Treaty Of Versailles Dbq

The end of World War I was finalized by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. It was signed by Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan but not the United States, as the U.S. drafted its own treaty with Germany in 1921. Many historians argue that the Treaty of Versailles was the major cause of World War II which occurred twenty years later. On the Treaty's most superficial level, the extreme punishment and fines that were levied by the Allied Powers on the Germans were causes enough for war. Historians argue that this and the international fallout that resulted most notably with the United States were simply too powerful to avoid war at all. The ramification of the Treaty sent the German economy into a severe depression
and planted the seeds needed to sprout revenge and uprising such as the world had never seen before. Estimates for the costs of the war for the Allied Powers fluctuated between ten billion and one hundred billion dollars.
Ultimately, the Allied Powers settled on the astronomical sum of thirty-three billion dollars which the German government was mandated to pay but simply did not have the funds to do so. In addition to paying reparations, Germany had to severely limit military spending and personnel, relinquish land previously gained in the World War, and was barred from having any air force at all. The lack of American involvement, which was sorely needed at this time, had significant impacts on the actions of other key states. Sudden American withdrawal from the Treaty of Versailles sent France into a panic and their subsequent occupation of the Ruhr Valley in Germany. This action dealt a harsh blow to the Germany and British-French relations. The former came into economic conflict with France, creating hyper-inflation, and throwing Germany into a severe depression. Wheelbarrows of money were necessary to buy loaves of bread until the Deutsche Mark became so devalued that the bills were burned to provide heat to those living in
poverty.
Following this collapse in German currency, a desperate and vulnerable Germany capitalized on the breakdown of relations between Britain and France and United States isolationism to begin rebuilding. This included rearmament that was in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles. The dictator behind this proposed revitalization in economic and military strength was Adolf Hitler. Current economic hardship made Germany ripe for the rise of a dictator. Hitler's timing was impeccable and he perhaps never would have gained such prominence in the German government if it was not for his propaganda that the weary and desperate German people needed so badly to recover from their depression. The depression however, was not contained within German borders. The politics of the era, most notably America's isolationist policy contributed to world wide economic collapse. This was the result of then President Woodrow Wilson's inability to persuade Congress to ratify the Treaty of Versailles and become a co-signer with the other Allied Powers. The major failure in Wilson's pitch came in his proposal of the Fourteen Point Plan. The Fourteen Point Plan outlined Wilson's view of what the post-WWI world should look like, providing for the liberation of certain peoples and territories. Presented to Congress on January 8, 1918, strong debate ensued over the proposal of the fourteenth and final provision; "a general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike". Congress voted against what Wilson dubbed the League of Nations, the failed basis of today's United Nations. Although the U.S. proposed the League, they were the most notable nation that failed to join. The U.S. subsequently retreated to a policy of isolationism and combined with a rebuilding and weakened Europe, there was little opposition to Hitler's rise to power and continued violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
The rest of the world exercised a policy of appeasement, allowing Hitler to make small advances in Europe hoping that he would be satisfied with what he was given. He became emboldened as each of his new advances into Europe met little to no opposition in the international community. He began by sending 35,000 troops to occupy the Rhineland, a strategically important area between Germany and France. Observing no opposition, Hitler then began testing weapons and tactics by providing aid to right wing militarists fighting the Spanish Civil War. Each of Hitler's increasingly brazen moves had far reaching unforeseen consequence. His actions in the Spanish Civil War brought him into collaboration with Benito Mussolini. Resulting treaties brought about the Axis Alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan. Britain became involved in the Munich Agreement of 1938 which allowed Hitler no resistance to German occupation of part of Czechoslovakia. Less than six months later, Germany conquered all of the country. Little did the Allied Forces know that Hitler had not even begun to warm up with these small conquests. His hatred reached far and wide, and through delusions of grandeur he envisioned his revitalized Germany conquering most of the Eastern Hemisphere stopping along the way to annihilate those who he viewed as inferior. World tolerance for German actions reached its end in September of 1939 when Germany made the decision to attack Poland. Hitler justified his actions to the German people by portraying their enemies as evil and deserving of death because of their involvement in the Treaty of Versailles. Placing blame on the treaty became perhaps Hitler's most powerful rallying tool of the German people.
The Germans were quick to approve the actions of Hitler, because of the desperate nature of their situation. Hitler's rise to power was a product of the times and a reflection of the Nazi party's ability to provide economic prosperity and a renewed sense of nationalism. His rise to power was rapid and virtually unchallenged. Through speeches to mass audiences he stressed the iniquitous and evil nature of the Treaty of Versailles, promised relief from internal fighting, economic prosperity, and the need to resist communism and Jews. His speeches inspired nationalism long forgotten, buried under the ruble of destroyed German cities.

Post World War II Following the conclusion of World War II, the world was again faced with the task of punishing Germany and the Axis Powers.
The Allies had learned invaluable lessons from the obvious failure of the Treaty of Versailles. While reparations were still severe, the Allied Powers served as conquerors rather than disciplinarians, separating Germany into four military zones, they then stripped it of industry, dismantled the government, and instituted a democratic system. Militarily, the Allies rounded up all German military forces and rendered them inoperative until they could be disarmed. Maritime and aeronautical shipping were all but eliminated and outlined specific orders that would ensure continued control over the region. Another important provision made was the Nuremberg Trials, which allowed the Allied Powers to punish those directly responsible for the
war. The Treaty of Versailles has correctly been identified as the major cause of World War II. Its implementation sent enormous shockwaves throughout the entire international community and the resulting reactions of several key states such as the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia, and of course Germany created conditions ideal for war. On its most basic level, the Treaty's demands were too severe and beyond the scope of Germany's resources. The economic calamity created, the Great Depression, was another significant result of the Treaty and instrumental to both Hitler's rise and World War II. While the ramifications of the Treaty of Versailles led to the worst war the world has ever seen, its lessons must never be forgotten lest we make the unfortunate mistake of repeating perhaps the darkest chapter in mans' history.