Revision:The Treaty of Versailles
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Treaty Of Versailles - Key clauses
- Article 231: Germany recognizes the war guilt.
- Article 119: Germany is to lose all here colonies which will be placed under the authority of the allies.
- Article 42: Germany is not to construct anny fortifications on either sides of the Rhine for the next 50 years.
- Article 428: As guarantee that the treaty will be carried out the west part of the Rhine will be occupied by allied troops for 15 years.
- Article 160: The German army is to be reduced to 100.000 men, also the construction of tanks submarines and airplanes was forbidden.
- Article 45: The Saar land will be given to France as part of the compensation for the war.
- Article 80: Germany is not allowed to allay never again with Austria.
- Article 102: The city of Danzig is to become a free city and to be placed under the protection of the League of Nations.
Effects and Criticisms of the Settlement
- Didn't respect the 14 Point Program
- Germany was not present
- Britain did not give up right of search (for ships)
- Tariff barriers increased (against free trade)
- No multilateral disarmament
- G.B. and France gained colonies
- The Italian frontiers' issue was not fixed
- Self-determination was not applied
- Resentment in Germany at having to pay reparations
- Divisions amongst the allies as over reparations
- Didn't respect self-determination
- It was economic and strategic factors which influenced the establishments of frontiers/countries
- Created German resentment against the Versaille Settlement.
Long term effects and criticisms
- Treaties were completed in haste
- Procedural difficulties (views of allies on how to deal with matters differed)
- The USSR was excluded (this weakened the settlement)
- It broke up Austro Hungaria
- Created rivalries in the Balkans
- Prevented economic cooperation in the newly formed states
- The balance of power in Europe was disturbed
- The league did not function as had been hoped
- The changes brought by the settlement were incomplete
The Reparations Problem
- Division amongst the allies on this topic
- The Germans did not believe such reparations could ever be paid (especially with its post-war losses)
- Countries relied on reparations to finance reconstruction and the delaying of reparation payments meant the delaying of the reconstruction process
Evaluation of Reparations
- Could Germany afford them?
- Keynes criticized reparations. He later admitted he might have underestimated Germany's ability to pay reparations.
- Some argued that there was a lack of will in Germany to pay for reparations
- Some argued that Hitler spent more on rearmament (in a short time) then the total revised reparations payments
- How much did Germany actually pay? - Estimations point to $9 billion but she received $8 billion in loans.
- Reparation payments did little to help the recovery of the allies
- Reparations contributed to inter-war period tensions
- Britain and France linked war debts and reparations and refused to pay war debts until reparations were paid to them
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