KQ1 Treaty of Versailles

When was the Paris Peace Conference?

Jan 1919 - Jan 1920

When was Munich putsch

November 1923

How many nations were supposed to be represented at the Paris Peace Conference?

32

Describe Munich putsch

what were the freikorps

right-wing ex-soldiers who had become unemployed due to military restrictions of treaty

what did the freikorps want

revive the empire - make the army strong again and recover the lands lost in the treaty

What did Clemenceau want for Alsace-Lorraine?

Alsace Lorraine returned to France

What did Clemenceau want for Germany?

Split into several small states; not allowed any army

What did Clemenceau want for Germany’s colonies?

All confiscated

What did Clemenceau want for the Rhineland?

Make Rhineland an independent state

Why did Clemenceau want a harsh treaty?

prevent future conflict (cripple); revenge for damage of WW1 (compensate)

why did clemenceau want to cripple germany to prevent future conflict?

had seen france invaded twice in his lifetime; france vulnerable as they shared a border

when had clemenceau seen france invaded in the past apart from ww1?

1870 franco-prussian war

how many french soldiers died in ww1?

1.4 million dead

how many french were wounded in ww1?

4.3 million wounded

how many french civilians died in ww1?

300,000 civilian deaths

evidence for destruction of infrastructure in france

cities such as ypres faced near-total destruction

what domestic pressure was clemenceau under?

french public was extremely keen to cripple germany as they had suffered some of the worst damages

what did clemenceau achieve at versailles?

economic power and military capacity reduced; territorial changes

what territorial changes satisfied clemenceau at versailles?

saar’s coalmines to league but under french control; alsace-lorraine returned; colonies confiscated

why was the french public dissatisfied with the treaty

worried eastern border not secure; league would not protect against germany

evidence that the french public were dissatisfied with the treaty

1920 clemenceau lost presidential election because they felt he had let them down

when did clemenceau lose the french presidential election

1920

what aims did clemenceau not achieve at versailles

germany not split; rhineland not independent

what did lloyd george want at versailles

moderate treaty; confiscate colonies and navy; reasonable reparations

why did lloyd george not want to cripple germany

revive trade asap; prevent germany seeking revenge

why did lloyd george want to revive german economy

britain depended largely upon europe’s economic revival which in turn was affected by germany’s

evidence that britain’s future economy was dependent on germany’s economic revival

germany had once been britain’s biggest trading partner

why did lloyd george want to confiscate germany’s navy

retaining naval supremacy was vital to gb’s national security

how many lives did britain lose in ww1?

nearly 1 million british and empire soldiers killed

why did lloyd george want reparations from germany

pay for war and damage caused by war

evidence that lloyd george wanted reparations from germany

elected under promise ‘make germany pay’

what did lloyd george gain from the treaty of versailles

public satisfied (moderate); reparations; extended empire; retained naval supremacy

what did the british public feel about the treaty

happy as it appeared germany had been punished

how did lloyd george retain naval supremacy

strict naval restrictions on germany; rejected wilson’s “freedom of the seas”

why was lloyd george not satisfied with the treaty

too harsh = war; high reparations = delayed trade resumption

why did lloyd george not like self determination

threatened empire; displacement of germans could cause trouble

how many ethnic germans were put into czechoslovakia

over 3 million

what did lloyd george say about the treaty

“we will have to fight another war in 25 years time, and at three times the cost”

what did wilson want from the treaty

14 points

what were wilson’s 14 points

disarmament, free trade, league of nations, self determination of national minorities

what was the league of nations as proposed in wilson’s 14 points

world parliament, leaders resolve disputes without going to war

why was self-determination not popular amongst clemenceau and lloyd george

threatened empire and overseas colonies

how many american soldiers died in ww1

100,000 died

how many americans were wounded in ww1

200,000

what did wilson get from versailles

league of nations; self determination

which new states were formed from the treaty of versailles

poland, estonia, latvia, lithuania, CS

which of the 14 points did wilson not achieve

freedom of the seas rejected; only defeated powers disarmed; gb, fr, belgium didn’t allow self-determination of colonies

