Political analysis of the Peace Treaty of Versailles Essay Example
The Treaty of Versailles also referred to as article 231, was the peace agreement signed after the WW1 that ended in 1918 and the shadow of the Russian Revolution as well as other events in Russia. The treaty was signed at the enormous Versailles Palace near Paris between Germany and the Allies. The signing was witnessed by three prominent politicians of the time. The politicians included Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Georges Clemenceau of France, as well as, David Lloyd George of Britain (PowerPoint Slide 38). The Versailles Palace was considered the most suitable venue due to its extensive size. A great number of people were involved in the process and the closing signing ceremony in the Hall of Mirrors that could house hundreds of dignitaries. The Paris Peace Conference began on 12th January 1919 and meetings were held
...at different locations in and around Paris until 20th January 1920 (Krutz & Peake, 2009). Dignitary leaders from the 32 states representing approximately 75 percent of the world’s population attended the occasion. Negations of the peace treaty were subjugated by the five key powers accountable for defeating what was referred to as the Central Power. The Central Power comprised of nations such as Italy, Japan, France, United States, and Britain (Keynes, 2014).
The treaty was one of the most disgraceful and voracious treaties in the world history. It was a deliberate act of plunder committed by a gang of robbers against a powerless, prostrate as well as bleeding Germany. Among the several provisions of the treaty, it required Germany and its allies to agree on the full accountability for causing the war and under the terms
of articles 231-248, to defuse, make considerable territorial concessions as well as pay damages to the Entente powers (Krutz & Peake, 2009). The events at the Versailles were extremely enlightening since they exposed the inner workings of imperialist diplomacy, the crude realism of power politics as well as the material interests that lurked behind the flowery phrases concerning liberty, pacifism, and democracy. In the secrecy of the conferring chamber, the diplomats of the civilized world negotiated like merchants in an antiquated fair as to how to shape up Europe as well as divide the whole world into spheres of interest. Ultimately, five treaties surfaced from the conference that dealt with the overpowered powers. The five treaties were named after the Paris border of Versailles of Germany, Neuilly of Bulgaria, Trianon of Hungary, St Germain of Austria, and Serves of Turkey (Krutz & Peake, 2009, PowerPoint Slide 41). The primary terms of the Versailles Treaty comprised of:
I) An acceptance of Germany’s fault to have caused the war.
II) Danzig to be a free city.
III) Poznania, parts of East Prussia as well as Upper Silesia to Poland.
IV) German compensations of £6,000 million.
V) Admit to the defeat of all the Germany colonies as League of Nations mandates.
VI) A ban on the union of Germany as well as Austria.
VII) Reserve for the trial of the former Kaiser and other war leaders.
VIII) The limitation of Germany’s army to 100,000 men with no conscription, heavy artillery, no aircraft, and no airstrips (PowerPoint Slide 39).
The treaty caused some political reactions. Initially, the government of the time resigned, having declined to sign it. The incoming government had no choice other than accepting and signing
the Treaty. The Treaty as well called for the trial of the former Kaiser, this never occurred as the Dutch government declined to hand him over although this efficiently stopped any opportunity of the restoration of the monarchy in Germany (Keynes, 2014). Moreover, Germany signed the Versailles Treaty under demonstration as the USA Congress declined to approve the treaty. A great number of people in France and Britain were angry that there was no trial of Kaiser as a result of the Dutch government that refused to hand him over or other war leaders.
Accomplishments of the Versailles Treaty
The Treaty of Versailles led to an end to the World War 1. It was supposed to ensure a lasting peace by punishing Germany as well as setting up a League of Nations to resolve diplomatic problems. The treaty penalized Germany in dissimilar ways whereby it lost considerable territory, had severe restrictions on operations, and placed Germany on sole accountability for WWI (Boemeke et al., 1998, PowerPoint Slide 39). Germany and all Allied Nations signed the Treaty of Versailles formally putting an end to the WW1. The U.S did not consent to the signing of the treaty due to the set terms particularly the high price that was set for Germany to pay for its role as provoker. The Treaty also accomplished the plans that the map of Europe to be redrawn with consequences that especially in the Balkans remains the present day (PowerPoint Slide 40). Also, many nations were left with extensive minorities groups, and the League of Nations was lethally weakened without the United States as well as its army to implement decisions. Many Germans felt
unjustly treated after all they had just signed the peace settlement, not an independent surrender (Boemeke et al., 1998).
How was the peace managed in the context of Germany?
It was not managed in consideration of Germany since some of the decisions arrived did not favor Germany at all. The agreements at the Paris peace conference were implicated since the negotiations resolute never determined the fate of the people of Germany and what they lost so far as a result of the war. The Treaty according to British and French wishes subjected Germany to very disciplinary conditions (Slavicek, 2010). The Treaty of Versailles needed the transformed Germany Government to present about 10 percent of its prewar territory in Europe and all its overseas belongings. According the conditions of Article 231 of the Treaty, the Germans agreed on accountability for the war as well as the liability to pay financial damages to the Allies.
Consequences of the Treaty of Versailles
The abrupt economic consequences of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were an important concern and added to Germany’s humiliation. The Treaty of Versailles led to the alteration of the Geography of Europe. It had clauses that ended up in areas of land being taken from Germany. The Treaty also led to Germany losing control of essential industrial resources in the Ruhr Valley. It also ordered Germany to disperse many of its military forces an issue that led to high levels of unemployment. Germany was left in a political and economic disorder after the First World War. As a result of the war, Germany lost 1.7 million men during the war and further 4.2 million listed as being wounded
(Keynes, 2012). The treaty indicated the commencement of a period of seclusion for Germany in Western Europe.
In conclusion, the WW1 was thought to be the war to end all the wars. To make this happen, the Allies convened in Paris peace conference and eventually created the Treaty of Versailles. The terms executed in the Versailles Treaty were very strict concerning how Germany was treated. These conditions were callous and pushed Germany into hyperinflation with aid from the reimbursement that it had to pay. Hitler exploited the vulnerable atmosphere in Germany to attain an extensive following from unjust treatment by the Allies in the Treaty of Versailles.
References
- Keynes, J. M. (2012). The economic consequences of peace.
- Slavicek, L. C. (2010). The Treaty of Versailles. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.
- Keynes, J. M. (2014). The Economic Consequences of the Peace. Lanham: Start Classics.
- Boemeke, M. F., Feldman, G. D., & Glaser, E. (1998). The Treaty of Versailles: A reassessment after 75 years. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
- Krutz, G. S., & Peake, J. S. (2009). Treaty politics and the rise of executive agreements: International commitments in a system of shared powers. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
