Why did Germany Lose the War?
- Germany was suffering from a widespread famine as a result of the Allied blockade
- The public was unhappy with the German government over war failures and decisions
- The Americans were continuing to pack armies
The Treaty of versailles
"The big three"
The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919 during the Paris Peace Conference, and marked the end of the First World War. The treaty was negotiated among the Allied powers (with limited contribution from Germany). It assigned financial reparations to Germany, and restated German liability for the war. However, there were disagreements between countries regarding the terms of the treaty. For instance, France was adamant in its decision to severely punish Germany, whereas President Woodrow Wilson of the United States took a more liberal approach in order to attempt to create lasting international peace. Listed below are the themes put forward in the Treaty of Versailles by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
The United States:
The United Kingdom:
France:
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919 during the Paris Peace Conference, and marked the end of the First World War. The treaty was negotiated among the Allied powers (with limited contribution from Germany). It assigned financial reparations to Germany, and restated German liability for the war. However, there were disagreements between countries regarding the terms of the treaty. For instance, France was adamant in its decision to severely punish Germany, whereas President Woodrow Wilson of the United States took a more liberal approach in order to attempt to create lasting international peace. Listed below are the themes put forward in the Treaty of Versailles by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
The United States:
- disbanding of all secret treaties (and more open agreements)
- increased availability of seas to all countries
- removal of customs barrios between countries
- reduction of weapons
- removal of German forces in Russia
- independence of Belgium
- forfeit of Alsace-Lorraine to France
- alteration of the Italian border in order to prevent conflict with Austria
- implementation of a system of self-determination (the right of nations to freely choose their international political status)
- independence of Poland (Poland, along with Serbia, should also be given a coastline)
- formation of an organization concerning international disputes (later titled the "League of Nations")
The United Kingdom:
- reparations payment from Germany (including compensation for widows, orphans, and injured soldiers)
- protection of secret treaties
- naval blockade around Germany
- preservation of a "Balance of Power" (in which no European nation was allowed to become significantly more powerful than others)
- preservation of Britain's naval power (and, as a result, Britain's colonial interests)
- sustained peace for the future
- forfeit of German colonies to Britain
- weakened German military
France:
- control over German factories
- payment of war costs from Germany
- weakened German military (to prevent Germany fro invading France in the future)
- punishment of the German workers involved in the sabotage of coal shipments to France
- protection of secret treaties
- implementation of naval blockades around Germany (this would enable France to control the imports and exports of the country)
- forfeit of Alsace-Lorraine (Germany had previously acquired this territory after winning the Franco-Prussian War)
- distribution of German colonies among victors of the war
Treaty of Versailles Negotiations and Resolutions:
- Germany had to accept full responsibility for the start of the war (in the "war guilt" clause).
- Germany had to pay a fee of 33 billion dollars in war reparations.
- Germany was not allowed to gather an army exceeding 100,000 men. Furthermore, Germany was not allowed any war submarines or air force.
- Germany lost territory: Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France; Germany lost land to Poland. In addition, the industrial region of Rhineland was given to Allied troops.
Other Results of World War I:
- Americans were upset by the extent of the treaty (they believed it to be too harsh towards Germany)
- Italy was upset at not gaining more land
- The Soviet Union (previously Russia) was upset over not being present at Versailles, and over losing land
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up into four independent nations: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia (Yugoslavia was composed of the Slavic countries, such as Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro).
- Austria became a small independent nation.
- Two other treaties: the Treaty of Saint Germain (1919) and the Treaty of Trianon (1919).
- The Ottoman Empire was broken up.
- Palestine, Iraq, and Syria were given to both Britain and France.
- Russia adopted a communist government, and was not invited to Versailles; however, the Allied powers wanted to prevent communism from spreading to western nations. As a result, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania gained independence from Russia (Russia also lost more land to Poland and Romania).
- The League of Nations was formed; however, the United States did not join in order to avoid American involvement in future European wars. Without support from the United States, the League of Nations was not very successful.
- Several nations were angered over the resolutions reached through the Treaty of Versailles:
- Americans were upset by the extent of the treaty (they believed it to be too harsh towards Germany)
- Italy was upset at not gaining more land
- The Soviet Union (previously Russia) was upset over not being present at Versailles, and over losing land
Historiography is the writing of history, or the study of historical writing.
