From the book by Donald Kagan. The Close of World War One Ludendorff urges negotiation of peace on basis of 14 Points Recommends representative, liberal.

From the book by Donald Kagan

The Close of World War One Ludendorff urges negotiation of peace on basis of 14 Points

Recommends representative, liberal govt. To gain acceptable peace or rally nation against

unacceptable one To place blame on political parties rather than

military leadership U.S. Gen. Pershing – invade Germany to

compel unconditional surrender British PM David Lloyd George – German

surrender denied Allies chance to punish Germany

Foch – seek armistice to prevent Germany from resuming war This was the view that triumphed

Unexpected Defeat German people led to believe that victory

was nearly at hand Russian surrender and early success in new

offensive in the west reinforced belief Military reverses concealed

Outcome different from expectations Many believed Germany had not been

defeated Tricked by enemy and betrayed by some

including pacifists, Jews and Socialists at home The Stab in the Back

The Treaty

Terms drawn up by Big Four Germans and Bolshevik Russians not

present French wanted to weaken Germany

and preserve French political & military “superiority” for security

Wilson’s “Peace Without Victory” abandoned for a dictated peace.

Adulation for Wilson faded along with 14 Pts

Terms France gets Alsace-Lorraine Right to Saar coal mines for 15 years Demilitarized Rhineland

Treaty provided that Britain & US would guarantee aid to France if attacked by Germany

Disarmament of Germany 100,000 troops Major reduction of fleet No warplanes, subs, tanks, heavy artillery,

poison gas Eastern frontier moved west

Loss of land and creation of Polish Corridor

Terms Austria-Hungary dismantled

Republic of Austria and Hungary Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia Russia lost land to independent states of Finland,

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania + a portion of Poland Wilson accepts because of faith in League of

Nations Not international govt. – sovereign states in common

cause Matters submitted to arbitration Refusal to comply would justify economic or military

sanctions Unlikely to be effective without armed forces Germany and USSR excluded from LON

Colonies under LON Covenant Placed under control of one of main Allies as “mandated territories” until independent

Ottoman Empire dismantled Turkey reduced to Constantinople and Asia

Minor Ottoman territories Palestine & Iraq to Britain Syria & Lebanon to France

German colonies in Africa divided among GB, FR & South Af. Pacific possessions to Australia, New Zealand,

Japan

Reparations Germany was willing to pay for damages to

civilian population and property Americans believed that to be acceptable But GB & FR wanted Germany to pay full cost of

war - to cover Allied war debts to US Generally believed that Germany could not

afford it FR – either Germany pays or invites FR

intervention Reparations to be justified by Clause 231 – War

Guilt Germans resented charge – insult to injury Insult to insult – having no choice but to sign Undoing the treaty the focus of later German leaders

Weimar Govt. & Criticism of Treaty Reps of new govt. signed treaty

Social Dems. And Catholic Center party formed backbone of Weimar govt. in Germany until 1933

W. Rep. never overcame stigma of Versailles Churchill thought it would have been better to

establish const. monarchy with Kaiser’s grandson Thought it would have been more respected by

people Legitimacy and patriotism of Weimar govt.

questioned by German people – easy target by opponents

Criticism of Versailles by Allies French thought it failed to provide security for

FR Tied security to British and American help

Many US and British critics complained it did not rise to idealistic principles originally professed Not a peace without victors No end to imperialism Violated self-determination

J. M. Keynes (GB) a harsh critic The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1920) “immoral and unworkable” Would bring economic ruin and war in future

POV that Germany was no more at fault than others is foundation of appeasement

Kagan’s Assessment Many attacks on TofV unjustified Germany neither dismembered or ruined

Reparations could be and were scaled down Until world-wide depression – Germans

recovered a high level of prosperity Paying about 6% of annual national income

Dawes Plan 1924 reduced it to 3.3 and Young Plan 1929 to 2.6% - in fact between 1919-1931 Germany averaged 2%

Kagan cites a source that claims – “On balance, the United States and to a lesser extent the European Allies subsidized Germany during the Weimar era, and not the other way around.”

Kagan’s Assessment cont. German treaties with defeated foes harsher

than Versailles 1871 treaty with FR intended to cripple FR Treatment of Russia at Brest-Litovsk far more severe

TofV not in line with idealism of 14pts New countries contained ethnic minorities

Czechoslovakia contained unhappy German minorities as part of a collection of nationalities that did not get along

Even with the TofV, Germany was largest & most populous nation west of Russia Well-educated, disciplined, skilled people w/ higher

birthrate than France With Russia isolated & Hapsburg & Ottoman Empires

gone – Germany would eventually be stronger than before the war

Kagan’s Assessment cont. Peace treaty inadequate because it rested on a

victory whose reality & legitimacy Germany didn’t admit Not carrying the war into Germany contributed to view So did a war guilt clause

Reparations seemed much worse than they were Increasing Germans’ sense of being mistreated and

strengthening the power of those who opposed the govt.

Hypocritical to proclaim principle of ethnic self-determination then forbid Germans of Austria to join with the German Republic

Supporting French efforts to enforce the peace meant military engagement on the continent “Resisting it in the name of fairness, generosity, and

justice required no such effort and yet preserved a good conscience”

Kagan’s Assessment cont. LON unrealistic – idealist in world unwilling

to abandon national sovereignty LON undermined badly by absence of US No mechanism for settling quarrels nor for

bringing force to bear to maintain peace or prevent aggression

Would work only if countries willing US & GB soon came to resist France’s

efforts at enforcement of TofV TofV neither conciliatory enough to

remove desire for change or harsh enough to prevent future war