The Treaty of Versailles The

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The Treaty of VersaillesThe Peace Treaty that
led to Hitler
This is not a peace treaty. It is a 20 year
truce- Marshall Foch (Supreme Allied
Commander) If I was a German I would not sign
it President Woodrow Wilson
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Lesson Objectives

• What were the terms of the Treaty.
• Explain Hitlers reaction to the Treaty
• Compare and Contrast the view points of the
  Allied Powers in constructing the treaty.
• Discuss the effects of the Treaty on Germany

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After reading this source, how do you think the
Germans felt at the end of World War One?
Through the doors at the endcome four officers
of France, Great Britain, America and Italy. And
then, isolated and pitiable, come the two
Germans, Dr. Muller and Dr. Bell. The silence is
terrifyingThey keep their eyes fixed away from
those two thousand staring eyes, fixed on the
ceiling. They are deathly paleThere is general
tension. They sign. There is general
relaxationWe kept our seats while the Germans
were conducted like prisoners from the dock.
(Harold Nicolson, Peacemaking, 1919.)
Peace
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Treaty Of Versailles Treaty Of Versailles Treaty Of Versailles
Leaders Wanted Did not want
David Lloyd George
Woodrow Wilson
George Clemenceau
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Great Britain, America and France were the three
most powerful Allies and they wanted to exert
their influence upon the Treaty of Versailles.
Yet they wanted different things.
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• David Lloyd George (UK)
• Germany to be justly punished, but not too
  harshly
• Germany to lose its navy and colonies as these
  were a threat to Britain's own navy and empire
• Germany and Britain to become trading partners

BUT Overall, Lloyd George did not want to punish
Germany too harshly as he did not want Germany
seeking revenge in the future
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Clemenceau (France)Clemenceau liked the harsh
things that were in the Treaty, especially
reparations, because they would weaken Germany
while helping France to recover. He had one very
simple belief - Germany should be brought to its
knees so that she could never start a war again.
He liked the idea of a small German army, and
the demilitarised zone in the Rhineland, because
he thought that this would protect France from
attack in the future. Also, he was pleased that
France received Alsace-Lorraine as this had been
taken from France by Germany in 1871. In truth
though, he wanted the Treaty to be harsher.
What did Clemenceau like and dislike about the
Treaty?
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• Wilson (USA)
• a better and more peaceful world
• a League of Nations that would help and support
  each other and help to promote world peace
• the right to self-determination. The right to
  decide which country you wish to be governed by
• The U.S.A. had joined war late (1917) and hadn't
  suffered as much as the other Allies in terms of
  human and material costs.

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Wilson (USA)Wilson got self-determination for
the peoples of Eastern Europe, and a League of
Nations, but he was disappointed with the Treaty
because few of his ideas were acted upon. Worst
of all, when Wilson went back to America, the
Senate refused to join the League of Nations, and
refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles! In
America, there was a growing desire for the
government to adopt a policy of isolation and
leave Europe to its own devices. Wilson believed
that Germany should be punished, but in a way
that would lead to European reconciliation
(peace) as opposed to revenge (war).
What did Wilson like and dislike about the treaty?
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The terms of The Treaty of Versailles
What would members of the public in Allied
countries think of the Germans in 1918?
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What does this source tell you about the British
publics feelings towards Germany in 1918?
The Germans, if this government is elected, are
going to pay every penny they are going to be
squeezed, as a lemon is squeezed, until the pips
squeak. (Sir Eric Geddes, December 1918)
Sir Eric Geddes was Minister of Munitions in
Britain, Controller of the Navy and First Lord of
the Admiralty at different points during The
First World War.
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Does this information help you to understand why
so many people wanted revenge after the war?
Around 8 million people had been killed The cost
of the war was roughly 36 Billion Dollars The
destruction of land, homes, farms and factories
was huge Millions more people died after the war
due to famine and disease
In France and Belgium, where most of the war was
fought, 300,000 houses, 6,000 factories, 1,000
miles of railway, 2,000 breweries and 112 coal
mines were destroyedIn some ways, mankind has
never recovered from the horrors of the First
World War. John D. Clare, First World War (1994)
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The British General Election in December 1918
was flooded by the belief that the Kaiser should
be hanged, that Germany should pay up.Few
realised the harmful effects of uniformed and
aggressive public opinion which had been aroused
by years of war propaganda, and whipped up by the
popular press Martin Kitchen, Europe Between
The Wars, 1988.
Discuss how difficult must it have been for the
Allies to get the right balance between
punishment and creating a lasting peace?
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The Main Allied Powers Can you name them by
their flags?

• World War One ended when Germany and the allies
  signed the Treaty of Versailles. The victorious
  nations, especially France, wanted to ensure that
  Germany would never be able to fight another
  world war. Their aim was to devastate Germany
  militarily and economically. The Germans were
  excluded from the creation of the treaty and were
  even barred from discussing it with the allies.

What is this cartoon conveying?
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Germany Loses Territory

• Germany lost 1/8 of her land.
• This also accounts for six million of her people.

• Which territorial loss is the most devastating to
  Germany? Why?
• What is that land called?

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• An Allied Army was to occupy the Rhineland for a
  period of 15 years.
• No German troops were to be allowed into the
  occupation zone.

Did you know? The French used African troops to
occupy the Rhineland. This led to a generation of
½ African, ½ German children. The Nazis referred
to them as The Rhineland Bastards'

• How would you feel if foreign troops occupied
  your country?

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The Military
How big was the German Army in 1914? What effect
can this term have on a nations economy?

• The army was limited to 100,000 men. Tanks and
  planes were not allowed.

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• Germany had to accept total responsibility for
  starting the World War One. This was called the
  War Guilt Clause.
• As a consequence Germany had to pay reparations
  to the allies totaling 132 Billion Gold Marks.
  Thats over 450 Billion US dollars in todays
  money!
• Made final payment in October of 2010!

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What differences do you see in the 2 maps?
To what extent is self-determination reflected in
your differences?
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Term of the treaty How can Germans view this as unfair? How can a man like Hitler use this to his advantage?
Germany loses 1/8 of her land and 6 million of her people.
Germanys army was reduced to 100,000 men with no modern weapons like tanks or planes.
Allied troops to occupy the Rhineland for 15 years
Germany had to accept full responsibility for starting the war.
Germany had to pay 132 billion in reparations.

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Recap...
The German government publicly denounced the
treaty, and for the first time all Germans of
every social class and political party were
united in against it. But refusal to sign the
treaty would mean continuing the war, something
Germany couldnt do. Many Germans also thought
the financial penalties that the treaty imposed
upon their country and her people to be immoral
and unjust. The signing of this treaty was a blow
to the new Republic from which it never fully
recovered. For a majority of people their faith
in democracy was destroyed.
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Exit Card

• Do you agree or disagree with the following
  statement The Treaty of Versailles created
  Adolf Hitler.? Why?

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Quick Test

• 1. What was the peace treaty called?
• 2. What was the treaty designed to do?
• 3. Why was the loss of the Polish Corridor so
  devastating to Germany?
• 4. What was the Rhineland?
• 5. How many soldiers were the German army allowed
  to retain under the treaty?

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• 6. How much were the Germans supposed to pay the
  Allies in reparations?
• 7. What did the War Guilt Clause mean?
• 8. What would happen if the Germans refused to
  sign the treaty?
• 9. If you were a German would you be opposed or
  for this treaty?