The Treaty of Versailles

Central Historical Question:  Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?
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November 11, 1918 - Germany Surrenders  

 

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Population (millions)	Military Deaths	Civilian deaths due to Military action	Civilian deaths due to famine & disease	Total Deaths	Total deaths as % of population	Military wounded
Entente (England,  France, Russia) 806.	5,12,397	821,757	2,853,000	9.387,136	1.19%	12,809,280
Central Powers, (Germany, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, 143.1	4,010,241	121,000	3,022,000	7,153,241	5%	8,419,533

1.   According the chart how many people total died?      a. 9,387,136     b. 15,090,013    c. 16,540,377

2.  Why would a society believe it is important for one country to be blamed for starting the war?  Explain your answer with evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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“The Hand of God”: President Woodrow Wilson Presents the Treaty to the Senate

The work of the Peace Treaty Conference was led, not by the goals of strong governments, but by the hopes of small nations and peoples who had been enslaved by the country the victory had destroyed. Two great empires had been forced into political bankruptcy, and we were the receivers.

    Our task was not only to make peace with the central empires and fix the damage their armies had done. The central empires had been breaking many of the rights this war was fought over.  They dominated foreign peoples who they had no natural right to rule, enforcing, not obedience, but basically slavery, taking advantage of the weak for the benefit of those who were masters only by force of arms. There could be no peace until the whole order of central Europe was set right.

    That meant that new nations were to be created,—based on the free choice of peoples. The German colonies were to be disposed of. They had been exploited, without human rights.

We also had an opportunity to limit and regulate military establishments which were likely to be mischievous;

    No certain and uniform method of arbitration could be secured for the settlement of anticipated difficulties of final decision with regard to many matters dealt with in the treaty itself; the long-continued supervision of the task of reparation which Germany was to undertake to complete within the next generation might entirely break down;

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1.  What did American President Woodrow Wilson believe was important information for the Senate to know about the Treaty of Versailles?

1. Many countries were involved in making the treaty
2. The Germans were using their military to take advantage of weaker countries
3. The Treaty gives them the ability to regulate the military in Germany
4. None of the above.

2. Explain your answer with evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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American President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 “Points” adapted - President Woodrow Wilson tried to keep the United States out of WW1.  However events including German subs attacking passenger ships and a German telegram asking Mexico to join the war forced the U.S. into WW1.  The U.S’ late entry led to fewer military casualties and the distance from the war meant few civilian deaths than other nations involved.  After the war his “14 Points” were a proposal to end the war in a way that would create global peace and cooperation

1.  No secret treaties; all international agreements should be open.

2. The seas were to be free to all countries at all times.

4. Every country should reduce its number of Armaments (weapons).

5. The people of a colony should have a say in their territories future.

6. German forces should leave Russia.

7. Belgium should be independent.

8. Alsace-Lorraine should be returned to France (Germany took it)

10. People in the countries of Eastern Europe should be able to create their own countries based on “nationalities” (known as “self-determination)

13. Poland should be independent

14. An International organization should be created to deal with international incidents and disputes (this will prevent wars from starting) – The League of Nations.

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1 **Highlight the parts of the 14 points you agree with**

2. Why did you highlight these parts of the 14 Points? Explain your answer with evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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Excerpt from the Covenant of the League of Nations - Any war or threat of war, whether immediately affecting any of the members of the League or not, may be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of nations

Article 42. Germany is forbidden to maintain or construct any fortifications on their border with France.

Article 43. German military forces are not to be on the Border with France.

Article 44. If Germany violates Articles 42 or 43, she shall be regarded as committing a hostile act against the Treaty and considered a threat to the peace of the world.

Article 81. Germany, in conformity with the action already taken by the Allied and Associated Powers, recognizes the complete independence of the        Czecho-Slovak State.

Article 87. Germany, recognizes the complete independence of Poland.

Article 119. Germany renounces in favor of the principal Allied and Associated Powers all her rights and titles over her oversea possessions.

Article 160. The German Army cannot exceed 100,000 men. The Army may only be used to maintain order within the territory and to control the frontiers.

