Was the Treaty of Versailles a harsh treaty or unwise treaty?

Question

history . Waht does the historians say?

Answer 1

These are the words of Edward House, who was a member of the USA's delegation to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and helped draw up the covenant of the League of Nations

"The bitterness engendered by the war, the hopes raised high in many quarters because of victory, the character of the men having the dominant voices in the making of the Treaty, all had their influence for good or for evil, and were to be reckoned with.

How splendid it would have been had we blazed a new and better trail! However, it is to be doubted whether this could have been done, even if those in authority had so decreed, for the peoples back of them had to be reckoned with. It may be that Wilson might have had the power and influence if he had remained in Washington and kept clear of the Conference. When he stepped from his lofty pedestal and wrangled with representatives of other states upon equal terms, he became as common clay.

To those who are saying that the Treaty is bad and should never have been made and that it will involve Europe in infinite difficulties in its enforcement, I feel like admitting it. But I would also say in reply that empires cannot be shattered and new states raised upon their ruins without disturbance. To create new boundaries is always to create new troubles. The one follows the other. While I should have preferred a different peace, I doubt whether it could have been made, for the ingredients for such a peace as I would have had were lacking at Paris

The same forces that have been at work in the making of this peace would be at work to hinder the enforcement of a different kind of peace, and no one can say with certitude that anything better than has been done could be done at this time. We have had to deal with a situation pregnant with difficulties and one which could be met only by an unselfish and idealistic spirit, which was almost wholly absent and which was too much to expect of men come together at such a time and for such a purpose.

And yet I wish we had taken the other road, even if it were less smooth, both now and afterward, than the one we took. We would at least have gone in the right direction and if those who follow us had made it impossible to go the full length of the journey planned, the responsibility would have rested with them and not with us."

Answer 2

The Treaty was both harsh and unwise. It was harsh, because the Germans suffered economically and many restraints were placed on them, which led to resentment, enabled Hitler to seize the opportunity to be seen as someone who could change Germany into a powerful nation, thus causing ww2. It was unwise, because of such harshness and was no foresight as to how Germany may react many years later. Clemenceau wanted Germany to suffer, because France had suffered through many casualties and wanted Germany to pay for all that it had caused, so there was venegence in there. Britain was the middle ground and Lloyd George didn't want Germany to be embitted by the treaty, thus having the idea of not wanting Germany to have a reason to retaliate in the future. US leader Wilson wanted a treaty that would ensure future peace, but I think the outcome was very harsh and unfair in some respects on Germany. It was obviously unwise due to the rise of Hitler and ww2.

Answer 3

The idea of the Treaty of Versailles was to prevent Europe erupting into war again, and so that Germany had to pay war repatriations to France. It limited teh size of theio army, banned them from having a Navy, totally screwed theior currency & economy.

It was probably unwise, as it gave mental cases like Hitler the leverage he needed to get elected on a footing of national pride & strength - the next thing anyone knew, it was Lebensraum all round and a quick invasion of Poland.

Still, it's a better solution than having the damn yanks just bomb the crap out of the place, which is what would happen these days. It was a case of politics & diplomacy pursued to the Nth degree.

If it had been more dilligently implemented and overseen, and the League of Nations had been half as strong as it was supposed to be, it could have worked, and WW2 could possibly have been prevented. Well, it would probably have happened anyway, but no for a while longer, and for different reasons.

Answer 4

Hindsight is a superb factor and, with the income of this, maximum human beings might say it replaced into harsh and, finally, unwise. international war 2 replaced into probable an prompt effect of the treaty with its requirement for territory concessions and reparation, which of course angered the German human beings as they neither felt to blame for commencing the war, nor did they sense as though that they were overwhelmed. The French, British and individuals ought to no longer agree between them what they actually needed from the treaty and the end result replaced into relatively a mix of the worst factors, particularly than a "peace treaty". possible, notwithstanding, understand the will of the allies for some form of reimbursement from the German usa for the shortcoming of existence and recompense for the massive expenditure in contact.

Answer 5

The harshness was irrelevant.

It was victors justice.germany being the aggressor ,costing the allies millions of lives and billions of pounds was deserving of the consequences.

However,some say the wisdom was questionable.such that germany with its back against the wall felt there was nothing to lose by rearming.

The repairations along with other restrictions of the treaty of versailles were to ensure that germany wouldnt rise again as a threat to europe.Only the apathy and dithering of French and british prewar governments allowed the rearmming of germany .Something that could have been nipped in the bud.

Answer 6

I would say it was both harsh and unwise. It severely crippled the economy of post ww1 Germany it also severely restricted the size and strength of Germany's military at the time leaving it vulnerable to the numerous political factions each fighting for control.

The largest of these factions were The Communists, The Frei Korps consisting of ex military officers who felt betrayed by the government and the threatened by the government and then there was of course the most infamous group of all The National Socialist German Worker's Party who under the leadership of Adolf Hitler overthrew the Government plunging the world into a second war.

Answer 7

The Treaty of Versailles crippled economically and sowed the seeds of the second world war. Inflation was rampant and there were stories of people pushing wheelbarrows full of mark notes just to buy half a dozen eggs. Eventually people began to perceive that Jewish people amongst them still seemed to thrive and became very resentful. The rise of Hitler, who fed this perception whilst promising an end to the nation's ills if he were in power made matters pretty critical.We all know what happened then.

Answer 8

it was very harsh and it broke Germany's economy and it put many restrictions on the country which Hitler was eager to break eventually and when striving for power he used it as his stepping stone by telling the nation that was his intention and when France capitulated he again got his revenge by using the same railway carriage to sign the armistice and photos will show him gloating that the Treaty of Versailles had been avenged finally

Answer 9

Pretty harsh because it crippled Germany economically and more importantly it crippled there pride. Limiting almost everything they do and putting alot of people out of work making record rates of unemployment, And because it was so harsh it built up alot of resentment which meant the start of WWII where by appeasment under Hitler, germany built itsself back up to its forming strength and broke the treaty of versailes, although n-one did anything about it

Answer 10

The treaty's terms created much resentment in Germany, particularly the economically crippling payments to the Allies. It made it easier for Hitler to present himself as a savior for the country.