Was the Treaty of Versailles the Best That Could Have Been Achieved Under the Circumstances?
Could the 'Big Three' have done any better, or was the Treaty of Versailles the best that could have been achieved under the circumstances?
The 1919 Treaty of Versailles was made by George Clemenceau, David Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson. They were the World War One leaders of France, Great Britain and America respectively, and after the war, made the Treaty to decide what to do with a defeated Germany. Four years of fighting and losses throughout the First World War made decisions difficult, but overall, the Treaty was the best that could have been achieved under the circumstances. The months of arguing, negotiation and compromise that led to the completed Treaty of Versailles were without Germany. She had not been invited to join in in any of the decisions, and the Treaty was presented to the nation on a 'take-it-or-leave-it' basis. This was because the Big Three were arguing with each other so much, and didn't want to seem weak or divided in front of their enemy. Not only did this anger Germany, but there was nothing she could do about it. If the German government refused to sign the Treaty, the war would restart and it would be impossible for them to win. The German leader Friedrich Ebert had to sign it, or inflict inevitable defeat on his country. It was signed on the 28th June 1919. Part of the Treaty was Wilson's League of Nations; his ideal 'world parliament', to which many of the German's overseas colonies were given to. Germany was not invited to join until it had shown it was a peace loving country, which insulted them greatly. Another of Wilson's ideas was 'self-determination' for people in Eastern Europe; however German people in the newly-created countries of the other post-war treaties, were treated as second-class citizens and ruled by non-Germans. They thought this was unfair and that the Allies were treating them with double standards. This angered Germany, giving her people another reason for revenge. One of the Treaty's other terms
The 1919 Treaty of Versailles was made by George Clemenceau, David Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson. They were the World War One leaders of France, Great Britain and America respectively, and after the war, made the Treaty to decide what to do with a defeated Germany. Four years of fighting and losses throughout the First World War made decisions difficult, but overall, the Treaty was the best that could have been achieved under the circumstances. The months of arguing, negotiation and compromise that led to the completed Treaty of Versailles were without Germany. She had not been invited to join in in any of the decisions, and the Treaty was presented to the nation on a 'take-it-or-leave-it' basis. This was because the Big Three were arguing with each other so much, and didn't want to seem weak or divided in front of their enemy. Not only did this anger Germany, but there was nothing she could do about it. If the German government refused to sign the Treaty, the war would restart and it would be impossible for them to win. The German leader Friedrich Ebert had to sign it, or inflict inevitable defeat on his country. It was signed on the 28th June 1919. Part of the Treaty was Wilson's League of Nations; his ideal 'world parliament', to which many of the German's overseas colonies were given to. Germany was not invited to join until it had shown it was a peace loving country, which insulted them greatly. Another of Wilson's ideas was 'self-determination' for people in Eastern Europe; however German people in the newly-created countries of the other post-war treaties, were treated as second-class citizens and ruled by non-Germans. They thought this was unfair and that the Allies were treating them with double standards. This angered Germany, giving her people another reason for revenge. One of the Treaty's other terms