...power in Germany, a country recently devastated by the loss of the first world war. At the end of WWI all the countries involved in the war meet in Versailles to discuss the terms of peace. The peace treaty, known as the Treaty of Versailles, placed harsh punishments on Germany. Germany was forced to pay for the cost of the war, and accept full blame for the war. Also, in order to weaken Germany, territory was taken from Germany and given to other countries, or used to create new countries. These terms of peace left Germany impoverished and its people angry. Hitler’s inevitable rise to power was a direct result of the reparations, war guilt, and loss of territory demanded by the Treaty...
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...Was the Treaty of Versailles Responsible for World War II? I don't think that the Treaty of Versailles was responsible for World War II. The treaty did cause some disruptions, but I don't think that it was the singular cause of the war. It left Germany with nothing, and Hitler promised the Germans that everything would get better. The treaty definitely lead to a rise in fascism, and I think that allowed Hitler to start “rebuilding” Germany. There were a lot of flaws, and not everyone was happy with the treaty, but the ideal was to bring peace to the countries. It was hard to satisfy everyone, so the Treaty of Versailles was made to at least stop the fighting. Germany was treated unfairly and was blamed for the war, but the treaty didn’t cause...
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...Was the treaty of Versailles Fair? I personally think that the Treaty of Versailles was fair to a certain extend. There were many points that were very unfair on Germany and many of them were understandable since everyone was trying to avoid another war. There are many opinions on who was to blame for the war but the most popular was that Germany was the one who started the war. Many people think that because the German Kaiser was annoying everyone and breaking all the friendly relationships with the countries around Germany the war was initially triggered. After the war Germany was still considered a threat because their economy was still very strong and their army was still in France, and capable of fighting. This is one of the other reasons that the treaty was made very harsh to make sure that the Germans could not start another war. Also you cannot say that the Germans were particularly nice either, when they were asking for a treaty with Russia in Brest Litovsk and they made it very harsh themselves. Another point of the treaty was not fair, and that was that it was not negotiable. That was very hard for Germany because the whole treaty was already harsh and they could not negotiate it made it even worse. On another side the land that was taken from Germany was mostly populated by the French on the Alasace-Lorraine and East Germany was mostly populated by Polish. On the other side the treaty was not fair because Germany was fully blamed for the war when other countries...
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...To what extent was the Weimar Republic doomed to fail? To answer, one must recognize the demands of the question. Doomed, meaning ill-fated, is subjective and can be argued by analyzing historical evidence and historiographical interpretations. To fail means that it did not succeed in what it intended to do, which in this case, would be to transform Germany’s government into a peaceful democracy. Through two distinct historiographical lenses, one can determine whether the collapse of the Weimar Republic (1919 to 1933) was genuinely inevitable. Historical View #1 proposes that Hitler was a product of Germany’s authoritarian culture, and the Germans failed to develop a democratic tradition because they preferred a stronger state led by a powerful individual. Historical View #5 suggests that German support of Nazism was an emotional response to the crisis-state; Germans were disoriented with the economic crisis, and similar to View #1, sought firmer leadership. The Treaty of Versailles doomed the Weimar Republic because the German administration was unable to fulfill the treaty’s unrealistic demands for reparations, which ruined their domestic economy and fostered a strong authoritative leadership that would defend Germany against the terms and impoverishing effects of the ill-advised treaty. The Treaty of Versailles was intended to guarantee the Allies (and neighboring countries) peace and safety; however, the Allies neglected to recognize that the harsh demands of reparations...
