The Treaty Of Versailles - 2228 Words

Upon signing the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919, then British Prime Minister Lloyd George declared: â€Å"We will have to fight another war in 25 years time, and at three times the cost.† This ominous prediction came true as the controversial peace settlement brought no end to conflict in Europe. The Treaty was described by critics as Carthaginian: a peace so brutal it crushes the defeated side. This was the intention of the Allies, who felt a disabled Germany was the best way to preserve peace. This rationale did not satisfy Germany, who sought to undermine Versailles and succeeded in breaking the Allies’ resolve to enforce the Treaty. Ultimately, the ineffectual peace enabled Nazi ascendancy in the 1920s and 30s. Discontentment with the Weimar government, responsible for signing the Treaty, provided a receptive audience for Hitler s hard-line policies, which were designed specifically to regain German supremacy. The signatories to the Treaty allowed Germany to viol ate successive terms without reprisal, which led inevitably and inexorably to the Second World War. Thus, the real criticism of the Treaty lies in its lack of enforcement. The Treaty’s brutality has been a source of unceasing critical contention. Whilst commentators during the interwar period slammed the Treaty for its vindictive and punishing terms, modern historians claim they could have been far harsher. J.M Keynes, a British economist at the time was the first to use the term ‘Carthaginian peace’ in hisShow MoreRelatedThe Treaty Of Versailles Treaty1188 Words   |  5 Pagesthe defeat of the Central Powers (German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, and the Russian Empire) and the signage of the Versailles Treaty. This treaty along with the League of Nations was created to prevent another global crusade from happening again, but failed and led to World War II, which started only twenty years after the Treaty of Versailles was endorsed. And even with end of the Great War, it was evident that the world would never return to how it once was, four years earlierRead MoreThe Treaty Of The Versailles Treaty Essay1604 Word s   |  7 Pages1.A) Source A believes that the cause of hostilities in poland were the direct result of British actions. The first issue discussed is the unfavorable terms of the Versailles Treaty. Article A states that germany had tried to change some of the harshest policies of the Versailles Treaty however, the British government did not cooperate with their efforts. Additionally the article states that it is British intervention in the domestic policies of poland that prevented a peaceful solution from beingRead MoreThe Treaty Of The Versailles Treaty1861 Words   |  8 PagesWhat responsibility did each of the â€Å"Big Three† have for the failure of the Versailles Treaty to bring peace to Europe? Be sure to discuss what each wanted to accomplish. The treaty of the Versailles was an agreement between France, England and the United states. Its intentions were to prevent a second world war however, it was a total fail. An obvious reason for not being effective could be because not everyone was included in the conference such as Russia, and Central Powers. Instead, Prime ministerRead MoreThe Treaty of Versailles1684 Words   |  7 PagesInvestigation The Treaty of Versailles was created to bring peace between nations after WWI. This investigation will answer the following question: To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles bring peace? In this investigation, the extent of the Versailles Treaty’s success will be evaluated by examining the period of its development, 1918, to the rise of Hitler, 1933. Several sources were used in this investigation including a number of books that look at the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and the reactionsRead MoreTreaty of Versailles1349 Words   |  6 PagesThe Treaty of Versailles was intended to be a peace agreement between the Allies and the Germans, instead with the harsh end terms for Germany, it created political and economic chaos in Germany. By the end of the First World War, Germany had surrendered and signed a peace agreement. The task of forming a peace agreement was now in the hands of the Allies. In December of 1918, the Allies met in Versailles to start on the peace se ttlement. The main countries and their representatives were: The UnitedRead More Treaty of Versailles1280 Words   |  6 Pages The end of World War I was finalized by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. It was signed by Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan but not the United States, as the U.S. drafted its own treaty with Germany in 1921. Many historians argue that the Treaty of Versailles was the major cause of World War II which occurred twenty years later. On the Treaty’s most superficial level, the extreme punishment and fines that were levied by the Allied Powers on the Germans were causesRead MoreThe Treaty Of Versailles In Germany : The Causes Of The Treaty Of Versailles751 Words   |  4 PagesA treaty that was designed to end all wars actually ended up setting the stage for the worst one that the world has ever seen. The newly formed German democratic government saw the Versailles Treaty as a â€Å"dictated peace† (Diktat). The peac e treaty did not ultimately help to settle the international disputes which had initiated World War I; on the contrary, the treaty exposed the underlying issues which had caused the war in the first place. Hitler was able to gain a foothold in German society andRead MoreTreaty of Versailles1324 Words   |  6 PagesTreaty of Versailles Essay One of the most important documents ever, The Treaty of Versailles was proposed to be a peace settlement between the victorious Allies and the defeated Germans at the outcome of World War I. The document was a major disaster and did not serve any of the purposes it was drawn for. The harsh provisions of the treaty along with its unfair orders to Germany led to the worlds most horrific leader come to power and also set the platform for another war. The treaty became aRead MoreThe Treaty of Versailles1055 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference The Treaty of Versailles was formally drafted and World War I was finally brought to an end. The treaty was drafted by the Allied Powers, which consisted of Great Britain, France and the United States. This treaty blamed the war solely on Germany, and it required them to pay an amount of â€Å"$33 billion dollars in reparations, cede all of colonies, dismantle their air force, and greatly reduce their other military operat ions†(German Delegation, 291). The GermanRead MoreSignificance Of The Treaty Of Versailles1514 Words   |  7 PagesMadison Welzbacher September 19, 2014 World History Significance of the Treaty of Versailles World War I was a devastating war that had a long-lasting effect on every European country. After the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife by the hands of a Serbian terrorist group known as the Black Hand. Germany urged Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia, but Russia stepped up to protect the country. Germany ambushed Belgium, and proceeded to Russia, throwing Great