The+Treaty+of+Versailles

= = =Main points=
 * Created distrust of Weimar government, the Allies and provided "fodder" for nationalist resentments and a Jewish conspiracy theory
 * A factor in Hitler's propaganda concerning nationalism, anti-semitism, and the failures of the Weimar government

The First World War officially ended on 11th November 1918. On this day the Germans surrendered, and signed an **ARMISTICE** with the Allies (represented by Britain, France and USA). An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting and wait for a **PEACE TREATY** (a legal agreement to end a war) to be drawn up. **The Treaty of Versailles** became the model for the [|four other treaties] with the defeated nations. Each treaty is named after a different place in Paris.

=Background= When the Germans signed the armistice, they believed that the peace treaty which would follow would be based on [|Woodrow Wilson’s 14 Points]. Wilson was the President of the USA, and his 14 Points were designed to treat Germany in a fair and democratic way. However, the other two Allied leaders, George Clemenceau of France, and David Lloyd George of Britain, had other ideas.


 * ===**Wilson had devised a 14 point plan that he believed would bring stability to Europe.**=== ||
 * ======**Open Diplomacy** - There should be no secret treaties between powers======

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**Freedom of Navigation** - Seas should be free in both peace and war======

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**Free Trade** - The barriers to trade between countries such as custom duties should be removed======

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**Multilateral Disarmament** - All countries should reduce their armed forces to the lowest possible levels======

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**Colonies** - People in European colonies should have a say in their future======

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**Russia** - Russia should be allowed to operate whatever government it wanted and that government should be accepted, supported and welcomed======

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**Belgium** - Belgium should be evacuated and restored to the situation before the war======

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**France** - should have Alsace-Lorraine and any lands taken away during the war restored======

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**Italy** - The Italian border should be readjusted according to nationality======

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**National Self -Determination** - The national groups in Europe should, wherever possible, be given their independence======

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**Romania, Montenegro and Serbia** - Should be evacuated and Serbia should have an outlet to the sea======

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**Turkey** - The people of Turkey should have a say in their future======

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**Poland** - Poland should become an independent state with an outlet to the sea======

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**League of Nations** - An assembly of all nations should be formed to protect world peace in the future====== || Clemenceau of France wanted Germany punished severely for her crimes, and made so weak that she could never make war again. Lloyd George was fearful however that a harsh treaty could lead to another war in future. The British public disagreed. They felt the same as Clemenceau, that Germany should be punished harshly for the damage that she had caused during war. In the end Lloyd George bowed to public opinion and agreed with many of the demands of France (although in some cases, such as reparations, in a watered down form). **Wilson’s 14 Points were not put into practice**, and Germany was forced to agree to the terms of a treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, drawn up by the Allies.

**What did the Big Three want out of a treaty?**
media type="file" key="What the Big Three Wanted .mov" width="774" height="774" Linked to the "Big Three" was **Italy** led by **Vittorio **Orlando. He was frequently left on the sidelines when the important negotiations took place but was there to discuss how Germany was to be made to pay for the damage they had caused through World War I.

Powerpoint of quicktime file above if you can't view it:

On 28th June 1919, German government officials were forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles. If they refused then Germany would face invasion. It was signed in the Palace of Versailles, near Paris. The German government did not want to sign the treaty because it was so harsh. They hated the fact that they had had no say in the Treaty negotiations, so they called it the DIKTAT, the ‘dictated peace’.

When the German public got to hear about the treaty they simply could not believe that their government had signed it. The public didn’t understand, or could not believe, that the new government had no say during the negotiations. They felt the government had let them down badly, so many Germans referred to it as ‘THE STAB IN THE BACK’. The government had ended the war and given in to ally demands without a fight – surely the German Army could have fought on and eventually won the war! It was felt that the treaty dishonoured the soldiers and that the government had betrayed the people of Germany. In truth, many Germans never forgave the Weimar government for signing the treaty, and often referred to Weimar politicians as ‘THE NOVEMBER CRIMINALS’.

** Why did the Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles so much? **
This is important to understand, because the way that the Germans reacted to the signing of the Treaty was a major factor in Hitler’s rise to power.

In order to understand why the Germans hated the Treaty so much, we need to take a closer look at what some of the clauses within the treaty said.


 * 1) **Germany had to accept total responsibility for starting the war.** This was called the ‘War Guilt Clause’, or Article 231.
 * 2) **Germany had to pay £6,600 million to the Allies to cover the damage it had caused during the war.** This was a form of compensation known as reparations.
 * 3) **Germany had to hand over 70,000 square kilometres of land to the Allies.** The allies shared this land out amongst countries within Europe. For example, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France (the Germans had taken it off France in 1871), West Prussia and Posen were given to Poland, and Eupen and Malmedy were given to Belgium. This was supposed to make Germany weaker, and make other European countries stronger. This would help to prevent Germany invading its neighbours within Europe in future years.
 * 4) **Germany had to hand over all its colonies to the Allies.** Colonies are areas of land that are governed by a Parent State although they are outside of that state – they are abroad. Germany’s colonial Empire amounted to about one million square miles. One of the largest areas to be taken from Germany was in Africa. The Union of South Africa administered German South-West Africa. Britain, France and Belgium divided up the rest of the African land governed by Germany.
 * 5) **The German armed forces were to be reduced greatly.** The Reichwehr (Army) were only allowed 100,000 men, and were not allowed to use conscription (forcing ordinary men to join the army for a period of time). The Navy was limited to 15,000 sailors.
 * 6) **The German navy had to be reduced greatly**. They were only allowed to keep 6 battle ships. They were only allowed 15,000 men.
 * 7) **The use and production of weaponry was limited.**
 * 8) **The Germans were not allowed an airforce or any submarines.** The Navy was only allowed six battleships and the buying of any further war materials was banned.
 * 9) **The Rhineland had to be occupied by Allied troops.** This area bordered France and was meant to give the French greater security. The occupation was to last for fifteen years and no German troops were to be allowed into the area.

==Click on the image to link to the the revision site of history teacher/author John D Clare (this is a great resource so use it freely). Note the power point on the interpretation of this cartoon. This is the model we will follow for such documents.==
 * 1) Look over the document and identify what you see (note images and any text including any background information you might be given such as the publishing date or the author/artist)
 * 2) Identify the Denotation of what you see
 * 3) Identify the Connotation of what you see
 * 4) Use what you have identified to interpret the document and present its meaning or message.

Follow the model presented above and explain the meaning of the cartoon below. Post you analysis in your classes discussion section.


The cartoon was created in 1920 by Will Dyson (b. Australia 1880) for the Daily Herald, a left wing newspaper in England. It was titled "Peace and future cannon fodder". There is a small child with a copy of the Treaty behind them. Above the child's head is a comment "1940 class". The leaders of the nations at Versailles (who are they?) are seen walking past, and there is a caption: "The Tiger: Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping!"

=Reading resource:=

=Vocabulary:=
 * The Treaty of Versailles** – Made at the end of World War I to dictate the Consequences that Germany would have to face. This includes
 * War Guilt Clause** – The clause which said Germany had to accept total responsibility for World War I. Also known as Article 231.
 * Armistice** – An agreement to stop a conflict (fighting)
 * Demilitarize** – To remove armed forces from an area
 * Disarmament** – To reduce the size of your armed forces
 * Self-determination** – The right of a nation or people to decide its own form of government without outside interference
 * Democracy** – Decisions are made by an elected government chosen by the people. Individual people’s rights are protected
 * Diktat** – A German phrase which means Dictated Peace
 * Occupy/Occupation** – To take possession of (or seize) something
 * Reparations** – Payments (compensation) made to those countries that were victorious during World War One by those countries which lost
 * Republic** – A country which does not have a monarchy. An elected President is the head of state
 * Shell-Shock** – a term used during the First World War to describe the psychological trauma suffered by men serving on the war's key battlefronts.
 * Weimar** – The name given to the new German Government that was set up after World War I.

= = =Other Resources:= (Thanks to Viviane) //Another common reaction, of the Germans, towards the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.//
 * Another image to think about and the propaganda implied...**

Its title is 'Lost - but not forgotten land'.
==== The image is of a German postcard, produced about the time of the Treaty of Versailles, showing the land where Germans lived. The areas in red are the lands given to other countries by the Treaty of Versailles, (including the land lost by Austria). ====