arguments why the treaty was too harsh. reasons the treaty was not fair so much was taken away (13%...

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Arguments why the treaty was too harsh

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Page 1: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

Arguments why the treaty was too harsh

Page 2: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

Reasons the treaty was not fair• So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) • Self-determination doesn’t apply to Germany

Parts of Austria and Czechoslovakia would have voted to be part of Germany but not allowed to

• Germans feel a sense of injustice, they didn’t start the war, some feel they didn’t even lose the war

• Diktat – Germany was not involved in the peace talks• Allied powers don’t disarm – 14 points said that all

countries should start to disarm• British and French empires increasing – Imperialism was

one cause of the war and they continue with it.

Page 3: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

Arguments why it was not harsh enough

Page 4: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

Reasons why the treaty was fair • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (1918) shows how harsh

Germany was on Russia• Germany was more responsible than other

countries for the start of the war – Blank Cheque to Austria-Hungry – Schlieffen plan

• Big 3 needed to listen to their populations, a more lenient treaty would not have been accepted

• Only the German empire survived so they were not punished too much!

• Germany rises within a generation to threaten the balance of power again!

Page 5: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

Was the Treaty of Versailles a Cause of WWII?

• The treaty left Germany powerful and resentful = Want revenge and still have the power to do it

• If the treaty had been less harsh Germany would not feel so resentful, their economy would have improved and their pride not so damaged

• If the treaty had been more harsh Germany would not have had the power to challenge the world again 20 years later

Page 6: Arguments why the treaty was too harsh. Reasons the treaty was not fair So much was taken away (13% of land, 12% of pop.) Self-determination doesn’t apply

More resent views of Historians

• The issue was that Germany believed it was too harsh

• Enforcement was the issue, not that it was too harsh