Preview

How Did The Treaty Of Versailles Fail

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
857 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did The Treaty Of Versailles Fail
Europe.

Accoridng to other historians The fundamental significance of Versailles was emotional rather than rational. Allied statesmen, urged on by the pressure of public opinion, have made peace in spirit of revenge and not to guarantee national security. Taking this view a harsh appeasement would have been natural, yet Celmanceau – who devised even harsher reparations, did not have his way.
Finally, the negotiators had to move quickly through a long agenda of issues, in order not to delay any further the establishment of a resolution to the fragile European predicament. Given these constraints and the general exhaustion of Europe after such a long war, the Treaty of Versailles was certainly not the best one could hope for, but it seems to have been the best compromise possible.

Whist this view takes the point that the treaty was too harsh. However, Germany was still the strongest power in Europe economically, so that the unwise thing about Versailles was that it annoyed the Germans yet did not render them too weak to retaliate However this view can be countered …show more content…
If we extend this philosophy to the peacemakers of 1919 then we can argue that they did a remarkably good job. Three European empires had collapsed, economies were devastated, millions of people were homeless or victims of disease and nationalist and communist revolutions were breaking out all over Europe. The peacemakers had to act quickly to save their world and in this they were remarkably successful. However It can be argues this view is limited as
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Brief Summary Of Ponicaré's Speech To The French
    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Brief Summary Of Ponicaré's Speech To The French

    In Ponicaré’s speech welcoming delegates to the conerence, the French president claims that the Versailles Conference does not just represent governments, but also free people. The French people are a “homogenous block” that cannot be divided. By presenting this idea of unanimity, Ponicaré illustrates that the French are already following the “necessary unity under the standard of the lofty moral and political truths” that Wilson is proclaiming. This allows him to state his next case of justice while…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    It Was the Strength of the Opposition Forces, Both Liberal and Conservative, Rather Than the Ineptitude and Stubbornness of President Wilson That Led to the Senate Defeat of the Treaty of Versailles.
    • 696 Words
    • 3 Pages

    It Was the Strength of the Opposition Forces, Both Liberal and Conservative, Rather Than the Ineptitude and Stubbornness of President Wilson That Led to the Senate Defeat of the Treaty of Versailles.

    After the war ended, Allied leaders and President Wilson were faced with putting Europe back together the way it was before the war. Certain events led to the Senate’s defeat of the treaty. Wilson was an optimistic progressive, with striking policies for the outlook of Europe. Many of these plans were shut down by other leaders; Wilson still approved the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles because his prime issue, the League of Nations, was still included. Many people of the world did not see the League as a good idea. They wanted and were promised the war to end in a peace and “moralize nationalism”, but the treaty did not reach their expectations (Document B). It planned to prevent effects that were conflicting by using the same things for opposition. It wanted to use force to destroy force, militarism to prevent militarism, et cetera (Document A). Americans recognized that the resolutions projected and allowed by Wilson were condemned to fail.…

    • 696 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Ratification Battle in the U.S. over the Treaty of Versailles after WWI
    • 1583 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Ratification Battle in the U.S. over the Treaty of Versailles after WWI

    After the long and deadly First World War, of which the U.S. had been embroiled in for over a year, people were finally ready for their soldiers to come home. Some were even ready for peace. However, many Europeans had lost everything in the war and were not ready for peace. They were ready for revenge. The Treaty of Versailles reflected those sentiments. Internationally, the battle over the terms of the Treaty of Versailles was between those, such as Woodrow Wilson, who wanted a “peace without victory” and those who wanted to punish Germany for starting the war. At home in America, the battle over the treaty was quite different. It was a bitter dispute with no resolution, but many unintended consequences. The failure of the U.S. government to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations resulted in American isolationism and a lack of oversight in Germany, both of which were contributing factors to the beginning of the Second World War.…

    • 1583 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    How Did The Us Fail To Ratify The Treaty Of Versailles
    • 240 Words
    • 1 Page

    How Did The Us Fail To Ratify The Treaty Of Versailles

    The US failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles due to the part that the League of Nations came into play in. The League of Nations would require that the US give up too much power and submit to European countries. After hearing this concern, former president Wilson drafted his famous Fourteen Points, which still was not enough for the US. Much similar to the reasons that the US did not want to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, Germany felt that the treaty was unjust and too forceful in implementing the “Guilt Clause.” The Treaty of Versailles led to the desires of Germany wanting to expand, which ultimately led to the rise of Hitler who helped urge this desire.…

    • 240 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Did the Treaty of Versailles Accomplish Peace?
    • 1697 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Did the Treaty of Versailles Accomplish Peace?