Immediately after the war ended, several Allied historians argued that Germany was entirely responsible for the outbreak of the war. This idea was further promoted by the attribution of 'war guilt' negotiated in the Treaty of Versailles (it was ultimately settled that Germany was solely accountable for World War I). Despite this, during the 1920s, tension between countries towards Germany subsided, and a Revisionist party emerge. Revisionists of the time argued that the war was caused by inexperienced leaders who encouraged nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and alliances - forces that pushed Europe into war. Throughout the 1930s, revisionist histories sought to change the traditional idea (that Germany started the war) by publishing the German official foreign policy documents from before the war.
However, after the Second World War, people returned to the idea that Germany was to blame for both wars, therefore forming an Anti-revisionist party. A prominent anti-revisionist of the 1960s, Fritz Fischer, published his thesis, arguing four main reasons why the war was caused by German forces. He wrote that:
Today, modern studies have revealed that there was a "will to war" among several countries, not only Germany. Many historians argue that Austria-Hungary was also responsible for the war, due to the nation's desire to expand into the Balkans. Others link the start of World War I to the militaristic ambitions of France and Great Britain.
Who started World War I? ("World War One: 10 Interpretations")
Sir Max Hastings, military historian - Germany
Hastings argues that although no one nation deserves to be held entirely responsible for the start of the war, Germany is most deserving of this blame, due to the country's power to stop the progression of war by refusing its Blank Check (unconditional support) with Austria-Hungary. Furthermore, he states that other European nations did not want to go to war in 1914. For example, he reasons, Russia was not economically stable enough to go to war, and knew that a war would disrupt the country's rearmament strategy. Hastings also writes that Germany's initiation of war forced other countries to participate. For instance, Britain joined the war in an attempt to stop Germany from becoming too economically and militarily powerful, which would be a result of its victory.
Sir Richard J. Evans, professor of history at the University of Cambridge - Serbia
Evans directly holds Serbia accountable for the outbreak of World War I. In his opinion, Serbia became 'disruptive' towards other European nations because of the country's nationalism and desire to expand. He argues that these factors ultimately resulted in the activation of the Black Hand terrorists, and, in turn, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (towards which Austria-Hungary was merely 'over-reacting' out of panic).
Immediately after the war ended, several Allied historians argued that Germany was entirely responsible for the outbreak of the war. This idea was further promoted by the attribution of 'war guilt' negotiated in the Treaty of Versailles (it was ultimately settled that Germany was solely accountable for World War I). Despite this, during the 1920s, tension between countries towards Germany subsided, and a Revisionist party emerge. Revisionists of the time argued that the war was caused by inexperienced leaders who encouraged nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and alliances - forces that pushed Europe into war. Throughout the 1930s, revisionist histories sought to change the traditional idea (that Germany started the war) by publishing the German official foreign policy documents from before the war.
However, after the Second World War, people returned to the idea that Germany was to blame for both wars, therefore forming an Anti-revisionist party. A prominent anti-revisionist of the 1960s, Fritz Fischer, published his thesis, arguing four main reasons why the war was caused by German forces. He wrote that:
- the leaders in Germany (particularly Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was apparently 'mentally unstable') had a "will to war"
- member of Germany's government wanted things to escalate into war around 1914
- Germany wanted to expand its empire (and had a plan to execute this expansion)
- there were social and economic factors encouraging Germany to initiate war (around 1914, Germany was an economic powerhouse, arguable one of the most powerful nations in Europe)
Today, modern studies have revealed that there was a "will to war" among several countries, not only Germany. Many historians argue that Austria-Hungary was also responsible for the war, due to the nation's desire to expand into the Balkans. Others link the start of World War I to the militaristic ambitions of France and Great Britain.
Who started World War I? ("World War One: 10 Interpretations")
Sir Max Hastings, military historian - Germany
Hastings argues that although no one nation deserves to be held entirely responsible for the start of the war, Germany is most deserving of this blame, due to the country's power to stop the progression of war by refusing its Blank Check (unconditional support) with Austria-Hungary. Furthermore, he states that other European nations did not want to go to war in 1914. For example, he reasons, Russia was not economically stable enough to go to war, and knew that a war would disrupt the country's rearmament strategy. Hastings also writes that Germany's initiation of war forced other countries to participate. For instance, Britain joined the war in an attempt to stop Germany from becoming too economically and militarily powerful, which would be a result of its victory.
Sir Richard J. Evans, professor of history at the University of Cambridge - Serbia
Evans directly holds Serbia accountable for the outbreak of World War I. In his opinion, Serbia became 'disruptive' towards other European nations because of the country's nationalism and desire to expand. He argues that these factors ultimately resulted in the activation of the Black Hand terrorists, and, in turn, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (towards which Austria-Hungary was merely 'over-reacting' out of panic).