Welcome to History 12 and the companion blog to this course? Here we will have a chance to pose questions, share opinions, engage in discussion and discuss course topics or items of interest that relate to our classwork. A reminder that this is an open forum and it is expected that responses be appropriate. Think of this as an extension of the classroom, if you wouldn't say it in the classroom please don't type it here. As well, please ensure you add your initials and the period of your socials class to the end of your comments so I know who to give credit to. For example if I was in the period 1 class I would end my comments with RL P-1.
Entry #1
We have looked at how the Paris Peace Conference did little in the way of establishing any type of peace and instead lead to economic and political instability throughout Europe.
Using the information you have gained on the Treaty of Versailles and take on the role of a citizen from your assigned country and write a response indicating how you feel about the Treaty of Versailles. Be sure to include:
What the Treaty does to/for your country.
The job your leader did in negotiating the terms of the treaty.
What your feelings are about the treaty and why.
What else you think should have been included in the treaty.
What the treaty means for the future.
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19 comments:
To whom it may concern
I do not understand the ignorance of the Allied forces leaders. Our help and commitment to this war was a great asset to the Allied victory. Have we not shown our loyality? our ability to fight?. We should force our terms upon them, we deserve better! we suffered in this war to. You should have forced our terms upon them. What they say shades the truth from our commitment. The War Guilt Clause will surely anger Germany and the people of Italy forsee another war. If this does occure we will not ally with the forces of the League of Nations for wronging us in this way.
LM
As a U.S. citizen, I am not satisified from the results of the Treaty of Versailles. Did we not, as a nation, already do enough for the Europeans? We've already lended our support during the war, and now we are told that we have to join the "League of Nations", to back up them up when in they are in conflict. Why do we have to be a part of collective security, when the affairs of Europe do not relate to our own American affairs? I do not want to be partly responsible for the affairs in Europe, as I believe in isolationism. Fortunately, I am not alone. My country did not agree to join the League of Nations, despite Wilson's attempts to persuade us. I feel that it is crucial that our allies repay their war loans, because we can't support everyone... considering it wasn't our war to fight. The Treaty of Versailles is not going to solve most of the issuses caused by the tensions before and after the war. I think that the Treaty is only going to create more problems for the future, and I think tensions are only going to become stronger due to territorial issues.
-B.H.
dear German goverment, i am very upset that you have signed the treaty of versilles, now thaks to you we are now very vonerable to any attack because we no longer have a strong army or anything for a navy. Our economy is now nothing because we have to pay billions of dollars for a war we didnt even start. And when the war was over I was under the impression that we were coming to an agreement with the enemies not surrendering to them. Sure we were too agressive but just let us all be equal partners in this world. Yes we will help France fix there country but we weren't the only ones to fight on it so other countries should help to. So lets have an agreement were we are not pounded into the ground and were we can all be economic partners.
-DM
This treaty that you have made is good,we like the thought of the peace treaty. I support what you are trying to accomplish. The treaty of versailes is going to do big things for this country for money and power and we should be aiming to get rid of war. I think when you were making you treaty you should have involved all the countries that were involved like germany because what you are asking them to do, like saying the were the cause of the first war and they should appoligize is just going to make them angry. There could have been a better understanding between all the countries and we might have got along better with them.
germany:
There is all this talk about how everyone wants to make our world a better place and want to stop all the war between Germany and other countrie but as soon as a peace conference is held they dont even bother to invite my country to it. All the Treaty did was take away parts of our land, weaken our military/army/navy, and make us pay reparations, instead of doing any good. This treaty is unfair to all of germany, since we are not only shocked but also humiliated by it. Not to mention our leader actually went ahead and signed the paper taking blame for it. There should be a new conference where EVERYONE including Germany is invited. By excluding us and holding us guilty it is just causing hatred and building up the want to get back at them which will in time cause another big war. (this treaty cause a chain reaction to WW2)
K.M
president willson is very smart and has great ideas but we as U.S. citizens do not want to be involved in the european conflicts that keep re-occuring. We do not wish to be involved in th league of Nations. We do not want to be controlled by another country, we are isolated on the opposite side of the ocean and went to help you in WW1 but do not wish to be depended on if anything else was to happen. The loans we gave your countries cannot be forgiven and we do need that money to come back to us. This was expected from the begining and is still expected. T.D.