    The main goal of the Treaty of Versailles was to keep peace. Georges Clemenceau from France was part of the Big 3 and he utterly despised Germany. He believed that if Germany was weakened and broken down into little pieces they could never start another war or threaten France again. He mainly wanted Germany to be severely punished and they were. A large section of the Treaty dealt with the punishment of Germany because many others believed in the thinking of Clemenceau. Another part of the Treaty dealt with the League of Nations. The League was set to enforce the Treaty along with improving the world. The League had achieved many of its goals, but by the 1930 's it wasn 't doing its original job. It is questionable that the Treaty of Versailles kept and provided real peace with the harsh punishments of Germany and the problems of the League of Nations.…

    • 1697 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Dbq Essay On The Treaty Of Versailles
    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Dbq Essay On The Treaty Of Versailles

    The treaty of Versailles is believed by historians to have angered the Germans but also left the big three unsatisfied at the outcome of the pact. Germany felt exceedingly cheated by the treaty. The Germans in the treaty had been blamed entirely for the war and had to pay compensation in the sum of 6, 600million pounds as well as limit there army to no more then 100,000 men to name a few . Through the treaty Germany had to lose much of its territory to its neighboring countries - as well as the demilitarization of the Rhineland to protect France.…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Did World War 1 Affect Society
    • 520 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Did World War 1 Affect Society

    “Of the 65 million men, who were mobilized, more than 10 million were killed and more than 20 million wounded” (Keylor). The peace negotiation that ended World War I was The Versailles Treaty. This treaty was put together at the Paris Peace Conference and was determined by four powers Great Britain, France, Italy, and the United States. But President Wilson opposed the treaty and had developed his own solution, called the "Fourteen Points.”…

    • 520 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Do You Account For The Failure Of The Treaty Of Versailles
    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Do You Account For The Failure Of The Treaty Of Versailles

    The Treaty of Versailles was designed to put an end to the German menace. Although is was designed to create some sort of peace, the treaty was unsuccessful. It ended up setting the stage for WWII. Four major points that came up with, and in, the treaty that lent themselves to its failure were Article 231, reparations, the exclusion of Wilson’s 14 points, and the weakness of the League of Nations.…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    "The Treaty of Versailles had some good points but they were overshadowed by its weaknesses."
    • 521 Words
    • 2 Pages

    "The Treaty of Versailles had some good points but they were overshadowed by its weaknesses."

    I agree that the Treaty of Versailles had some good points but there were more wrong than right. The main weaknesses of the Treaty were; it was a dictated piece that Germany was forced to sign the treaty Germany thought this was unfair as anyone would. The choice was either to sign the treaty or go back to war, which Germany could not afford to do. Germany was forced to admit guilt for the war although they didn't feel it was entirely their fault. The Germans had to agree to a clause in the treaty, which declared that Germany itself had been guilty of violence and held solitary responsibility for the war and its losses. Germany had to pay US $32 billion in reparations for the war and the treaty imposed Germanys military strict restrictions. It was limited to 100 000 men with no aircraft, tanks or heavy guns and the Rhine River between Germany, France and Belgium was occupied by Allied troops and was permanently demilitarized. The impact of the treaty and under the terms of the territorial settlement Germany lost 7 million German-speaking citizens and territory, some to Poland, some to Czechoslovakia. The Polish Corridor also divided Germany into two. Germany had lost 12.5 percent of her territory, all her foreign investments and most of her merchant fleet.…

    • 521 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points
    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page

    President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points

    Then on November 11, 1918 an armistice based on United States’ President Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” was agreed to by Germany, but The Treaty of Versailles was totally different and President Woodrow Wilson expected and different from is 14 points he wanted.What made The Treaty of Versailles so difficult to accept, wasn’t simply the terms themselves or the lack of enforcement,but the political environment has to find a place in playing an important role in the inability of the Allies to forge the peace everyone was looking for.…