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...Week 2: Versailles: The Allies’ “Last Horrible Triumph” Steven A. Smith Chamberlain College of Nursing Week 2: Versailles: The Allies’ “Last Horrible Triumph” The Treaty of Versailles, drafted by the Allied Forces, was drafted in with good intentions by some but not all. In the following writing, I will portray some of the complaints by Germany. As well as, what they believed would have led to them being treated differently in the sanctions. I will also delve into the higher “fundamental laws” in the document that side with the German viewpoints. There were many views of the treaty and although I have mine, its important to also views the points of those who would defend the treaty and the reasons for it. There were many provisions written in the treaty but most of which were geared toward Germany and its peoples. Their economy would be damaged and controlled by the Allied Powers with no end in sight. “Germany must promise to pay an indemnity, the amount of which at present is not even stated” (German Delegation, 1919). This indemnity later led Germany to borrowing money to pay reparations to other states. It is worth noting, the Germans were not part of the commission, which was mainly compromised of its enemies from the war. Many of the economic strong points/areas in Germany were given to foreign nations. Also, many of the ways to ship goods and such were controlled by foreigners who could limit the growth possible for the nation. Giving away key cities, controlling...
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...the Panama Canal is a canal that runs from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean, this was bought by the US and a canal was built on it so that ships didn’t have to go around South America to get to the western side of the united states. This relates to foreign policy because it was a way to get goods to other countries easier and they could come deliver goods to the US. Open door policy- the open door policy made it so that trade was fair to all countries and there weren’t any countries that couldn’t trade or be traded with. This relates to foreign policy because it is a way of countries being friendly with other countries and making it so that all countries are equal in terms of trade. The treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, it was the peace settlement between Germany and the Allied Powers that officially ended World War I. the most famous people that wrote it were Woodrow Wilson and Georges Clemenceau and David Lloyd George. Woodrow Wilson Wilson was the president during this period. These three guys were often called the big three. The treaty was written and signed in Versailles. On May 7, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was handed over to Germany with the instructions that they had only three weeks to accept the Treaty. After a lot of negotiation between the Allies, the terms of the treaty were decided on, and covered areas of territory, the military and the economy, and Germany also had to admit responsibility for causing the First World...
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...Justin Wilder HIS 323 Essay 1 Question 2 After The Great War it was clear Europe was in turmoil both economically and politically. In an effort to remedy the post war troubles the Allies drafted the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty itself was flawed due to the short time period it was drafted in and the opposing agendas of three main powers drafting it. The French premier, Georges Clemenceau saw this opportunity to protect France from any further conflict with Germany. David Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister, saw the need for a just and fair punishment for Germany but his main goal was to reestablish trade throughout Europe to ensure economic prosperity. The third main power was America. Woodrow Wilson’s goals were peace and self determination. His plan, The League Of Nations, was designed to unify Europe and prevent any future wars. As for his idea of self-determination Wilson thought that nations of multiple ethnic and religious groups should be able to choose their own political status without interference. French, British, and American leaders failed to create a strong and fair treaty after World War I. They failed to recognize each other’s interests and the interests of the rest of Europe. Despite troubling times in Europe, if they would have negotiated a stronger treaty, recognizing the interests of all European nations, strong and lasting democratic governments could have been established in Europe. German leaders signed the armistice on November 11, 1918...
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...HIST 102 The Real Cause of War was Peace What drives a country to war? This is a great question to ponder when thinking about history. Most of history revolves around wars. Most countries would prefer peace, but there are times when war is unavoidable. This was true for World War I, but why after this war ended did another world war break out only twenty years later. To understand this one must examine how the first war ended, and what happened between the end of World War I and the start of World War II around the world. World War I was a long fought war between the Allied Powers—United States, Great Britain, France, Russia and Italy—and the Central Powers—Germany, Austro Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. The war began in 1914 and the United States entered the war in 1917. The war ended in 1919 with the Treaty of Versailles. When President Woodrow Wilson spoke about the war he stressed how important it would be to have peace without a victor and that the only peace that could last is “peace among equals” (A., H.J. Rebecca, 2012). Peace among equals would mean that at the end of the war everyone was treated as equals with an equal say in the terms of peace. This is not how World War I ended. The Allied Powers were victorious and since England and France had fought so hard at such a great cost they wanted to punish the Central Powers and especially Germany. They imposed harsh sanctions on Germany and demanded they pay $33 billion in reparations. This angered...
