More handpicked essays just for you.
Treaty of Versailles impacts Germany's economy
Treaty of Versailles impacts Germany's economy
Treaty of Versailles impacts Germany's economy
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Treaty of Versailles impacts Germany's economy
John Maynard Keynes has many reasons to hate the Treaty of Versailles, most of them relating to the fact that Germany will die and it's economy will shatter. Firstly, Keynes didn't like the fact that everyone was putting the blame on Germany as they should've only been partially blamed for the war. The quote "Keynes predicted that the stiff war reparations and other harsh terms imposed on Germany by the treaty would lead to the financial collapse of the country, which in turn would have serious economic and political repercussions on Europe and the world." shows this disapproval of the harsh punishments against Germany. Keynes also realized that Germany's economy was already crushed due to the war and that people were starving. How would they
Herbert Hoover (Doc. D) felt that the treaty had conflicting clauses that would lose public support. This can be seen when in the treaty called for a League of Nations to mediate international problems, when it also included great demands of reparations from Germany. If the U.S. were to take the side of collecting such reparations, the foreign relations with Germany could be seen as caustic. Also, a renewed Germany, full of disspute may take it upon themselves to take revenge on the Allies. The economists also realized that if other nations did not want to get involved, why should the U.S.? This can be seen from Keynes point of view (Doc.
There is no excuse for the horrible things Nazi Germany did during World War II. But one can get a better idea how that war started by learning about how World War I ended. The Treaty of Versailles was created by the winners of World War I, like France, Great Britain, and the United States, to make peace. So how did it help contribute to an even worse war less than twenty years later? It was mainly because it was too hard on Germany’s territory, military, economy, and national pride.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, marks the day that WWI descended into armistice. However, the involved countries reached an agreement as to the events following the war on the 28th of June, 1919. The famous Treaty of Versailles was known for its role in ending war. But it was not known for being a double-edged sword, as the ending of war came with the consequence of causing future war. The Treaty consisted of uncontested biases due to Germany's unconditional surrender. The Allies held a gun to Germany's head, with their trigger finger tense. Each article of the Versailles Treaty only made Germany more restless, until 1933 when Hitler produced his own gun and pointed it at the Allies. The Treaty had a series of unproportional effects upon Germany and its people. It caused a rift between the two sides because of the alliances that it formed, brewing tension. The punishments enforced upon Germany were unrealistically huge and it increased the wish among the Germans for the nullification of the Treaty. Finally, the accumulated hatred amongst the people gave birth to potential for a revolution. The Treaty of Versailles is, therefore, an indirect cause to World War II, because of the alliances it caused, the punishments it enforced, and the hatred it developed.
The harshness of the Treaty and the way in which it blamed Germany for World War I crippled Germany. Much of its territory was taken away from it, including West Prussia that went to form a new Polish Corridor to the sea. Plus the Treaty forced Germany to reduce its army, demilitarise the Rhineland and get rid of its navy. The Treaty also forced harsh reparations for the War resulting in a great deal of the German people resenting the Allies. And it was later that Hitler used the bitter memories of Versailles to gain public support for his actions.
At the end of World War One, Germany was required to pay a large sum of money to the Allies consequently resulting in the German Depression. The sum Germany had to pay was set after the Treaty of Versailles was enacted at approximately six billion, six hundred million – twenty-two billion pounds, (World War Two – Causes, Alan Hall, 2010). The large amount of reparations that Germany had to pay resulted in a depression and angered the Germans because they thought it was an excessive amount of money to pay, (World War Two – Causes) The Germans hatred of the Treaty of Versailles was of significant importance in propelling the Nazis to power. Germany could not pay their reparations and was forced into a depression, (World War II – Causes). The Treaty of Versailles deprived Germany of its economic production and its available employments, (World War II – Causes). The German Depr...
the ages of 18 and 41 were all forced to join the war. This Service
The French; for example, was one who thought this treaty was too moderate and was highly disappointed by it (“D.1. The Treaty of Versailles”). They wanted to get rid of Germany all together, but on the other hand, the British and Americans wanted to avoid forming pretext for a new war (History.com Staff). Allied countries thought that the treaty was a just punishment to Germany, but in the United States it was received with mixed feelings and reviews (Adams). All responsibility for World War I was given to Germany, and they were ordered to pay reparations (Benson). Germany had been anything except pleased about this, and not to mention they felt utterly embarrassed about the situation (Benson). They also felt completely betrayed by Wilson and the United States (“D.1. The Treaty of Versailles”). Under protest and the threat of an invasion, they signed this document (Benson).
