sense of betrayal from the politicians which severely threatened the existence and support of the Weimar government, which suggest that it is fairly accurate to assume the Treaty of Versailles was mainly responsible for political instability during 1919-23. Furthermore...
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...Protests against the Treaty of Versailles in Germany. Protests against the Treaty of Versailles in Germany. Question: What were ‘reparations’, and what changes were made to the Treaty of Versailles over this issue between 1919 and 1932? Question: What were ‘reparations’, and what changes were made to the Treaty of Versailles over this issue between 1919 and 1932? Versailles Treaty Reparations on Germany Versailles Treaty Reparations on Germany Word Count: 1,101 Word Count: 1,101 2014 2014 Joel Joel Versailles Treaty Reparations on Germany Versailles Treaty Reparations on Germany What were ‘reparations’, and what changes were made to the Treaty of Versailles over this issue between 1919 and 1932? After WWI, following the defeat of the Central Powers, the Treaty of Versailles, designed chiefly by France, Britain, and USA, was signed by Germany. The treaty was intended to suppress Germany under the reins of a ‘harsh peace’. The conditions of the treaty subjugated Germany in many ways: Germany had to accept guilt for starting the war, had land taken in what is known as the Territorial Clauses, had limits put on their military power in what is known as disarmament, and were excluded from the League Of Nations; but worst of all the terms, Germany had to pay reparations – the bill to compensate for war damages. Article 232 of the Versailles Treaty read, “The Allied and Associated Governments, however, require, and Germany undertakes, that she will make...
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...the unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles signed by the Allis in 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference, that ended WWI. Countries of the Central Powers were bitter and stuck with having the whole blame of First World War and the lost of their land and money while none of the Allied Powers took any blame. This unfairness may have made war inevitable. Germany wanted revenge by gaining back what they had lost after the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler promised revenge to the German people, who did not want to live with the horrible way they where force to live by treaty. Hitler knew that the Germans would not stand for this. Thus, the Treaty of Versailles led to the rise of a dictator who caused and directed events that led to the outbreak of WWII. Allied delegates in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles witness the German delegation's acceptance of the terms of the Treaty Of Versailles, the treaty formally ending World War I. Versailles, France, June 28, 1919. When the fighting ended in WWI with an armistice in 1918 there was the need for peace. This peace was aimed to be achieved through a coalition between the three major countries of the Allied Powers: Great Britain, France, and the United States of America. The Central Powers were left out of this coalition called “The Paris Peace Conference” because they were blamed for the war. Through this “peace” that the Allied Powers wanted to establish in the world they placed all of the blame on Germany when the treaty was formed. Russia (later...
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...Study: Versailles Melyssa Ritter DeVry University Contemporary History May 2016 Week Two Case Study: Versailles The Treaty of Versailles was a text of peace that was written by Germany’s Allies and disagreeably signed by Germany. It was intended to end the First World War and to prevent the Second World War. The treaty contained many parts and articles; one being The League of Nations that was created by United States president, Woodrow Wilson. As a result of the treaty, Germany was forced to reduce the size of their army and they were restricted heavy artillery. They also lost a great deal of their land and money. Instead of preventing World War II, The Treaty of Versailles activated it (Brower& Sanders, 2014). Germany’s Economy In the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was instructed to lose a great deal of their land including Saar, West Prussia, Malmedy, Memel, Danzig, and Upper Silesia. These pieces of land were given to other countries like Belgium, France, Lithuania, and Poland. When Germany lost their land, they also lost their farms and industries making them also lose their economy. As part of the treaty, Germany was to pay Great Britain, Belgium, and France a large sum of money, adding to the economical stress (Brower et al, 2014). This was punishment to pay for all of the damage that World War I caused. The decline in Germany’s economy caused hyperinflation (Comments of the German Delegation, 1919). Applying Principles Attributed to Wilson The Treaty of Versailles...
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...Why was the Weimar Republic so unpopular with many Germans between 1919 and 1923? Why was the Weimar Republic so unpopular with many Germans between 1919 and 1923? After The War a new type of government was set up in Germany. This was the Weimar Republic. Between 1919 and 1923 it had to deal with many problems. 1919 saw the Spartacist Rebellion and the new government was forced to agree to the unpopular Treaty of Versailles. In 1920 the Kapp Putsch succeeded in taking over the government for a while. In 1921 Germany began to pay reparations and inflation began to get out of control. Two years later France and Belgium invaded the Ruhr and the hyperinflation was now out of control. The NSDAP, led by Adolf Hitler and General Ludendorff, tried to take over the government at this time. This bad start had three main causes. The First reason why the Weimar Republic started badly was that there were political problems. Some people were very upset that the Kaiser had been forced to leave. This was a politically a bad start because it showed that some people would have preferred to have had the previous political system. The communists disliked the new republic because not much would change. The workers would still be poor and the rich would still be rich. ...read more. Middle The President of the Weimar Republic had potential to become a military dictator. This was a political problem for the Weimar Republic because the President could ignore the Chancellor and the Reichstag. Another...