Britain's reaction to the Treaty of Versailles was somewhat satisfied since the majority of Britain wanted revenge on Germany. What Britain didn't like was that the treaty was maybe a little too harsh on Germany and that this may cause some trouble in the next few years. My own feelings about this situation is that we were indeed a little too harsh with Germany, we shouldn't blame everything on them because they weren't the only ones involved in that war. I think that we should be careful about the future and should keep a close eye on Germany, we already know what they're capable of and who knows what they could do in the next few years.
-SA
Italy:
This treaty has done little to none for our country. Especially when the Allies wanted us on their side. They promised land that we didn't even get. We wanted to contribute our thoughts at the peace conference but they wouldn't even listen. We didn't want to be a part of them. The end of the war, we did get some land but we think we deserve way more than that. Our leader, Vittorio Orlando, was responsible for many decisions made in the peace conference. Our soldiers died in this war & we demand some payment because of it !
MT
As a US citizen I do not want to become more involved in this war-treaty situation more than we already are. I know that our preseident, Woodrow Wilson wants our country to become involved and sign the Treaty of Versailles and join the League of Nations but I know that he will get voted down. We want to become isolated from the other european countries and not have anything to do with them. But that also doesnt mean we dont want our loaned out war money back. ALthough we do not want to become involved we still insist that the allie countries pay us back.
period 2: SU
I, David Lloyd George, the prime minister of England am here demanding justice, not revenge. During the meeting of the Treaty in Versailles, Britian has gained German colonies and the German navy. Personally I found the Treaty to be far to harsh for Germany to meet the standards of what the other countries demanded. Of course we would appreciate reparations from Germany but we also wanted to keep Germany as an economic trading partner for the future. I do fully support the War Guilt Clause signed by the Weimar Republic. The clause states military restrictions, surrender of merchants fleets and mandates. The 6.6 billion pounds in reparation is far to high though and Germany should be given an equal chance to design the Treaty to thier opinions as well. In the Treaty I would have liked to have seen a solution that all countries could decide on and reparations that all countries would be able to sustain. Instead we have a Treaty no one is 100% willing to support, we have also angered the other countries to an even bigger extent. A greater threat I fear is the rise of communism in Russia spreading to Western Europe. I do not wish Germany to be treated lenience but I now that Germany would be the only country in central Europe that could prevent the spread of communism. The future of the treaty looks very bleak, as I do not see the treaty to be a lasting resolution. kr
The Paris Peace Conference did not apply to Russia. Russian citizens were out raged that they were not included in the Treaty negotiations. The "Big Three" were opposed to what was going on internally in Russia. The Russia Revolution had brought upon a new form of governance, Communism. Lloyd George, the British prime minister believed that the spread of Communism posed as a greater threat to the world, than defeated Germany. Although the "Big Three" did not agree with Russian political views, all land taken from Russia had to be handed back to Russia. This however was not the case, the land in question was broken into three other countries, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, keeping the belief in Self Determination. Russian was angered by the new nations on their land, and was left unsatisfied by the conference. They received no war apparitions, as the rest of the countries did who fought against Germany, because they signed a cease fire agreement. The Russian leader, Vladimir Lenin did not do a well enough job fighting to keep Russian land part of Russia.
Jennifer Hackman, From Russia with Love.
When we found out about the treaty we felt 'pain and anger',our country was not permitted to to take part in the treaty. Many felt that the treaty was unfair. We were mad at the Clause 231, we were not to blame for the war. We sent a soldier to sign the treaty, he refused saying "To say such a thing would be a lie". We recieved many reparations. France and Britain were trying to starve their children to death. At first we refused to pay,we only started to pay after France and Britain invaded our homeland.
They took our army, leaving us helpless to other countries. We lost much of our land. Other lands were given rights to self-determination, this treaty forced many germans to live in other countires. Many germans were upset that they could not unite with the Austrian Germans. This treaty took our lives as well as our economy. This treaty could only mean that our future is to be living to pay off France and Britain.
