To what extent do you agree that the Treaty of Versailles 1919 was fair and just?

To a less extent I agree that the Treaty of Versailles 1919 was fair and just.
Firstly, I will define what is fair and just. For me, "Fair" is defined as free from bias and proper under rules. And "Just" is defined as what guided by truth or reason, punish and award rightly ,done or made according to principle.

For the Treaty of Versailles, some people argue that some of the territorial arrangement was fair and just. And which I partly agree with their statement.

Here are the treaties about the territorial arrangement.
First, Germany had to returned Alsace Lorraine to France. It's fair and just. Alsace and Lorraine were former lands of France which were owned by France before the lost of Franco Prussian War. Its reasonable for Germany to returned things not belonged to her.

Second, those territories that Germany gained from Russia were to be returned. Although some of these were made into new independent states later, those territories were belonged to Russia, Germany shouldn't annex them and should returned them to the owner. Therefore, this treaty is fair also.

Third, the colonies in Africa and Pacific were to be surrendered. It seemed to be fair and just. However, here was the problem. The Germany's colonies were not made into independent states. They were administered by the Allies under mandate of the League of Nations.

This treaty is not "just". It biases the Allies. It seemed to be fair for Germany to returned territories not belonged to her, and those territories should be made into independent states. However they were owned by the victorious powers after. Those victorious powers didn't own those lands so do Germany. It's unreasonable for those powers to mandate those colonies.

Forth, the Saar coalfield was given to France for 15 years. Saar ,an important coalfield to Germany. It was clearly unfair and unjust. It biases France. There was no reason for France to owned a land of Germany alone. Although Germany was the defeated power, this was too over for her. Without coal, without raw materials, Germany would not be able to recover. I can see France's revengeful feeling in this treaty. It's not proper and not fair.

Here's the most unreasonable treaty.
Germany has to bear the sole responsibility for causing WWI. It is unreasonable for Germany to bear the war guilt alone. The other powers has responsibility too. Other powers also did join the war. Although some say that Germany was the one who started the war, there were many underlying causes before the war started to be considered.

The alliance system is one of the most important underlying cause. If France, Britain, Russia didn't formed the Triple Alliance. Europe wouldn't be divided into 2 rival camps. powers wouldn't be easily dragged into war, and local conflicts wouldn't become a large scale war like the Sarajevo assassination then became WWI. If no powers allied together, they wouldn't be suspicious and started armament race. Just because the relations between powers were tense, danger of war rose and powers felt unsafe. They started to arm themselves as they fear of becoming weaker than the others. Britain competed with Germany in building dreadnoughts.

From the above, we can see that not only Germany was responsible for causing the war. France, Britain, Russia and their allies did have responsibility too. However, in the following treaties, we can see how selfish and unfair the Allies are.

In limitations of armament, Germany was disarmed. She had to reduce her army to 100000 men and it had abolish conscription and replaced it with voluntary service. Her navy was reduced, only 6 battleships were allowed. She was not allowed to have air force, tanks and submarines. These are all unfair and unreasonable. Germany was unable to protect herself after these. Germen's safety could not be guaranteed. Some argued that it was to prevent her from being strong enough to start another war again as she was too aggressive. The Allies also had the responsibility of causing WWI. It's not fair that the Allies didn't have to disarm while Germany had to. The powers can certainly invade Germany as her army was too weak to protect her national defense. She couldn't even control the number of soldiers just because of conscription was replaced by voluntary service.

Also, Rhineland was demilitarized and Allied troops occupied it for 15 years .It's unfair and unjust. A country has the right to protect and defense her territories. Rhineland shouldn't be demilitarized, no power had the right to force other country not protecting her people. It was Germany's land, Allies biases themselves. Although France said that it was to secure her safety, no one care about Germany's safety, Rhineland was also her national defense

For reparations, Germany had to pay a huge sum of indemnity of 6.6 billion pounds to the Allies to compensate their losses in war. Moreover, Germany had to returned 1 billion pounds before 1921 and the rest made in successive installments over 30 years . Although Germany was the defeated power, this indemnity was way over to her .It was not affordable for her. She suffered alot in the war too, she couldn't even recover herself after losing the colonies and coal field because of the Treaty of Versailles. The Allies also had the responsibility of causing WWI too. The Allies also destruct her, why didn't the Allies pay her the indemnity? It was too harsh and selfish for asking Germany to repay 1 billion within 2 years. There was no way for economic recovery. And yet, Germany would remain weak permanently.

Lastly, Germany was not allowed to unite with Austria .This is not fair as they are both Germen speaking people and they are same race. They have the right to unite together.

In my view, the Treaty of Versailles had never been fair or just. Germany had no say in the whole settlement. The Germans were not given the chance to decide their own future and were very upset about this because it was only the victorious powers that had the right of Self Determination. The Settlement was full of biases to the Allies. There were no rules to follow as there had never been such a large scale of war before. Punishment to Germany was not proper.

To be conclude, although some of the territorial arrangement were fair and just, the remaining treaties like the war guilt clause, reparations, disarmament, territory losses and the fact that they had no say in the peace settlement are unjust and unfair. The treaties biases to the Allies and the punish were too heavy somehow. Rules should be set and every party had to bear their own responsibility of what they have contributed to WWI just to make the treaty to be fair and just.

Therefore, to a less extent I agree that the Treaty of Versailles 1919 was fair and just.