    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Strengths And Weaknesses Of Treaty Of Versailles History Essay
    • 1815 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Strengths And Weaknesses Of Treaty Of Versailles History Essay

    On the 28th June 1919, Germany resentfully signed the most famous treaty ever, Versailles. Although years of readjusting the treaty followed, this essay will focus mainly on the strengths and weaknesses of the 440 articles in 1919. The Treaty followed a massive war, with huge human sacrifice. It was supposed to be the Treaty to end all wars and give security to the countries involved. The overwhelming task that laid ahead for Woodrow Wilson (America), Lloyd George (Great Britain), Clemenceau (France) and Orlando (Italy) was on a bigger scale than any previous delegates had had to deal with.…

    • 1815 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Treaty Of Versailles: Cause Of World War I
    • 247 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Treaty Of Versailles: Cause Of World War I

    The Treaty of Versailles addresses the cause of World War I as a risky and convenient compromise at the time. The Germans were forced to pay prices that may have been good reasons for more battles. The treaty includes many of Wilson’s wishes as stated in his Fourteen Points, but also differs as well.…

    • 247 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Treaty of Versailles: A Troubled Treaty?
    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Treaty of Versailles: A Troubled Treaty?

    The Treaty of Versailles was considered a “Troubled Treaty”, because it had initially caused more trouble than it was intended to prevent. The purpose of the Treaty of Versailles was to end the long, four year conflict between the Allies and Central Powers, a devastating event known as World War One. Though the Treaty had managed to temporarily keep the peace between nations, it wasn’t signed by all the participants from the war, and had thrown Germany into economic chaos. First, Germany alone was to blame for the First World War. This enormous responsibility left Germany in a crippling debt of three million dollars. The overwhelming reparation fees caused Germany to revert to desperate measures, leading to hyperinflation in the mid twenties. In fact, they were so desperate, the German government started printing money. Unfortunately, this made the value of their currency drop to the point that money was a children’s toy, it was of so little value. Secondly, Germany’s crushed national pride had it’s people looking for a sense of leadership and stability. Their desperation lead the German people to allow leaders like Hitler and Mussolini to take advantage of them, resulting in the creation of Hitler’s National-Socialist Party, otherwise known as the Nazis. This party would later be responsible for the genocide of the Jewish population throughout Germany. Lastly, when Germany was declared accountable for the war, it was written in the Treaty of Versailles that they would have a quota for machinery they could produce, and had their majority of weapons and ammunition confiscated and/or destroyed. Though this was thought to be a good idea, because it would later keep Germany’s military under control, it actually caused them to upgrade their weaponry, and reform their forces, making them more of a threat. Overall, the Treaty of Versailles had earned the name, “a Troubled Treaty” despite its intentions to keep the peace between nations. It instead resulted in a crippling…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Treaty Of Versailles: Before And After World War II
    • 363 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Treaty Of Versailles: Before And After World War II

    The Treaty of Versailles was one of the most popular peace treaties that ended World War I. At the end of the war, the Allied Powers defeated Germany, demanding Germany sign to the harsh conditions of the treaty. The United States also isolated themselves from all European and Asian conflicts. Both the harsh treaty conditions and the policy of isolation by the United States led to the rise of Hitler and the beginning of World War II.…

    • 363 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Did The Versailles Treaty Help Cause World War II
    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Did The Versailles Treaty Help Cause World War II

    Dave Wallbanks who studied at Bradford University and is now a history Curriculum leader talked about how the Treaty of Versaille was the main reason WW2 happened and how it was unfair and made Germany feel embarrassed and get mad.“The Treaty of Versailles was the basic cause of the Second World War, the holocaust and the cold war. Why? Because it was a treaty made without thought of fairness or consideration as to what its effects might be.” This means that the Treaty was something to get Germany mad and make them fight back for what The Treaty of Versaille was taking away from Germany.Like Johnny said in the Socratic seminar “Since Germany wasn’t allowed to take part in th negotiations, this is why it led to WW2” Also the Treaty of Versaille was unfair to Germany and nobody thought Germany would do anything to rebel on the treaty.The Treaty of Versaille caused WW2 because the Treaty made Germany embaressed and thought it was…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics