Was the Treaty of Versailles successful?

Answer 1

Ferdinand Foch said: "This [the treaty signed at Versailles in 1919] is not a peace treaty, it is an armistice for twenty years," and he was right. The Treaty of Versailles was not successful, because it didn't secure peace in Europe. From 1933 on, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Regime started preparations for the next war.

Some aspects of the treaty could be considered a success, however other aspects were failures. One success was the creation of the League of Nations (although Germany couldn't join, Russia did, but eventually was removed and the U.S. never joined at all, so it was merely a League of Allies), which still paved the way for diplomacy over war mongering. In addition, the principle of Self Determination first instigated in Wilson's 14 point plan was present in the treaty of Versailles motivations. This had varying success or failure, as while it gave rise to some new states giving some the national identity they desired, it redrew the borders of Europe ripping out the national identity from others who effectively changed nationality overnight. It was successful to an extent to Britain and France whom were paid reparations. It failed however in many other aspects. Germany's economy crashed and the country fell into hyper inflation, this negatively affected all of Europe as the economies of all countries were linked due to the levels of production and trade that could occur. In addition, evidence for the failure of the Versailles treaty is present due to the existence of later deals that altered the terms of Versailles, rectifying some flaws. The Dawes plan by an American Charles Dawes provided Germany with a loan to ease hyperinflation and pay reparations. The Locarno Pact between Germany Britain and France allowed Germany to join the League of Nations and eased the reparations. Finally the Kellog-Briand treaty was signed by countries in order to prevent the outbreak of another world war (long term this obviously failed).

The overall state of success or failure at Versailles is open to interpretation and has many different factors at play, however from an argumentative essay writer's point of view, the idea that it failed is far easier to support, especially as in 1929 the Great Depression occurred (arguably due to post-war economic collapse) and the second world war also occurred after the rise of Hitler.

It stopped the war, but it was so onerous on the Germans that they rearmed and went to war again later. So arguably it was not successful. The motto to be learned is don't treat the vanquished too harshly or they will only get up again from under the yoke.

A Different TakeThe Treaty of Versailles cemented the inevitability of World War II, or at least something like it. Primarily at the insistence of the French and Belgians -- on whose land much of the first war had been fought, and which nations suffered a disproportionate share of the war's damage -- the treaty attempted to render Austria and Hungary (previously the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and most especially Germany powerless and demanded that Germany pay reparations (money for damage caused by the War) as punishment for instigating the first war. The Treaty allowed Germany only limited troop strengths and NO air force whatsoever. Germany's primary industrial centers were occupied by the Allies and manufactures that could be used to wage war were prohibited. The reparations literally ruined the Germany economy. The French especially made no effort to hide the fact that they intended to so cripple Germany that it would be forever unable to even defend itself, much less wage war. The disintegration of the Weimar Republic and the rise of a strongly nationalistic party such as the Nazis were inevitable results of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Let it be said in the end that zealotry breeds zealotry, so equal to France and Belgium's thirst for retribution was Germany's desire for revenge.

The following should also be considered, especially in regard to whether or not WWII was inevitable:

A. Up until 1938 or even later than that, England & France had the military power to enforce the "Treaty";

B. Instead, England and France allowed Germany to basically void the Treaty at every chance they had;

C. Alfred Jodl testified at the Nuremberg trials that Hitler's secret orders to the the Wehrmacht commander on the march to re-militarize the Rhineland, was to retreat upon seeing any armed resistance from France or England;

D. German military violations to the Treaty were going on even as much as 2 years before Hitler. The allies could have overwhelmed the 1933 Third Reich on the day of its birth;

E. Instead of at least using diplomacy to curb Hitler, the Allies negotiated away territories in Europe at the Munich Conference. The Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia was not even invited to Munich as his country was being carved up; and

F. Before Munich there was already a military conspiracy to depose Hitler, which became almost unthinkable after The Munich Conference.