Treaty Of Versailles Essay, Research Paper

Before the First World War had finished, the basis for the early phases

of another universe war was get downing to take topographic point in Germany. By the terminal of

World War I, the economic and societal foundation of European society was

shaken. France had lost 20 per centum of its immature to

middle-aged work forces, and Germany had besides lost good over 15 per centum. A Treaty

was being proposed by President Woodrow Wilson in hope to eventually stop the

bloodshed brought on by the first World War.

The winning Allied Powers met in Paris in January 1919 to talk of

peace pacts to eventually stop the annihilating war. President Woodrow Wilson

had drawn up a series of proposals that he hoped would tag the beginning

of a permanent epoch of peace and prosperity. These proposals came to be known

as the Fourteen Points. The first five proposals would assist put general ends

for the postwar and wake. They included the followers:

1. Ending Secret pacts

2. Agring to freedom of the seas

3. Removing economic barriers to merchandise

4. Reducing the size of national ground forcess and naval forcess

5. Adjusting colonial claims with fairness toward the colonial peoples

The 6th through the 13th propositions implied altering national

boundary lines and making new states. Throughout all 14 points, Wilson s

chief thought was self-government ; leting people to make up one’s mind for themselves

under what authorities they wish to populate. Finally, the 14th point in

Wilson Woodrow s proposals was a general association of states, made to

protect great and little provinces likewise. This was Wilson s most of import

point of all. His program was for an organisation that would maintain peace by

promoting its members to work out jobs and struggles through dialogue

alternatively of war. This 14th point finally led up to the formation of the

League of Nations.

The Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian imperiums were eager for the

conciliators to allow them their ain independent states. This posed a

job since many other groups claimed the same lands. There were other

jobs which posed a menace to the full pact. Originally, both France

and Britain had agreed to Wilson s footings of understanding for peace. Now, both

states insisted that Germany wage for the hurting and decease caused by the

war. In add-on to this, Italy had its ain demands. The Allies had lured Italy

into the war by assuring it parts of Austria-Hungary where many Italian

talking people lived. Meanwhile Russia, which had suffered perchance the

greatest losingss of all the Allies, now had a civil war on their custodies and was

non invited to go to the conference.

The pact fell abruptly of a merely and enduring peace which President

Woodrow Wilson had been taking for, these were its footings:

Germany lost 13 per centum of its land, where about 10 per centum of its

people lived. France, Poland, Belgium, and Denmark all received equal

portions of this district ceded to them. In add-on to this, France besides

reclaimed Alsace-Lorraine, which Germany had taken from them in 1871.

France besides won the right to work the rich coal mines of the Saar Basin for

15 old ages. Once the 15 twelvemonth term ended, the people of the Saar part

were to hold the right to rejoin Germany if they so wanted to. Poland

became an independent state one time once more. The new Poland received a big

strip of German land called the Polish Corridor. This strip cut off East

Preussen from the remainder of Germany and gave Poland much needed entree to the

Baltic Sea. The districts in Africa that Germany had one time seized were given

as authorizations to Britain, France, and Japan.

The military limitations were particularly rough on Germany and its

forces. The pact had many clauses made particularly to maintain Germany from

of all time recovering the power they one time had and endangering the peace. The size

of the German ground forces was purely limited. Germany could non fabricate

any more war stuffs. This prohibition included such war machines as pigboats

and aeroplanes. Furthermore, they were non allowed to place any military personnels in

the Rhineland, which was located in western Germany between the Rhine

River and the Gallic boundary line.

Article 231, the war-guilt clause was perchance the most terrible

penalty dealt out by the Treaty of Versailles. This clause placed exclusive

incrimination for World War I on Germany. The consequence was Germany holding to pay

money to counterbalance for the tremendous costs of the war. The concluding amount

Germany was obliged to pay was good over 31 billion dollars, to be

paid over the following 30 old ages. This angered and humiliated the Germans,

bust uping their economic system and doing widespread poorness and wretchedness in a

one time proud state.

The Treaty of Versailles was flawed. It did non turn to all the issues it

needed to in order to procure a permanent peace. Nationalism was a serious

job among the Germans. In fact, the intense pride for their state

drove them frontward to be the adversaries and the chief problem shapers in

W.W.I. Besides, the Treaty compromised the rule of national

self-government, Wilson s chief end in the Fourteen Points and cardinal

proposition to stop W.W.I. In add-on to Germany, other states besides felt

betrayed by the footings of the peace colony. The Allies did so order

rough peace footings to the defeated powers, doing utmost torment and

hatred from Germany. The Germans bitterly resented the pact, and many of

them listened approvingly to politicians, such as Adolf Hitler, who promised

to rupture it up and take Germany one time more down a way of military glorification.

In the terminal, the Treaty finally failed because of the rough penalty

Germany received after losing such an of import war. It was obvious the one time

powerful state would lift up once more out of its resentment with strong patriotism

and get down to try universe conquering one time once more.