why was wilson unsatisfied with the treaty

too harsh; failed to get all 14 points

what was the us’ reaction to the treaty

senate refused to accept the treaty and refused to join league

which article was war guilt

article 231

german limitations to army

100,000 men, conscription banned

german limitations to navy

no submarines, only 6 battleships

german limitations on weapons and vehicles

no tanks, submarines or aircraft

what happened to the rhineland

demilitarised, no troops could be stationed there

what happened to alsace-lorraine

returned to france

what happened to the saar

run by the league; france temporarily controls coalmines; plebiscite after 15 years

what was to be decided in the plebiscite in the saar

whether to return to germany or be ruled by france

what territories were given to poland to create the polish corridor

west prussia and posen and upper silesia

what happened to danzig

free city; run by league; poland could use danzig for external trade

what was the impact of creating the polish corridor

east prussia separated from the rest of germany

what happened to north schleswig

given to denmark

what states had been taken from russia in the treaty of brest-litovsk which then became independent

lithuania, latvia and estonia

what happened to germany’s overseas colonies

all confiscated

how much reparations was germany made to pay

set at £6.6 billion in 1921

evidence that reparations were harsh

if the terms had not later been changed in 1929, they would not have been completely paid until 1984

what was decided about germany and austria

anschluss was banned

evidence that germany should expect similar treatment in tov than in other treaties

france heavily punished in 1871; treaty of brest-litovsk 1918

when was the treaty of brest litovsk signed

march 1918

how much of its european territory did germany lose

13%

how much of its population did germany lose

around 10%

why was the loss of the saar and alsace lorraine important

coal mines - profits would have helped germany pay reparations

what did russia lose in the treaty of brest litovsk

300 million roubles; over 55 million people; 30% farmland; 74% iron ore and coal (54% industry)

evidence that german industry was not too badly affected

by 1923, german steel production was double britain’s

by what year was german steel production double britain’s

by 1923

when was the armistice signed

november 11 1918

what was agreed in the terms of the armistice

reductions in armed forces; territorial losses; principle of reparations

why was the german opinion over loss of territory and reparations not justified

industry recovered; treaty of brest-litovsk was worse

why was the german opinion over reduction in armaments justified

victors not forced to disarm; vulnerable to french attack (rhineland)

why was the resentment of war guilt clause justified

unfair to place blame wholly on germany; complex causes of war

what did the war guilt clause set up

grounds for reparations, territorial losses etc

why did germans believe the diktat was unfair

thought germany just agreed to ceasefire, not surrendered, so shouldn’t be treated as a defeated nation

why might the german public have thought the germans were not actually defeated and just agreed to ceasefire?

no allied troops had entered germany

when was the kapp putsch

1920

what was the kapp putsch

attempt to overthrow ebert and install nationalist government, organised by freikorps (ex-soldiers)

how was the kapp putsch defeated

general strike of berlin workers

what did the germans call weimar politicians who signed the treaty

november criminals

what did germans call the signing of the treaty

a stab in the back

what power did clemenceau hold at the paris peace conference

made chairman of the conference

political assassination in germany 1922

foreign minister rathenau

when was foreign minister rathenau assassinated

summer 1922

what happened in 1922 in regards to reparations

nothing paid so french occupied the ruhr’s coal mines, railways, factories etc. to confiscate industrial goods as reparations

what was the german reaction to french occupation of the ruhr in 1922

passive resistance: workers instructed to go on strike so not producing stuff for french to take

what was the impact of the strike on germany after the french occupation of the ruhr 1922

halted production of largest industrial region in germany; no longer producing goods to trade

what did the government do to try solve the problem of not having enough money

print more = hyperinflation

evidence for hyperinflation in germany (what you could buy)

savings that may have bought a house in 1921 would not even buy a loaf of bread by 1923

why could you argue that germany’s economic problems were partially self inflicted

kaiser’s government entered war on predication of victory, planning to pay war debts by extracting reparations from defeated state

what did germany think about self-determination

thought the application of self-determination was applied unfairly, with millions of germans living in other countries

many germans were displaced under the treaty of versailles, and governed by countries?

poland; alsace-lorraine = france; eupen-malmedy = belgium

what did the government do in reaction to the general strike in the ruhr

kept paying strikers (printed more money); imported coal to meet demand but could not provide factories with enough