Our leader was at the Paris Peace Conference this weekend and our leader came back and told us what shinaniganse went on there. We were not very impressed by what he told us. They invited us to the confernese to be like a fourth party to all of this, but when we reminded them that we switched to their alliance because we were promised land, they said "NO". Our leader Vittorio Orlando just walked out of there, pissed off. So we don't really know if he put up a fight or not, or even if he tried to negotiate with the other threee guys or not, we never got told that part. All that matters is that we didn't get the land we were promised when we joined this alliance. Orlando was prepared to renounce territorial claims for Dalmatia to annex Rijeka (or Fiume as the Italians called the town) - the principal seaport on the Adriatic Sea - while Sonnino was not prepared to give up Dalmatia. Italy ended up claiming both and got none, running up against U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's policy of national self-determination.
But seeing as how Orlando couldn't speak english very well, that may have been a downfall for us. maybe next time they should make the conference in Italian, that is if we ever go back. I'm sure that one day we will go back, but right now everyone here in Italy is a little pissed off.
DC
To whom it may concern
We support the war guilt clause and military restriction we wish for the germans to demilitarize the rhine valley becouse having that power there seems cautious for us.We dont think the treaty went far enough we want a buffer state between us and the germans.
DS
Hello, my name is Robert Der Vandershternen, and I am an inhabitant of Germany. We have recently gone through the Treaty of Versailles, and I must admitt; we do not like it at all. I feel this treaty is completely unfair, we aren't allowed to talk during the meetings, we were just told we had to sign up. The four major things we are angry about is the War Guilt Clause 231 because it blames us for the war, and we feel we are not the cause of it. Another is the massive amount of reparations we are being asked to pay, this is ridiculous! We first refused to pay this, however, France and Britain invaded us, so we were forced to. Another is our army was MASSIVELY decreased in size; we now only have around 100,000 men, a miniscule amount of battleships...only six. Also, we are forbidden from having submarines or an airforce...ridiculous! How shall we protect ourselves if someone was to attack? Lastly, is the loss of our territory. Unfair, completely unfair. This was our land, and therefore, should have remained our land. We are also very angry that we cannot unite with the Austrian Germans. Also, we are not allowed to join the League of Nations, which is also very upsetting because they want most nations to be involved. I think the treaty is unfair, as I think we are NOT the reason for the war, and I think the terms of the treaty should be re-negotiated. This treaty has basically ruined our future, as we now have to pay $33 billion dollars, we have lost some of our land, it will be impossible to protect ourselves from attack, and our reputation has been destroyed.
KC P-2.
Well chaps I think this whole treaty thing is quite a royal mess. Yes true the expansion of our great empire is quite in out favor as is the changing of hands in regards to the German merchant navy, but when you get right down to it this country and great as it is needs Germany for trade our empire is built atop a mound of wealth witch is feed directly form the banks of out trading partners. And as it stands now Germany will be striped bare of any gold worth paying British merchants. One would think that a man as great as Mr. Lloyd George. In my own personal opinion it would have been good to punish Germany by weakening them rather then crippling them completely.
S.O.G.
p-2
As a citizen of France I like what the treaty will do for us. We will be paid reperations to help rebuild France to its former Glory. I also like the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France. The reperations German will pay along with the withdrawal of German military from Rhineland will ensure the safety of the French. I believe the treaty will keep a war like this from ever happening again because of the punishment Germany recieved.
KG P-1
The treaty did nothing for our country. It didn't allow us to take any new land, take any reparations or even sign the treaty. The only thing that we benefited from was that Germany had to return the land they took from us. Our leader did a terrible job negotiating the terms of the treaty! We lost one million of our population all for nothing!! I think we should have gotten more land and more money after all we went through.
A.M
Living in France during WW1 and being a French citizen all my life has been nothing but a nightmare. The war has left our country in a mess. I think that Georges Clemenceau was right in saying that Germany should be brought to its knees so they cannot start another war again. It is also fair that they pay for the damages done due to the war even though it was Serbia who instigated it by murdering Franz Ferdinand. However, Germany still had a huge roll in the war as far as keeping it going. I am happy to hear that Alsace-Lorraine has been returned to France and that the Germans had to withdrawal their military from the Rhineland. As for the future the treaty will hopefully prevent any world wars from happening again.
-T.S
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