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...To end World War 1 the Treaty of Versailles was signed (International Conciliation, 1919). Through the Treaty Germany was blamed for the war and was punished. This caused economical issues for Germany to face, and a loss of self-determination (International Conciliation, 1919). Some people believed Germany was not punished enough for the war and Germany believed they should have been treated differently. Germany was blamed for all of the events that took place during World War 1 and the German economy suffered from this (International Conciliation, 1919). The Treaty damaged Germany’s economy by not returning their confiscated goods back to them and also by using them to pay for the damages of the war (International Conciliation, 1919). Foreign authorities were also allowed to build canals and railroads on German territory as they pleased (International Conciliation, 1919). The Treaty called for Germany to surrender territory, such as Alsace-Lorraine (International Conciliation, 1919). This loss of territory caused Germany to lose around 2.5 million ethnic Germans, according to the authors (International Conciliation, 1919). These provisions critically harmed Germany’s economy because they were forced to pay for damage that they could not afford, and the terms of this agreement were completely decided by the countries Germany fought against in the war, while Germany had no control over the terms of paying reparations for the war (International Conciliation, 1919). They had some...
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...Peace Treaties seemed fair to the allied forces, however, most the terms that were applied to Germany were not fair in any way. Although there may be some gray areas within some of the terms, the treaties were driven by revenge. The harshness of the applied terms came from both France and Britain regarding the suffering and destruction that Germany had caused in their lands. Woodrow Wilson had initially written the “Fourteen Points” which as well had a few unfair points such as the League of Nations, but it didn’t contain terms as harsh as those that were applied to Germany. The single reason why Germany signed The Treaty of Versailles was because they thought they would receive Wilson’s Fourteen Points. That promise was broken and instead, more dreadful terms were applied. Germany had her land taken from her,...
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...II could have been avoided, considering the events prior to Germanys invasion of Poland I disagree with this statement. I strongly believe that Hitler wanted war and to spread communism and the events prior to Poland only made it more apparent another war was inevitable. The reasons why I support my position are The Treaty of Versailles, The Appeasement Policy, and the failure of The League of Nations. 2) Body - First I will argue that the Treaty of Versailles was a indirect cause of the second world war. Although the treaty seamed fair from ally standpoint at the time the punishments handed down on the German country were undesirable, as the losing side they were forced to sign, neither Germany nor Russia were invited to the hearings. Though the Treaty did not start a war I believed it played a big role in Germanys downfall and economic disaster in which landed Adolf Hitler in power. Some say the treaty was a way to get revenge on Germany, it placed all the blame of the war, made them sacrifice land, and forced them to pay the war wages. This in turn led to a hate for the government and officials for signing this treaty and the country left vulnerable economically and loyally, and looking for a leader. So basically the treaty left a bad taste in the Germans citizens mouth, left them demoralized and they couldn’t do anything about it. Adolf Hitler who fought in the first world war and felt the treaty was unfair and unjust, he even believed that the Germans did not...
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...To what extent was British public opinion the reason that Britain adopted the policy of appeasement? After a defeat in WW1 Germany was left seriously impacted (want this to be changed?ritain adopted the policy of appeasement? reason thAT torians have argued that milirary am by-election showed the true anti-war). This gave Chancellor Adolf Hitler the perfect opportunity to expand Germany’s territories and get rid of the restrictions placed on Germany after the war. Therefore, Britain’s policy of appeasement aimed to please Germany in order to prevent further conflict, and after the horrific events of WW1 most of the British public supported this. With the horrors still fresh in the public’s mind it can be argued that British public opinion was the main reason as to why Britain adopted the policy of appeasement. However, there are other significant factors that contributed to the adoption of appeasement including economic difficulties, military weaknesses, threat of communism, lack of reliable allies, attitudes towards the Treaty of Versailles and concern for her empire. One reason for the introduction of appeasement is public opinion. After the Rhineland crisis in a debate in the House of Commons in March 1936, Sir Winston Churchill warned that the atmosphere in Europe had changed recently to the extent that war was being regarded as a serious responsibility. He also described the German occupation of the Rhineland as a menace to Holland, Belgium and France. With the horrors...
