Germany lost a lot of territory. For example, she lost control over the Saar, an imperative part of her economy, as it was an industrial area consisting of coal fields. The Saar was to be controlled by the Allies for fifteen years and then a plebiscite was to be held. This was unfair because it was a significant blow to Germany’s finance. On the other hand, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France. This act can be justified, due to the fact that this area had been seized from France by Germany during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Thus, it was reasonable because France was only being returned what was rightfully hers. Germany also lost West Prussia and Posen, the ‘Polish Corridor’ to Poland. The majority of people in Alsace-Lorraine and the Polish Corridor were French or Polish speakers, and thus their preferences were to return to their native countries. However, handing the Corridor to Poland meant that East Prussia was cut off from the rest of Germany, and thus German-speakers were separated. This division enraged those who had friends, family or acquaintances in East Prussia.
Juxtaposed with the loss of Germany’s territories were the loss of her overseas empire. Former colonies became mandates run by the French and British. Germany and Britain were both imperialistic, and had often disputed over the size of their empire. Hence, Germany was outraged that, whilst her empire was no longer in existence, Britain’s empire was expanding. This is seen as unjust by most, as Britain was thriving on Germany’s losses.
Perhaps the severest term of the peace settlement was the ‘reparations’ clause. Without consulting her, the Allies agreed to have Germany compensate France with £6.6 billion in reparations- a colossal amount that she could not afford. Her economy was already crippled; people did not have enough food or drink, and many were homeless. Furthermore, because she no longer controlled the Saarland or her overseas empires to support her finance, it was inequitable for the Allies to demand such ludicrous amounts of money. However, perhaps there were some justifications for Clemenceau’s wish for such a large amount. It must be considered that France had been ravaged by four years of war; her industrial and residential areas wrecked and her landscape reduced to debris.
Along with the Treaty of Versailles, four other treaties were created. The Treaty of St. Germain-this dealt with Austria-was formed in 1919. It proclaimed that Austria and Hungary would now be separate nations; this was to the joy of many. It forbade a union between Germany and Austria; this was not justified, because there were German speakers in Austria. Several Austrian territories were handed to the new states of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, as well as to other countries. Austrian peoples were unsatisfied about leaving their homeland without consultation. This treaty, although not extremely harsh, bore severe economic sufferings on Austria. This is because Austria and Hungary, along with other former territories, had constructed a single economic unit. After the Treaty of St. Germain, road, rail and river links were broken up and cut off from their suppliers and markets, thus weakening her financial supplies.
The Treaty of Neuilly dealt with Bulgaria. Because she played a relatively small role in the war, she was treated with more relent than her allies. She had to pay reparations and had her armed forces limited to twenty thousand. However, she lost her access to the Mediterranean Sea, which was perceived by many as unfair. Bulgaria also lost land to Greece, Romania and the new state of Yugoslavia.
Like the Treaty of St. Germain, the Treaty of Trianon, dealing with Hungary, mainly focused on the transfer of territories. A significant amount of her population and land were lost; three million Hungarians were made to live in other states. This can be considered as wrong; the Hungarians were justifiably dismayed at leaving their native land. As with Austria, Hungary’s economy suffered. The lack of raw materials crippled their industries, as did the lack of the population. Thus, this treaty is generally portrayed as being undue.
The last of the other peace settlements was the Treaty of Sèvres. Arranged in 1920, it dealt with Turkey. It shattered her empire, forcing the Turks to formally accept that many of their colonies were either independent, or under British or French protection. Iraq, Jordan and Palestine became British mandates, and Syria and Lebanon became French mandates. Whilst Turks were livid, the peoples in the colonies were ecstatic to break free of the iron regime that they had been enduring. They felt this treaty was moderate towards them. On the other hand, the motives of Britain and France for taking over the former Turkish Empire could have been questioned. Arab populations who had come to Britain’s aid during the war were rewarded little, and so felt that the British could have been more evenhanded with them.
There were several positive outcomes of the peace settlements after World War One. The most significant one was the establishment of the League of Nations. This was the first-ever world organization of its kind; it aimed to discourage aggression for any nation, to encourage nations to disarm, and to improve the general working and living conditions of people. Britain, France, Italy and Japan were permanent members of the League. Surprisingly, USA was not involved in the League, although it was Woodrow Wilson who preliminarily mentioned such an organization in his ‘Fourteen Points.’ However, Germany was not invited to any meetings of the League, and therefore this incensed her.
Other positive outcomes of the treaties include the self-determination of several countries, once again initiated by Wilson. The dreams of peoples who had been part of former empires finally came true; they gained independence. For example, the Czechs were overjoyed to finally be liberated, free from the clutches of the former Austrian Empire. The new state of Czechoslovakia was especially significant because it was created by the Allies for the future security of Europe.
Although the Treaty of Versailles is usually depicted as relentless, it must be taken into account how challenging it was for Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson to create an impartial treaty whilst meeting public demand for revenge. In conclusion, it is evident that the peace settlements after World War One can be perceived as both just and unjust.
