The Treaty of Versailles
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Treaty Of Versailles - Key clauses :

• Article 231 : Germany recognizes the war guilt.
• Article 119 : Germany is to lose all here colonies which will be placed under the authority of the allies.
• Article 42 : Germany is not to construct anny fortifications on either sides of the Rhine for the next 50 years.
• Article 428 : As guarantee that the treaty will be carried out the west part of the Rhine will be occupied by allied troops for 15 years.
• Article 160 : The German army is to be reduced to 100.000 men, also the construction of tanks submarines and airplanes was forbidden.
• Article 45 : The Saar land will be given to France as part of the compensation for the war.
• Article 80 : Germany is not allowed to allay never again with Austria.
• Article 102 : The city of Danzig is to become a free city and to be placed under the protection of the League of Nations.

Effects and Criticisms of the Settlement:

• Didn’t respect the 14 Point Program:
• Germany was not present
• Britain did not give up right of search (for ships)
• Tariff barriers increased (against free trade)
• No multilateral disarmament
• G.B. and France gained colonies
• The Italian frontiers’ issue was not fixed
• Self-determination was not applied
• Resentment in Germany at having to pay reparations
• Divisions amongst the allies as over reparations
• Didn’t respect Self-determination
• It was economic and strategic factors which influenced the establishments of frontiers/countries
• Created German resentment against the Versaille Settlement.

Long term effects and criticisms:

• Treaties were completed in haste
• Procedural difficulties (views of allies on how to deal with matters differed)
• The USSR was excluded (this weakened the settlement)
• It broke up Austro Hungaria This:
• Created rivalries in the Balkans
• Prevented economic cooperation in the newly formed states
• The balance of power in Europe was disturbed
• The league did not function as had been hoped
• The changes brought by the settlement were incomplete

The Reparations Problem:

• Division amongst the allies on this topic
• The Germans did not believe such reparations could ever be paid (especially with its post-war losses)
• Countries relied on reparations to finance reconstruction and the delaying of reparation payments meant the delaying of the reconstruction process

Evaluation of Reparations:

• Could Germany afford them?
• Keynes criticized reparations. He later admitted he might have underestimated Germany’s ability to pay reparations.
• Some argued that there was a lack of will in Germany to pay for reparations
• Some argue that Hitler spent more on rearmament (in a short time) then the total revised reparations payments
• How much did Germany actually pay?
• Estimations point to $9 billion but she receive $8 billion in loans
• Reparation payments did little to help the recovery of the allies
• Reparations contributed to inter-war period tensions
• Britain and France linked war debts and reparations and refused to pay war debts until reparations were paid to them

Other Notes in this Category

1. Background of the League of Nations
2. Historians Verdict on the Treaty of Versailles
3. The Achievements and Weaknesses of the Leage of Nations
4. The Peace Settlement’s After World War One
5. The positions of various countries on peace negotiations
6. The Treaty of Versailles

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