Article 198. Germany must not have any air force.

Article 231. Germany must accept the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.

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1 **Highlight the parts of the Treaty of Versailles you agree with**

2. Why did you highlight these parts of the Treaty of Versailles? Explain your answer with evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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Results of the Treaty - B.A.R.T.

The Germans were forced to:

B.  Accept Blame for causing the war. (War Guilt Clause)

A.  Germany could not have an air force, submarines, and only could have 100,000 in its Army.  They also could not have military forces on France’s border

R. Germany had to pay 6,600,000 to other countries to pay for “War Damages - Called Reparations.

T.  Germany lost Territory in Europe and had to give its colonies to France and England

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1.  The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to

1. Accept Blame for the war
2. Have a smaller army than other countries
3. Pay money to other countries
4. Give up territory to other countries

2.  Why might other European leaders believe since Germany lost  the war they lost the right to influence the making of the Treaty?

Explain with Evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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John Maynard Keynes, Economic Consequences of the Peace,1919.  Keynes was a British economist

German Count Brockdorff-Rantzau speech to the Versailles Peace Treaty Conference 1919  Brockdorff-Rantzau was a German representative at the Treaty of Paris.

According to the French vision of the future, European history is to be a continuing prize-fight , of which France has won this round, but of which this round is certainly not the last…. … The policy of reducing Germany to servitude for a generation of degrading the lives of millions of human beings and of depriving a whole nation of happiness should be abhorrent and detestable – abhorrent and detestable , even if it were possible even if it enriched ourselves, even if did not sow the decay of the whole civilized life of Europe.

We doubt the Delegates of the Allied Powers realize the consequences for Germany, if Germany is pushed back in the phases of her development.  Germany is an industrial state, very populated, and tied to the economic system of the world, needing a lot of raw materials and food. Their population cannot survive if their economy is taken back to where it was half a century ago. Those who sign this Treaty will sign the death sentence of many millions of German men, women and children.

1.  John Maynard Keynes, a man from Great Britain and Count Brockdorff-Rantzau a man from Germany were both against the Treaty of Versailles even though they were from the countries that fought against each other.  True / False

2.  What did John Maynard Keynes and Count Brockdorff-Rantzau believe the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles would be?  Explain your argument with evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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Treaty of Versailles cartoon from a British newspaper, May 1919. The ‘Big Four’ are holding a spoon with a large pill labelled ‘Peace Terms’ up to the mouth of a man in uniform. They are saying, ‘You’ve got to swallow it whether you like it or not!’. The four men are standing on a box labelled, ‘Big Four pills – very bitter. Worth millions a box’. The man in uniform’s mouth is being forced open by a huge hand whose fingers are labelled ‘British Empire’, ‘France’, ‘America’, ‘Italy’ and ‘Japan’.

Cartoon from German magazine Simpliccimus  June 1919. The executioners were (left to right); American president Wilson, France’s Clemenceau and Britain's Lloyd George

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1. True/False.  Both the British cartoon and the German cartoon show the leaders of the countries who made the Treaty of Versailles being nice to Germany
2. Compare the changes the British and German cartoonists thought the Treaty of Versailles would lead to for Germany; Explain with Evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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Peace and Future Cannon Fodder By Will Dyson Daily Herald, May 13, 1919

The Tiger: “Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping!”

   

Vocab: Cannon Fodder: soldiers regarded or treated as expendable in battle

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1. The cartoon shows:

1. a child representing the next generation happy about the Peace Treaty
2. a child representing the next generation confused about the Peace Treaty
3. a child representing the next generation unsure about the Peace Treaty
4. None of the above

2.  When making a treaty to end a war what are the rights and responsibilities of the people who make the treaty? Explain with Evidence:

3. Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?  Explain your answer with evidence:

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Central Historical Question:  Does the complex relationship between countries fighting against each other in a war give the country who wins the war the right to force the losing country to sign a treaty with terms that will hurt the country?

Explain your answer with three pieces of Evidence:

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