The Peace Treaties

1. The Peace Treaties Flawed peace or the best possible at the time?

2. Problems How to: • Establish stable international order • Respond to national aspirations while not ignoring strategic considerations, claims based on history and promises made by allies • Provide security for France • Prevent resurgence of German militarism • Compensate victors for damage suffered

3. Negotiating the peace (1919-20) Massive conference: • 32 countries present, • Dominated by great powers: • US, UK, France, Italy, Japan • Exclusion of Germany • Absence of neutrals • Absence of the Soviet Union • Multiple negotiations underway: • Discussion of principles • Expert committees • Separate treaties concluded

4. The protagonists and their goals • Woodrow Wilson (U.S.) -- idealist who wanted to • Make the world safe for democracy • Establish a new international order– via League of Nations • David Lloyd George (Great Britain) • Interest in restoring Britain’s global position • Georges Clemenceau( France) -- a realist • Aging cynic/ French nationalist • Interest in security for France • Reparations • Orlando - Italy • Interest in territorial gains • Japan – interest in replacing Germany in China

5. Wilson’s Fourteen Points (January 1918) • Open covenants openly arrived at • Freedom of the seas • Elimination of trade barriers • Arms reduction • Evacuation of occupied territories • National self determination for diverse peoples: • Return Alsace Lorraine to France • Re-establish Poland • Self-determination for nationalities within Austria-Hungary, Ottoman empire • An international organization to keep the peace (League of Nations)

6. Treaty of Versailles -I • Negotiated by Britain, France, US • Imposed on Germany as diktat • Limitations on military • Dissolution of general staff • Volunteer army, max. 100,000, no tanks, armoured vehicles… • Severe limits on navy: max 6 battleships, 20 smaller ships, no submarines • Surrender of merchant fleet • Rhineland to be occupied for 15 years • Including demilitarized zone, 50 km from the river • Presumption of German guilt • Reparations (amounts to be determined by separate Commission) to be paid for all losses and damages as a result of the war

7. Treaty of Versailles - II Territorial changes (net loss: 15%) • Alsace Lorraine given back to France • Saar under French jurisdiction for 15 years • Boundary changes with Denmark, Belgium • Cede territory to map • Czechoslovakia • Poland • Danzig (Gdansk) as Free City in Polish corridor to sea • separates East Prussia from the rest of Germany • Loss of colonies (administered as mandates under League of Nations)

8. Austria Treaty of St. Germain http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/maptext_n2/ww_1.html • Cedes territory to Italy, Poland Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia map • Union with Germany forbidden • Reparations demanded • Limits on armed forces • Austria left as a truncated republic, divided between Socialists & Catholics • Substantial German populations remain within Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland)

9. Hungary Treaty of Trianon • Cedes territory to Romania, Serbia • In process loses map • 2/3 of pre-WW I territory • 1/3 of its former population incorporated into neighbouring states http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/maptext_n2/ww_1.html

10. Successor states • Independent countries created, ostensibly embodying principle of self-determination map • Poland • Czechoslovakia • Yugoslavia • Romania • Baltic states http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/maptext_n2/ww_1.html

11. Turkey • Loses territory under Treaty of Sevres • Rejects, fights back under Ataturk • Defeats Greek invasion of Smyrna • Treaty revised in light of changing geo-political situation • Populations exchanged • Ataturk & others build a secular homogeneous state – • Accusations of genocide & ‘ethnic cleansing’ • Armenia • Kurds

12. Problems with the peace • The League of Nations created, given tasks but not fully empowered • Lacks means to carry out tasks • Presumption that democracies would keep the peace • US fails to ratify Versailles or join the League • Colonies and possessions parcelled out as mandates with arbitrary boundaries (e.g. Iraq)

13. Aggrieved parties: • France feels inadequately protected • Anglo-American guarantees, but… • US not involved, Britain reluctant • France instead becomes guarantor of countries surrounding Germany • Italy • fails to gain objectives • feels hard done by

14. Minorities • Self-determination for some • Plebiscites to determine placement of some disputed areas: e.g. Schleswig Holstein • But other minorities’ aspirations neither protected nor recognized • Slovaks • Croats • Ethnic Germans outside Germany (including Austria) • Hungarians • Kurds

15. States created or recreated Few are able to build or sustain liberal democracy • Among successor states, only Czechoslovakia sustains democracy throughout the period • However, Slovaks anything but happy • Austria – deeply divided • Hungary • Revolution quelled, ends up with authoritarian regime (Horthy regency) • Italy • Poland

16. Germany • Peace seen as imposed & harsh both by • New regime (Socialists and Catholics) • Supporters of older order • Germany weakened, but • neither entirely • nor permanently • Reject war guilt clause • Reluctant to acknowledge defeat

17. Bottom line: • Did the peace treaties • Provide security? • Make the world safe for democracy? Was it • The best possible solution at the time? or • A flawed peace?