THE VERSAILLES PEACE TREATY SETTLEMENT-1919

• The Versailles Peace Settlement was a conference that was held by the Allied Nations to discuss the future of the world after the 1^st World War.
• The Peace settlement was held in France, Paris at the Versailles Palace in the Hall of Mirrors. The defeated powers i.e. Germany and her allies were not invited.
• Germany was only called to sign what had been agreed upon.
• At this conference, the Allied Nations were preoccupied with two important problems.
• These were;
• How to punish Germany and her allies  for the damages caused during the War
• To create an international organization that would ensure world peace and security and prevents the reoccurrence of another war.
• Therefore, the “Big Four” i.e. Woodrow Wilson of the USA, David Lloyd George of Britain, George Clemenceau of France, and Vittorio Orlando of Italy met in France.

VIEWS OF THE “BIG FOUR”

George Clemenceau;

- The French Prime minister wanted revenge on Germany. The French wanted to get back the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.

-The French also wanted Germany to be severely punished and never to rise again as a world power.

David Lloyd George ;

• He was the British prime Minster.
• He personally wanted a fair and just settlement for that would satisfy as many people as possible
• But following the British public outcry, he also advocated for the punishment of Germany but not as severely as the French wanted. He wanted Germany to be spared economically.

Vittorio Orlando;

• He was the Italian Foreign affairs Minister.
• He wanted a settlement that favored the punishment of Germany and her allies.
• He also requested for the territories that Italy was promised in the Secrete Treaty of London of 1915.
• This demand was not granted. As such, Orlando walked out of the Conference and did not contribute much to the final result.
• It is for this reason that the Leaders at the Conference are sometimes referred to as the “Big Three”.

Woodrow Wilson

• He was the US president and chairman of the conference. Before becoming the President, Wilson was not a politician.
• He had been a lawyer and historian and had spent most of his time in Universities. As an idealist democrat, Wilson wanted a fair and just settlement for all.
• His views were based on his famous 14 points. These 14 points provided the Agenda for the discussions at the peace settlement.

WOODROW WILSON’S 14 POINTS

• All negotiations between states were to be done in the open i.e. the end of secret alliances.
• There was to be freedom in the usage of seas both in peace and war times except for territorial waters.
• There should be international free trade i.e. no tariff barriers between countries.
• There was to be general disarmament i.e. all nations to disarm to the lowest possible point that was consistent with national security.
• The wishes of people in the colonies were to be taken into account when settling colonial boundaries.
• There was to be the evacuation of Germany troops from all Russian territories.
• Belgium was to be completely liberated and to become independent.
• Alsace and Lorraine were to be given back to France.
• Italy’s frontiers were to be adjusted so as to avoid quarrels with Austria Hungary.
• There was to be self-governments for the people of Austria and Hungary which were to be separate independent states.
• Serbia was to be given access to sea.
• Turkey was to be made independent.
• Poland was also to be established as an independent state.
• There was to be the Creation of an International Organization to ensure world peace and security and prevent an outbreak of another War

 

Fig 04. (The Paris Peace Conference of 1919)

TERMS/PROVISIONS/RESULTS OF THE VERSAILLES TREATY

• These were based on the economic, military and territorial terms;
• Political Terms
• Germany was charged with the “War Guilty” Clause article 231 of the Versailles Treaty.
• The Allied Powers forced Germany to accept responsibility for starting the War.
• This was because Germany violated Germany Neutrality when the war started.
• In addition, Germany is said to have encouraged her ally Austria to attack Serbia.
• Other Political terms were;
• Germany was forbidden from Uniting with Austria.
• Germany was not around to be a member of the League of Nations at the Beginning.
• A democratic Government was imposed on Germany.
• Economic Terms;
• As a result of the acceptance of the War Guilty Clause, Germany was forced to make

reparations for all the damages done during the 1^st World War.

• The Terms were that;

-Germany was supposed to pay £6,600 million in cash.

-A fixed number of cattle were to be paid to Belgium as compensation for violating her neutrality.

-The German merchant Navy was to be handed over to Britain.

-A fixed number of coals from the Saar Region of Germany were to be handed over to France.

-Trade restrictions were imposed on Germany

• Military Terms;
• Germany was completely disarmed as follows;

-The Germany army was to be reduced from about 900,000 men to only 100,000 men.

-Germany was forbidden from compulsory military service (conscription)

-All war time Guns and other weapons were to be melted into scrape metal.

-The Germany navy was to be cut down to only 5 light battleships and Germany was not allowed to have Submarines in future.

-Germany was not allowed to have an air force.

-Germany was also forbidden from making alliances with Austria.

• Territorial Terms;
• Territorial terms led to German losing territories both in Europe and outside Europe.
• German territorial loses in Europe.
• Alsace and Lorraine were given back to France. They were grabbed from France after the Franco-Prussian War which completed the unification of Germany.
• The Saar Coalfields which were part of Germany was to be governed by the League of Nations for 15years.
• During this time, France was to mine the coalfields as compensation for the destruction caused by the retreating German soldiers during the war. After 15 years, the inhabitants of the region were to vote whether to remain part of France or go back to Germany.
• In the North East of Germany, more territorial losses occurred as a result of the creation of Poland as an independent state. Poland had been under Russia for a Century.
• Poland had a special corridor (the Polish Corridor) through German territory which got it an outlet to the sea. The reappearance of Poland led to Germany losing over 3million citizens of whom about 1/3 or more were German. The Polish Corridor separated East Prussia from Germany.
• Other losses were as a result of the Creation of Czechoslovakia as an independent nation that was formerly under part of Austria.
• Port Danzig, an important Germany was declared an international Free City to be administered by the League of Nations. The Poles were to use the Port facilities.
• Port Memel was to be given to Lithuania.
• North Schleswig and Holstein which were seized after the Prussian-Danish war of 1864 were to be given back to Denmark.
• The Rhineland (most industrialized part of Germany) remained under Germany but was to be permanently demilitarized and was to be occupied by the allied forces until 1935.
• Eupen and Malmedy were to be given to Belgium.