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...Vienna vs. Versailles Among the myriad peace settlements that various countries, even various great powers, have agreed upon throughout western history, two tend to stand head and shoulders above the rest: The Congress of Vienna in 1815, which ended the Napoleonic Wars—perhaps the first true “world war”; and the various Paris settlements which ended the first world war which is generally referred to as such in 1919, which I will call collectively the Versailles Treaty for convenience’s sake. Largely the same countries were the major players: France, Britain, and Russia took part in each settlement. Meanwhile, Germany and Austria, major players at Vienna, were excluded from the Versailles talks, as punishment for being the defeated and supposedly responsible party. Similarly, the United States was a major force in shaping the Versailles settlement, while a century before, it had stayed out of the Napoleonic conflict, and besides did not have enough power at that time to merit a major role at the table even if it had become involved. Nonetheless, the inherent similarity remains; both the Vienna and Versailles treaties were attempts by the major western powers to realign and redraw large portions of the world map in order to create a lasting peace. Both treaties were concerned with statecraft, either consolidating old entities into new ones, or breaking apart empires ostensibly in the name of nationalism, on a scale which no other treaty has attempted before or since. All this...
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...Were Economic Problems the Main Consequence of the Treaty of Versailles for Germany in the Years 1919-1933? Throughout 1919 to 1933 Germany made many socio-economic decisions based on The Treaty of Versailles. This essay explores the extent and importance of economic policies implemented that are related to the Treaty of Versailles and whether they were the main consequence that came of it. The essay is divided into one side agreeing with the statement and one disagreeing with the statement. Economic Problems were largely the main consequence of the Treaty of Versailles and played a vital role in the instability and volatility of the Weimar Republic. At the end of the war many countries had to rebuild, especially after the widespread devastation and financial ruin that the war left them in. Germany, just like Britain and France had to recover, however at the Treaty of Versailles they were made out to be guilty and therefore had to pay huge reparations; this was a double blow to Germany , on top of rebuilding costs Germany had to pay 132 Billion Marks (equivalent of $33 Billion). This, coupled with the already outstanding war debt of 150 Billion marks crippled the government financially. The pressure took its toll and when Germany failed to pay its reparations (December 1922) the Ruhr was resultantly taken away. With no industrial and agricultural output the crisis escalated rapidly; inflation became hyperinflation. Hyperinflation was devastating the economy, causing widespread...
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...started by learning about how World War I ended. The Versailles Treaty was created by the winners of World War I like France, Great Britian, and the United States to make peace. How did it help contribute to an even worse war less than twenty years later? The Treaty of Versailles helped because World War II by treating Germany harshly. This harsh treatment can be seen in three areas: territorial losses, military...
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...end World War 1 the Treaty of Versailles was signed (International Conciliation, 1919). Through the Treaty Germany was blamed for the war and was punished. This caused economical issues for Germany to face, and a loss of self-determination (International Conciliation, 1919). Some people believed Germany was not punished enough for the war and Germany believed they should have been treated differently. Germany was blamed for all of the events that took place during World War 1 and the German economy suffered from this (International Conciliation, 1919). The Treaty damaged Germany’s economy by not returning their confiscated goods back to them and also by using them to pay for the damages of the war (International Conciliation, 1919). Foreign authorities were also allowed to build canals and railroads on German territory as they pleased (International Conciliation, 1919). The Treaty called for Germany to surrender territory, such as Alsace-Lorraine (International Conciliation, 1919). This loss of territory caused Germany to lose around 2.5 million ethnic Germans, according to the authors (International Conciliation, 1919). These provisions critically harmed Germany’s economy because they were forced to pay for damage that they could not afford, and the terms of this agreement were completely decided by the countries Germany fought against in the war, while Germany had no control over the terms of paying reparations for the war (International Conciliation, 1919). They had some of...
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...place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities CenTral Powers is German, Hungarian, Turkish and Bulgarian It took place in Paris in January 18, 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities At the center of the proceedings were the leaders of the four "Great Powers": – President Woodrow Wilson of the United States – Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain – George Clemenceau of France – Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando Come from Wilson idea • The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace\ The Treaty of Versailles • Was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I • The Allied Powers, especially France, Britain, and Italy, decided it was best to throw all responsibility of the Great War on Germany ➢ required a reduced limit to Germany’s army and navy as well ➢ pay financial reparations to the Allies. The initial payment required of Germany was five billion dollars ➢ surrender all overseas possessions and approximately ten percent of its prewar territories Resulting Treaty of Versailles Failures? • Later in 1921, the Allies added up their losses from the war and charged Germany another 35 billion dollars • Many people disagreed with elements of the Treaty, especially in the...