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... What was Wilson's first response to the outbreak of war in Europe? 3 Why was it difficult for the U.S. to remain a neutral trading nation? 4. What was the Lusitania crises and what was the U.S. response? 5.Describe the next 2 sinkings and the U.S. response. 6. Describe the Sussex Pledge. 7. Eventhough we were neutral, how was the U.S. really favoring the Allies? 8. Which ethnic groups in the U.S. favored the Central Powers and WHY? 9. How did the British make sure that America had a negative view of the Germans? 10. Discuss the U.S. lack of preparedness. Which groups and persons thought we should prepare just in case we were drawn into war? 11. What was President Wilson's stance on preparedness? 12. What groups and areas of the country were vehemently against preparedness and why? 13. Describe the election of 1916 and tell why Wilson won. 14. What were Wilson's last peace efforts to keep us out of war? 15. What are 3 major reasons why, eventhough he wanted peace, Wilson had to ask Congress for a declaration of war in April, 1817? 16. What was Wilson's slogan in his war declaration request? 17. Describe the War Industries Board and its leader Bernard Baruch. 18. What was Herbert Hoover's role in preparing for war? 19. What actions did the Fuel Administration under Harry GArfield take? 20. How did labor fair during the war? Who arbitrated disputes between labor and employers? 21. Who was George Creel and what was the job...
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...The rise to power of Adolf Hitler was not just some fluke of history, as many would have you believe. It was all part of a conspiracy planned out in advance by heads of multi national corporations, international bankers, and globalist politicians. The same forces that are behind the worldwide chaos we are witnessing now, were behind the rise of Hitler, and were directly responsible for World War II. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the most important causes that led to Hitler's rise in Germany. From the German point of view the treaty was incredibly harsh and devastating for Germany. The leaders of the allies drew up this treaty to purposely revenge and weaken Germany. The treaty contained five major points that would be Germany's demise. The first part was to revenge and weaken Germany. Many rules were laid down to Germany, which they had to obey. The German territory to the west of the Rhine would be occupied by allied troops for 15 years. The Germans did not like this because they did not want enemy troops in their own country. Even though the war was over they still hated the allies. Germany was not allowed to put any defences or troops on the east bank of the Rhine. This made Germany feel weak and vulnerable to invasion. They also hated the thought of a foreign president telling them what to do. Germany had to agree never to combine with Austria again. They had to strictly respect the independence of Austria. This was hard for both countries to accept as they both...
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...Question1 At the end of World War 1, an agreement was made, and the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This particular treaty placed blame on Germany for being responsible for the war thus it exerted significant punishments on the Germans that ended up harming the people and the country as a whole. The Germans protested almost immediately on the potential damage that the issues outlined in the treaty were causing. There were complaints which included; the fact that the treaty had the power to make Germany a debtor slave to all the others powers of Europe. Germany was also going to be treated like a bankrupt nation by the victorious countries such as France and England and was to pay reparation or penalties in amounts which were capricious and arbitrary in nature. Germans economic development was to be hampered by outside powers through the control of construction of infrastructure and Germans rivers. All of Germans property abroad was going to be annexed and not allowed to conduct trade with the rest of the civilised world. Question 2 Wilson's vision for peace was thwarted when the economic difficulty that German was to endure was outlined under the treaty. Some of the points that contradicted Wilsons expectations included; the fact that he did not place blame on any country for being responsible for starting the war, but rather those alliances and institutions that existed before, yet the treaty chose to blame Germany. Wilsons believed that peace would prevail if all countries...
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