Essay: The significance of the Treaty of Versailles

In order to consider the significance of Treaty of Versailles, we must consider the different ways in which the Treaty of Versailles was significant.  The treaty was primarily significant to/for France and Britain.  The treaty was a moderately significant event. The impact was mainly on Germany.  Over time, the significance of the Treaty of Versailles changed in the following way: Very significant, moderately significant, and not significant in the slightest.
The significance of the Treaty of Versailles can best be assessed when you consider the cause and effects in the short term and in the long term.  Ultimately, the treaty was moderately significant because of the following reasons: It kept Germany in check all the way to 1926-27 and then started to lose its grasp on the ever-growing power of Germany. In 1932, it finally let go, and that is when things started to get out of control. This is when Hitler and the Nazis started their rise in Germany. In 1935, Hitler formally abolished it, and Germany did not have to deal with it anymore.
The Treaty of Versailles meant different things to different groups of people.  For all of Germany’s surrounding countries, it was a very significant event during 1919-1931, because it kept Germany in check and made sure that she would not do anything while in the treaty. This kept the surrounding countries feel safe and stronger, giving their citizens hope, and getting rid of their fear for Germany so they can live to fight another day. For Germany, on the other hand, it was very significant during 1919-1931, because it kept them from doing what they wanted, and they had trouble getting anything from neighboring countries, putting their citizens into hospitals and under care for dehydration and starvation. Ultimately, the treaty had a greater impact on the neighboring countries of Germany during 1919-1931 because it had given them something to believe in, and had given them hope. They would live to fight another day. This hope came in handy for WWII, and without it the war would have been over a lot faster, possibly with a different winner.
I think that the Treaty of Versailles was a demeaning, yet meticulous, treaty. They did deserve that harsh of a punishment, because had been to prove a point. The treaty basically showed that Germany was weak without an army and could not stand on its own without the support of other countries. The treaty let people in Germany die of malnourishment and did not even give a second glance.
I believe that without the Treaty of Versailles that Germany could have gone in a whole different direction. One with war and destruction wrought all through the city. It would have been a terrible future for Germany and could have led to a WWII even sooner than expected. They could have immediately rallied up troops for another war and gone straight back to the war front. This would have been an extremely bad thing, which is why I think the Treaty of Versailles was created.
The 14 points of the Treaty of Versailles were:
Open diplomacy- No private treaties, all treaties must be in the open.
Freedom of the Seas- Free sailing, even in war, same as peace.
Removal of economic barriers-The removal of economic barriers and the making of equal trade conditions through all nations.
Reduction of Armaments- Armaments reduced to the lowest point, while keeping domestic safety.
Adjustment of colonial claims- An open-minded adjustment to all colonies, and that the population have to have an equal opinion with the government.
Conquered territories in Russia- Russia will to get all her land back that was taken in the war, and will be forgiven by her sister countries.
Preservation of Belgian sovereignty- Belgium will be evacuated and made new, without any limitations.
Restoration of French territory- France will be re-built, Alsace-Lorraine will be righted, because it unsettled world peace for 50 years.
Redrawing of Italian frontiers- Her lines should be clearly recognizable lines of nationality.
Division of Austria-Hungary- They want the people safeguarded and free, and shall see to it being done.
Redrawing of Balkan boundaries- Occupied territories restored, countries evacuated, friendly counsel with new lines of allegiance and nationality.
Limitations on Turkey- “The Turkish portions of the present Ottoman Empire should be assured a secure sovereignty, but the other nationalities which are now under Turkish rule should be assured an undoubted security of life and an absolutely unmolested opportunity of autonomous development, and the Dardanelles should be permanently opened as a free passage to the ships and commerce of all nations under international guarantees.”
u-s-history.com/thefourteenpoints
Establishment of an Independent Poland- This is what it means. They wanted to make Poland an independent country with its own laws, and not make it have to be part of another country. It came with freedom of the seas and everything else that a nation gets.
Association of nations- The LON was to be formed, and all the big dog countries were to join.
The allies of the United Stated agreed to these conditions, but only if Wilson would meet their two reservations.
1- The delegates would not be committed to accepting a provision guaranteeing freedom of the seas, this was demanded by Britain.
u-s-history.com/thefourteenpoints
2- The provision having to do with German evacuation from French territory be interpreted to allow for the collection of compensation for civilian damages incurred in the war, this was insisted by France. u-s-history.com/thefourteenpoints
“Allied governments paid lip service to the Fourteen Points while the fighting continued. Those nations needed American financial might to assist in their rebuilding after the war and did not want to risk offending Wilson. There was some fear in Europe the United States might seek a separate peace with Germany, freeing that nation to continue the fight without the presence of American forces.”
u-s-history.com/thefourteenpoints
They had already taken lots of her land, and still they were making a big impact. They had taking Danzig, and made it a free country, and Danzig was a huge coal city, which made Germany very weak. They had taken Alsace-Lorraine from Germany and given it back to France, which and been taken by Germany by force nearly 40 years earlier.
The Treaty of Versailles caused many people to lose jobs, and go hungry. It was like a dark ages in Germany. But, just like any other strong country, they made a come back. They elected Gustav Stresseman, and he did a lot for them. Stresseman gave Germany her legs back. Stresseman was able to get their economy back up to normal by taking a loan from America. Stressman got rid of some (if not most) of the sanctions that were placed on Germany, and brought her into a Golden Age. Germany’s industry was blowing up and rising more and more by the second. She was getting her legs back and was growing at an incredible rate. She was getting stronger and would soon be back to where she was when WWII happened. There was one thing preventing her from that though, this being the Treaty of Versailles.
When Hitler came into an important role in the government, he used his influence to convince the people of Germany that the Nazi party was not a bad thing, and that they should put some consideration into it. He tried running for President in the late 20’s but lost to Heisenburg, and had to wait until something happened to him. Now, there is some conspiracies that he got one of his lieutenants to kill him so that the Nazi’s could rise up, and I agree with these because there is no way he got that lucky. By the time Hitler became president, most of the people in Germany had come to terms with the Nazi’s. They were okay with it when he took the Nazi Party into the Government and made them the new republic. Little did they know that he was trying to get rid of all of the Jews and take over the world.
As Hitler gained more and more popularity as a President, he started to involve the Nazi’s more and more, and started with his plans. First, he abolished the Treaty of Versailles. This made Germany basically love him, and they were jumping when they found out it was gone. Then Hitler slowly and quietly started to “get rid” of all the Jews. He started slow but then as he gained more power, the clearer his plans became. He was turning into an insane dictator, and he didn’t care if people knew because he had a whole army behind him.
I think if Wilson would have been a little harsher to Germany with his points, then Germany might not have been able to have this rise, and the Treaty of Versailles could possibly still be in effect to this day. With a stronger Treaty, then Hitler wouldn’t have been able to do all of this bad stuff, and Stresseman probably wouldn’t have been able to help Germany get back on it’s feet.