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...which in this case, would be to transform Germany’s government into a peaceful democracy. Through two distinct historiographical lenses, one can determine whether the collapse of the Weimar Republic (1919 to 1933) was genuinely inevitable. Historical View #1 proposes that Hitler was a product of Germany’s authoritarian culture, and the Germans failed to develop a democratic tradition because they preferred a stronger state led by a powerful individual. Historical View #5 suggests that German support of Nazism was an emotional response to the crisis-state; Germans were disoriented with the economic crisis, and similar to View #1, sought firmer leadership. The Treaty of Versailles doomed the Weimar Republic because the German administration was unable to fulfill the treaty’s unrealistic demands for reparations, which ruined their domestic economy and fostered a strong authoritative leadership that would defend Germany against the terms and impoverishing effects of the ill-advised treaty. The Treaty of Versailles was intended to guarantee the Allies (and neighboring countries) peace and safety; however, the Allies neglected to recognize that the harsh demands of reparations would drive Germany into the hands of a dictator. Virtually the whole nation repudiated the Treaty of Versailles; it was introduced to promote peace, but instead stripped Germany of her self-determination and potential prosperity, leading to a domestic rebuke of its onerous terms. Additionally, President Wilson’s...
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...because it was a way to get goods to other countries easier and they could come deliver goods to the US. Open door policy- the open door policy made it so that trade was fair to all countries and there weren’t any countries that couldn’t trade or be traded with. This relates to foreign policy because it is a way of countries being friendly with other countries and making it so that all countries are equal in terms of trade. The treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, it was the peace settlement between Germany and the Allied Powers that officially ended World War I. the most famous people that wrote it were Woodrow Wilson and Georges Clemenceau and David Lloyd George. Woodrow Wilson Wilson was the president during this period. These three guys were often called the big three. The treaty was written and signed in Versailles. On May 7, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was handed over to Germany with the instructions that they had only three weeks to accept the Treaty. After a lot of negotiation between the Allies, the terms of the treaty were decided on, and covered areas of territory, the military and the economy, and Germany also had to admit responsibility for causing the First World...
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...bloody war which leaves such devastating traces in those who took part in it. Rather, it is also the difficult conflict in which the individual finds himself in his fight against a world transformed by war. Either in the trenches or at home can befall a single organ, or it may encompass the entire person” (Simmel, 1918). For Ernst, and millions of other participants, the war had forever changed their world, including the foundation of their country. An armistice was finally signed on November 11, 1918. Allied nations didn’t hesitate to execute their idea of justice for Germany. By January 1919, hundreds of Allied leaders and their staffs assembled in Paris. They formed committees in which every aspect of the war would be examined, evaluated and weighed. The mass gathering of worldwide leadership entered the history books as the Paris Peace Conference, from which, the Treaty of Versailles was created. These meeting were unusual in nature; being the first in which vast collections of world...
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...Week 2: Versailles: The Allies’ “Last Horrible Triumph” Steven A. Smith Chamberlain College of Nursing Week 2: Versailles: The Allies’ “Last Horrible Triumph” The Treaty of Versailles, drafted by the Allied Forces, was drafted in with good intentions by some but not all. In the following writing, I will portray some of the complaints by Germany. As well as, what they believed would have led to them being treated differently in the sanctions. I will also delve into the higher “fundamental laws” in the document that side with the German viewpoints. There were many views of the treaty and although I have mine, its important to also views the points of those who would defend the treaty and the reasons for it. There were many provisions written in the treaty but most of which were geared toward Germany and its peoples. Their economy would be damaged and controlled by the Allied Powers with no end in sight. “Germany must promise to pay an indemnity, the amount of which at present is not even stated” (German Delegation, 1919). This indemnity later led Germany to borrowing money to pay reparations to other states. It is worth noting, the Germans were not part of the commission, which was mainly compromised of its enemies from the war. Many of the economic strong points/areas in Germany were given to foreign nations. Also, many of the ways to ship goods and such were controlled by foreigners who could limit the growth possible for the nation. Giving away key cities, controlling...
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...June 28, 1919: The treaty of Versailles is Signed The Treaty of Versailles is signed ending WW1 and imposes heavy reparations payments on Germany. December 1, 1925: The Locarno Pacts are Signed The Locarno Pacts are signed in efforts to stabilize relations with Germany and its neighbors. The pact is supposed to bring peace and prosperity between the countries. April 14, 1931: The Spanish Monarchy is Overthrown A provisional government is established to take Spain from monarchy to republicanism. September 18, 1931:The Japanese Invasion of Manchuria Japan stationed troops in Manchuria and build railroads. After an incident with the Chinese, Japan invaded and annexed Manchuria. February - July 1932: The final League of Nations Disarmament Conference The last major League of Nations-sponsored disarmament conference meets from February to July 1932 at Geneva, with 60 nations in attendance, including the United States. This conference fails to secure any agreement, and other discussions are unaccomplished. January 30, 1933: Hitler is Appointed Chancellor of Germany In an attempt to control the chaos of the German government, President Paul von Hindenburg declares Hitler chancellor. This is the begging of Hitler’s dictatorship. July 17, 1936: The Spanish Nationalists Begin the Spanish Civil War Generals Goded, Mola, and Francisco Franco lead troops against the republic, starting the Spanish Civil War. September 18, 1938: The...
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