HISTORY

Not only did the Treaty of Versailles signed on June 28, 1919, put an end to World War I, but it in fact laid the groundwork for future wars. This significant agreement, which emerged from the Paris Peace Conference, was a collaborative effort among key Allied figures, such as Vittorio Orlando from Italy, Woodrow Wilson from the United States, David Lloyd George from Britain, and Georges Clemenceau from France. It is important to keep in mind that the defeated country, Germany, had no say in the negotiations that created those provisions, and was made to accept the treaty.

Treaty of Versailles: No Peace But More War --- END OF World War I.

BY GROUP 4

June 28, 1919 01:00 PM

This major agreement, reached through the Paris Peace Conference, was shaped by Allied leaders like Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Woodrow Wilson of the United States, David Lloyd George of Britain, and Georges Clemenceau of France. This is crucial when considering the stipulations that Germany had to accept as a defeated power and how she was not involved in the negotiations that decided such articles.

War Guilt Cause

One of the most contentious elements of the treaty was the War Guilt Clause, which assigned unshakable blame to Germany for causing the war. This clause, in turn, mandated a mind-boggling 132 billion gold marks — well over $33 billion in today's dollars — in reparations and made for an unmanageable financial burden.

This huge financial weight put severe strain on Germany's economy, with very bad hyperinflation occurring in the early 1920s. Ordinary Germans bore the terrible costs of this economic crisis, and since these measures were punitive, there was a widespread sense of injustice.

Germany's Weakened Military

The treaty severely limited Germany's military capabilities. It was specifically forbidden to maintain tanks, submarines or an air force, and was forced to shrink its armed forces to 100,000 soldiers. In addition, it was limited to a certain number of ships in its naval fleet. Not only does the demilitarization of the Rhineland leave a broad section of Germany’s western border vulnerable to invasion, it also deprives Germany of its honor — a fact that has not been lost on Germans themselves.

Territorial Boundary Shifts

The agreement also caused major changes in territorial boundaries. While the construction of the Polish Corridor provided Poland direct access to the Baltic Sea and separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France. The city of Danzig was made a free city under international rule, and the resource-rich Saar Basin was ruled by the League of Nations for 15 years.

Perhaps most importantly, the colonial landscape changed dramatically, with all of Germany's foreign colonies distributed to the allied countries at the 1919 congress. The treaty also established the League of Nations, an ambitious multinational organization dedicated to promoting peace and preventing future wars.

America's Refusal

However, because the United States refused to ratify the treaty, despite the League’s worthy aspirations to collective security, it was never able to wield real power. The absence of American participation severely limited the League's ability to achieve its goals and enforce its decisions.

The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles had significant and lasting consequences. In the ensuing years, Germany plunged into a massive economic cataclysm, accompanied by spiraling unemployment and political turmoil. The harsh terms of the treaty and widespread economic suffering led to widespread disillusionment with the Weimar Republic and the rise of extremist political factions.

Ramifications

The Nazi Party of Adolf Hitler saw its fortunes rise by pledging to overturn the treaty, rebuild Germany’s military strength, and restore national pride.

Retrospectively, the Treaty of Versailles is frequently regarded as a turning point in circumstances that led to World War II, and the repressive actions it forced upon Germany who was economically devastated and embittered but also incapable of devising a future order of peace. Instead of fostering solidarity, it exacerbated schisms, sowed the seeds of grievance, and was instrumental in fomenting the conditions that ultimately led to another world-devastating war.