Was the Treaty of Versailles Just?

In 1919 the mood between France and Germany was very bad. The French wanted to get everything they could out of Germany. They felt that it was Germany who had started the war and therefore it was Germany that should pay for everything. The French minister Geddes had referred to it as “squeezing lemons” because he wanted to squeeze Germany for everything they had. The reason he felt like this was that after the last War, the Germans had treated France just as badly so he wanted to do to them what they had done to France. He also knew that if the Germans had won then they would have demanded just as much money.

At this time the big three were Clemenceau, the French Prime Minister, Lloyd George, the English Prime Minister, and Wilson, the American President. Clemenceau was a cynic and believed that they should make Germany pay for everything they had done. His main aim was to establish a buffer state in the Rhineland, which would give him a natural defence line if the Germans tried to attack. Lloyd George was a realist who believed that they should not make Germany pay too much because someday if Germany re-built their Armies then they would want revenge. However in public he wanted to show that he wanted a ‘Hard Treaty’ that would make Germany pay. Wilson was an idealist that believed he could make the world perfect. He agreed with Lloyd George. His main aims were to use the principle of national self-determination, and create a League of Nations. Each leader however could not get what he wanted so the treaty was decided to suit all.

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The first rule was that there was to be a League of Nations set up but Germany was not allowed in. This pleased Wilson. The next rule was that Germany had to lose some of its territory. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, which pleased Clemenceau, the Polish Corridor was decided to be a free city, which pleased Clemenceau and Germany, lost all its colonies, which pleased Lloyd George. Germany also had to admit to starting the War and had to agree to pay reparations. This pleased all of the Big Three. However no figure was set until 1921. There were also Military limitations. Armies were limited to 100,000, the Navy was limited, no submarines were allowed (this displeased Lloyd George because Britain had the biggest and strongest navy), no air force and the Rhineland was to be permanently demilitarised and occupied by the Allies for fifteen years. Clemenceau was not happy with this because he did not get what he wanted. The final rule was that Germany was to have no union (Anschluss) with Austria.

Germany’s reaction to the treaty was horrified and bitter. They thought it was unfair because they felt that they had not caused the war and thought that it was the French with encirclement that they had not even lost the war. They felt bad about disarmament, the loss of territory and not being allowed into the League of Nations. They also felt that they could not pay reparations. However bad Germany thought the treaty was though they could not turn it down because French, British and American troops were waiting on the border and could invade Germany because the German armies had demobilised. The future for Germany looked very bad.

France’s reaction to the treaty was that they felt cheated by the USA and Britain because they had failed to get the Rhineland as a buffer state and to get full reparations including military costs. He had also failed to get a Treaty of Guarantee from Britain and the USA, which Wilson had promised him. The reason it had failed was that in order for it to happen, two thirds of the US Senate had to vote for it. However by this time the USA had turned to isolationism and now believed that what other countries did was their own business. Now that the USA had said no to the Treaty of Guarantee, Britain now said that they had only agreed to join if the USA was in. France was now deeply annoyed and thought that if Germany ever recovered then Germany’s 60 million against France’s 40 million looked bad.

Britain’s reaction to the treaty was that they were happy. They did not feel threatened by Germany and they had acquired German colonies. Britain did not feel anything against Germany and thought that someday Britain and Germany would be friends.

The USA’s reaction was that they felt that the treaty was harsh and unjust although they believed that Germany should be punished. They were happy about the League of Nations but then the Senate changed to isolationism and rejected it.

Overall Britain was the only country that was truly happy with the treaty. Germany thought it was too harsh. France thought it wasn’t harsh enough and Wilson thought it was too harsh but didn’t get the League of Nations he wanted so much. The rest of the USA didn’t really care because they had turned to isolationism.

Was the Treaty of Versailles Just?

This is a preview of the whole essay

Britain’s reaction to the treaty was that they were happy. They did not feel threatened by Germany and they had acquired German colonies. Britain did not feel anything against Germany and thought that someday Britain and Germany would be friends.

The USA’s reaction was that they felt that the treaty was harsh and unjust although they believed that Germany should be punished. They were happy about the League of Nations but then the Senate changed to isolationism and rejected it.

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