 

Fig 05. (Map showing Germans’ Territorial losses at Versailles peace conference of 1919).

                                 

Germany Territorial loses outside Europe

• The League of Nations gave Germany’s territories in Africa to the Allied Nations to administer as Mandated Territories e.g. Germany East Africa (Tanzania) went to Britain.
• German southwest Africa (Namibia) was given to South Africa.
• Togo and Cameroon were shared between Britain and France.
• Territorial losses in the Far East were;
• German territories in the Far East were shared among Japan, Austria, and New Zealand. German Samoa Islands went to New Zealand.
• Palestine, Jordan, and Iraq were given to Britain, Syria, and Lebanon.

 

GERMANY’S REACTION TO VERSAILLES TREATY

• The German people were angered by the Versailles Peace Settlement
• They considered it to have been unfair and unjust as a result;
• They refused to accept the War Guilty clause arguing that Russia had mobilized first and should be responsible for the war.
• The Treaty was also considered to have been a Diktat (a dictated peace treaty). The Germans had not been invited to the conference; they were just called to sign the Treaty.
• The German army officers refused to sign the treaty. A civilian politician Erzberger who signed was later shot dead.
• Germany also complained that the Economic terms were too harsh and impossible to fulfill.
• The Germans also hated the Democratic government that was imposed on Germany. They were used to being ruled by strong Monarchs.
• The Germans also found the military and territorial terms extremely humiliating.
• Therefore, the Germans started looking for an opportunity when they would get rid of the Humiliating Versailles Treaty.
• This opportunity came with the rise of Hitler and the NAZI Party.

 

OTHER TREATIES THAT WERE SIGNED

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk-1917.

• This was a treaty that was signed between Germany and Russia to end the war on the Eastern Front.
• In 1917, there was the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia that led to the end of the Monarch and the ushering in of a Communist regime under Lenin.
• The New government decided to withdraw from the 1^st world War on the side of the Allied powers.
• This was because the War had brought a lot of misery and suffering to the Russian people especially the peasants.
• The German and Russian representatives met in a Polish Town of Brest- Litovsk.
• The terms were;

-  Russia lost most territories acquired since the 17^th Century e.g. Lithuania,

Estonia and the Eastern Part of Prussia.

-  She also lost her rich provinces of the Ukraine.

• These terms were too harsh and humiliating for Russia.
• This also put the allied forces at a disadvantage because it strengthened the Germany Army on the Western Front.

The Treaty of St. Germain-1919.

• This Treaty was signed between Austria and the Allies.
• The terms were;
• Austria recognized the complete independence of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia.
• Austria was also deprived of its seaports.
• Her army was reduced to 30,000 men.
• The reparation commission was to fix her war indemnity
• Austria was also forbidden from Uniting with Germany
• As a result of this Treaty, Austria was reduced to a small republic.

The Treaty of Neuilly-1919.

• This Treaty was signed on the 27^th of November between Bulgaria and the Allied powers.
• The terms were;
• The western part of Bulgaria was given to Yugoslavia.
• Western Thrace and the Aegean coasts were given to Greece.
• The Bulgarian Army was reduced to 33,000 men.
• The Navy was practically abolished.
• Bulgaria was to pay reparations of $9 million.
• By this treaty, Bulgaria became the Weakest of the Balkan States.

The Treaty of Trianon-1920.

• The Treaty was signed on 20^th June 1920.
• This was between Hungary and the allies.
• The terms were;
• The Hungarian army was reduced to 35, 000 men.
• Hungary was to pay a fixed amount of reparations to the allies.
• Fiume was to be given to Italy.
• Croatia was given to Yugoslavia.
• Transylvania was given to Romania.
• By this treaty, Hungary lost 1/3 of her territory and 40% of her territory.

The Treaty of Sevres-1920.

• This Treaty was signed between Turkey and the Allies.
• The terms were;
• Armenia was created as an independent Christian republic.
• The Arab State of Hedjaz was put under British control
• Mesopotamia, Trans-Jordan, Syria and Palestine were taken away from Turkey. France controlled Syria.
• Greece was given the Dodecanese Islands.
• Turkey was required to pay a huge war indemnity.
• The Turkish army was reduced to 50, 000.
• The Navy and the Air forces were also disbanded.

 

 

QUESTIONS.

1. What conditions were imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919? Why did the Germans condemn this treaty? {14, 6}.
2. What were the Views of the “Big Three” about the Peace Settlement with Germany and her allies after the First World War? Outline the main territorial terms of the Settlement. {6,14}
3. Why were Germany and her allies defeated in the First World War? What territories did Germany lose outside Europe as a result of the Treaty of Versailles? {10,10}
4. What were the Major provisions of three of the following Treaties signed after the First World War?

• The Treaty of St.Germain
• The Treaty of Trianon.
• The Treaty of Sevres
• The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk {7, 7, 7}.

5. Outline Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points. What were the Provisions of the Treaty of Versailles? {7, 13}.