Many people in other lands thought that the treaty was a way of making legal the punishment on the Germans and this was in violation of Wilsonian idealism. The peacemakers should have been able to set aside hatred that was built up from the past in order to come up with a more proper and fair settlement. Instead of doing this, they placed the blame on the Germans by forcing them to pay for reparations they couldn't afford, insulting them with the accusation of guilt from the war and taking away their territory. The treaty would only intensify the hatred felt by all the parties involved in the treaty and heighten German nationalism. This was a poor beginning for democracy in Germany and for Wilson's New World.
World War I was ultimately ended in 1918 after the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Peace settlements were signed on June 28, 1918 at the Hall of Mirror in Versailles, Paris. The Treaty was an agreement among the United States, Great Britain, and France. Woodrow Wilson, George Clemenceau, and David Lloyd, who represented the "Big Three" countries, collaborated in negotiating the Treaty. The Treaty of Versailles was designed to weaken Germany and give Germany full blame for causing the war. The Treaty implemented massive reparations to Germany which would obliterate Germany's economy, notwithstanding the millions of dead allied soldiers. The settlement strictly limited the German's military. Germans were additionally forced to depart from their homes in Russia, Poland, and Alsace-Lorraine and return to Germany or Austria. Furthermore Germany had to give back any land belonging to other countries. With no alternative, Germany signed the peace settlements. The Treaty of Versailles was undoubtedly justified, Germany was positively the main instigator of the war and its excessive brutality of fighting provoked the war more particularly. Thus, making the amends to Germany was rational because of all the destruction Germany had triggered.
Severe economic problems arose in Germany essentially due to the punitive provisions of the Treaty of Versailles. “The German government began to print money to pay its bills.” (McKay, 872). In order to make up for the massive debt and reparations connected to the Treaty of Versailles, the government started to print loads of money. The influx of money across Germany due to newly printed bills caused prices to rise. Money became rather worthless with an abundance of it, which hurt many people’s incomes. Hyperinflation soon occurred, which put the economy in a weak position and further contributed to the downfall of the Weimar Republic.
The Germans view that the clause that destroys Germany's global power and economy is justified. However, the term was vital to prevent Germany from becoming a global power and danger to everyone. In conclusion, Germany had many complaints about the Treaty of Versailles. The. Most of the complaints made are justified such as the 'reparations' being ridiculously too much and 'war guilt clause' being too much.
A controversial question 96 years later is whether or not the Treaty of Versailles was really fair to the Germans. To understand whether or not it was, we need to know where the treaty was created and under what circumstances. Another thing is what the terms created were that the German government had to follow were. Then, after we know all the facts we can determine whether or not it was truly fair. The treaty was initially created to keep peace in Europe, yet that wasn’t what it did. Without the treaty of Versailles World War 2 may never have happened, or at least it wouldn’t have happened because the Germans were angry.
Treaty of Versailles and World War II When World War I ended in 1919, the League of Nations gathered in order to form an official peace treaty. The Treaty of Versailles was written in order to resolve all remaining conflict and properly manage the results of the war. In order to achieve this, Germany was forced to claim responsibility for World War I and was punished accordingly. However, it is evident that the Treaty of Versailles actually helped cause World War II because it forced Germany to pay reparations, decreased German land, and reduced the German military. To begin, Germany was forced to pay reparations for World War I.
WWI created the Treaty of Versailles which led to the punishment of Germany with unfair rules and regulations. The terms of the Treaty made Germany give up most of their military power. Additionally Germany had to give up conquered land. Also, after WW1 put many effects on Germany. Shortly after the Treaty was signed the German Government was in a state of chaos until the Weimar system was introduced into Germany, which was in place for a little over a decade and the system had many flaws especially during Hyperinflation and Depression. So the German people were in need of a rescuer. Then Hitler comes along promising to gain back power in Germany but started a war with the actions he made like attacking other nations and taking over land.
Although these recent treatments of John Maynard Keynes’ book have not been positive, can we lightly dismiss Keynes? Keynes was at the Paris meetings that led to the Treaty of Versailles. His book the Economic Consequences of the Peace dealt with the treaty using an economic critique. Keynes would be among the most influential economists for the middle part of the 20th