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Wasthetreatyofversaillestooharsh 140120144928 Phpapp02
Wasthetreatyofversaillestooharsh 140120144928 Phpapp02
Wasthetreatyofversaillestooharsh 140120144928 Phpapp02
harsh?
By George P. Kyprianides
LLB, LLM with Distinction
University of Reading
Introduction:
The Treaty of Versailles was too harsh for the German population. The
Terms of the Treaty such as the war guilt, the reparations, and the
colonial losses weakened Germany economically, militarily, and
territorially. The Treaty of Versailles contributed in various other
problems such as the hyperinflation, and in long term the Second World
War.
On the other hand, Germany had to be punished for starting the WW1
so that aggression would be defeated, and prevent future wars.
However, the terms of the Treaty were too harsh, and instead of
defeating an aggression they started another one that was even
stronger and more revengeful.
The Treaty could have been even harsher if Clemenseau got his way.
harsh.
The most harsh terms are the reparations and
Source 17
indemnity, the fact that they do not have I have every hope that Lloyd George, who
security, since their army in soldiers, tanks, is fighting like a Welsh terrier, will
and battleships were reduced. succeed in…imposing some
In addition, all the people are unsatisfied modification[change] in the terms…Now
with this Treaty.
that we see them as a whole, we realise
The only people who approve this Treaty are
that they are much too stiff…the real
the ‘fire-eaters’ (touch politicians) such as
Clemenceau. crime is the reparation and indemnity
Generally, this is a primary source since the chapter, which is immoral and senseless.
author lived at the time and was also a There is not a single person among the
member of the British delegation in Paris. younger persons here who is not unhappy
It is a reliable source for two reasons. Firstly, and disappointed at the terms. The only
the author comes from Britain, who at the people who approve are the old fire-eaters.
time the British population wanted to punish
Germany harshly. On the contrary, the
Harold Nicolson (member of the British
author is objective because he says that the delegation to Paris). Extract from
Treaty for Germany is too harsh because of Nicolson’s letter to his father, June 1919,
the reparations and security reasons.. from Peacemaking 1919, 1933.
Secondly, the letter is for his father so letters
like these are considered primary sources ant
thus reliable
It’s a primary source because it comes
from Clemenseau who lived at the time
and took part in the Treaty of
Versailles. He wrote this source in
Source B
1921, 2 years after the Treaty was
signed.
Finally were there not,
He says that G was punished but not too
harshly (not crushed) and they could
as to day, Germans,
join up and gain power again. beaten but not
Clemenseau like the French population,
believed that the Treaty of Versailles crushed, ready by a
was not harsh enough.
Even though The German army rare blending of
was reduced to 100,000 men
and the German navy shameless trickery and
disbanded.
c. £6,600 reparations for the
pugnacity to aspire to
damage done during the war. hegemony?
d. Germany lost Alsace-
Lorraine, other land in Europe, Georges Clemenceau, writing in
and all her colonies. 1921 about the need to subject
He was not satisfied. He wanted a Germany to harsh terms in the
harsher treaty and Germany to be split
up into smaller states. So that it will be Treaty
difficult to join up and regain power.
Source
This is a speech from Lloyd
George, the Prime Minister of I am one of the four upon whom
devolved the onerous task of drafting
Britain who took part in the the treaties of 1919 . . .
Treaty of Versailles thus The conditions that were imposed
primary source. upon Germany were ruthlessly applied
He says that the Treaty of to the limit of her endurance.
She paid £2,000,000,000 in
Versailles is too harsh for the reparations. We experienced
Germans. insuperable difficulties in paying
Britain which is much richer £1,000,000,000 to America - and we
are a much richer country than
than Germany, faced Germany.
difficulties in paying 1 billion We stripped her of all her colonies.
pounds, and Germany has to We deprived her of part of her home
pay 2 billion and thus that provinces.
would be very difficult for We took her great fleet away from her.
Germany. We reduced her army of millions to
Germany was weaken greatly 100,000 men.
by seizing its colonies, by
We deprived her of artillery, tanks,
airplanes, and broke up all the
reducing its army to 100,000 machinery she possessed for re-
men, and other military forces, equipping herself.
Also weakened by reparations. David Lloyd George
This source comes from
Whiston Churchill, a member
of the government, a serving
officer during the war and a
Prime Minister later on.
It’s a primary source,
Churchill lived at the time and
Source 21
was a member of the …a fair judgement upon the
government at the time. settlement, a simple
He believes that the Treaty of explanation of how it arose,
Versailles was a ‘fair cannot leave the authors of
judgement’. the new map of Europe
France and Britain, ‘the under serious reproach. To
authors of the new map of
Europe’ were pleased. an overwhelming extent the
wishes of the various
In addition, he says that this
Treaty had pleased all the populations prevailed.
populations since they wanted Whiston Churchill, speaking in
Germany to be punished and 1919. He had been a member of
they had succeed. the government and a serving
officer during the war.
Secondary sources:
Source
It’s a secondary source It wasn’t just the Germans who
that comes from John D Clare were horrified by the Treaty –
(2002). Lloyd George, JM Keynes,
He says that the Treaty was too most of the British public, the
harsh for the German population. American Senate… they were
Not only the Germans were all astounded at how harsh it
appalled by the Treaty of Versailles was. And if we – and they –
but also many British and American can understand just how crazy
politicians and also a large
and unfair it all was, how badly
proportion of the British population.
must the Germans have felt?
He says that we can understand
how hard and badly the Germans And of course we know how
felt by the fact that this lead them badly the Germans felt – they
to support Adolf Hitler who was a felt 'Adolf Hitler' badly.
dictator and lead the world IN John D Clare (2002)
ANOTHER WAR (WW2)
Source C: from the German
Question and Europe by
This is a secondary source P.Alter, 2000.
that come from P.Alter, The Germans failed to
2000. appreciate the moderating
influence exerted by the British
He says that it was a light on the Allies’ deliberations
Treaty for Germany,they when they began in Paris in
had a moderate Treaty if 1919. Bearing in mind that G
someone considers that it has willingly started a war and
that during the war, both sides
had started the War. in the conflict had voiced far
All the propaganda against reaching plans for annexations,
the Treaty was the Versailles Treaty was in
exaggerated because it fact moderate. This is often
overlooked in the face of the
was too light and G had noisy complaints and
escaped from the condemnations made by its
consequences and defeat critics in later years. All the
of the War. propaganda against the Treaty
was highly exaggerated. The
Overall, it says that it was Germans did not fully grasp
not a harsh treaty. how lightly they had escaped
the consequences of war and
Taylor in this source Source 2
says that The Germans Destined for