REVISED NARRATIVE:
Topic: The terms of the Treaty of Versailles
The victorious allies saw the Paris peace treaties as an attempt to remake Europe on enlightened
and fair grounds. The terms of the armistice of November 1918 made it impossible for Germany
to restart hostilities. The four main allied powers used the following six months of deliberation to
prepare the terms of the peace that would be presented to Germany.
Public opinion propaganda, and political pressures at home influenced the leaders of the allied
powers, particularly Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Britain and President Georges
Clemenceau of France. Lloyd George was in the midst of fighting a general election, where
popular sentiment called for retribution, under the slogans of “Hang the Kaiser” and “Squeeze
the German lemon until the pips squeak”. Public passion was greater in France, with the resolve
that the great losses and suffering endured by the French should not be repeated.
The French were ready to exact as much reparations and impose any harsh demands for the
purposes of achieving their overwhelming desire for future security. On the other hand security
was not a major concern for the British since the scuttling of the German fleet had removed its
greatest threat but the British, concerned over the balance of power, did not want to weaken
Germany too excessively, seeing her as a bulwark against the Soviet regime.
Woodrow Wilson, the American President, hoped for a “peace without victory” based on his
ideals, which hoped to replace the outdated system with one that would ensure a just and lasting
peace. The peace treaty was concerned with four major issues: the war guilt clause, disarmament,
territorial and reparation.
According to the treaty, Germany bore the main burden of guilt for the outbreak of the war, with
Clause 231, later known as the War Guilt Cause, forcing Germany to explicitly acknowledge
guilt. The War Guilt Cause provided the moral justification for the other impositions upon
Germany.
Germany was to be disarmed immediately. Its armed forces were restricted to an army of 10,000
men, all serving 12 year terms, and forbidden the use of what was deemed to be purely offensive
weapons – tanks, planes, capital ships in particular.
Germany suffered territorial losses to satisfy neighboring nationalities. The French regained
Alsace-Lorraine and Belgium was given Eupen and Malmedy. The French proposed to separate
the Rhineland from Germany as an independent state under the control of the Allies to act as a
buffer against future possible German aggression. This was felt as too harsh a demand to impose
on the Germans, so a compromise was made that Britain and America would guarantee the
security of the French in the event of a German attack. The Rhineland was then temporarily
occupied by Allied powers and made off-limits to all German forces to meet French demands for
security.
North Schleswig became Danish territory, Poland was given parts of Posen and West Prussia and
the infamous Polish Corridor, which gave it access to the sea and cut off East Prussia from the
rest of Germany at the same time it would help serve as a buffer against Russian Bolshevism in
the east. Danzig, a German port, became a free city with the Poles given access to its port
facilities and France obtained control over the Saar coal mines, which would ostensibly under the
mandate of the League of Nations for 15 years at an end of which a plebiscite would be held.
Also Germany lost all of its overseas colonies, which were in turn awarded to the Allies.
Lastly the allied powers demanded of Germany reparations, material compensation for the war
on a scale unprecedented. The value of the reparations later came to a grand total of around
£6,600 million.
Works Cited
Morris, Terry, and Derrick Murphy. Europe 1870 -1991. London: HarperCollins, 2000. Print.
Palmer, R.R, Joel Colton, and Lloyd Kramer. A History of the Modern World. 10th ed. 1950.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.
SOURCES
Source A:
Excerpt from Paris 1919: Six Months that Changes the World, written in 2001 by Margaret
Macmillan and published in 2002 in New York.
“Even [US President Woodrow Wilson], who had insisted during the war that his only quarrel
was with the German ruling classes, now seemed to blame the whole of the German people.
“They would be shunned and avoided like lepers for generations to come,” he told his intimates
in Paris, “and so far most of them have no idea what other nations felt and didn’t realize the
Coventry in which they would be put.” Everyone agreed that Germany must somehow be
prevented from dragging Europe into war again.” p.161, Paris 1919.
Source B:
Excerpt from The Economic Consequences of Peace written by John Maynard Keynes in
1920 and published in 2004 in New York.
...[French President Georges Clemenceau] was a foremost believer in the view of German
psychology that the German understands and can understand nothing but intimidation, that he is
without generosity or remorse in negotiation, that there is no advantage he will not take of you,
and no extent to which he will not demean himself for profit, that he is without honour, pride, or
mercy. Therefore you must never negotiate with a German or conciliate him; you must dictate to
him.
Source C:
Excerpt from the Treaty of Versailles, 1919.
ARTICLE: 232.
The Allied and Associated Governments recognise that the resources of Germany are not
adequate, after taking into account permanent diminutions of such resources which will result
from other provisions of the present Treaty, to make complete reparation for all such loss and
damage.
The Allied and Associated Governments, however, require, and Germany undertakes, that she
will make compensation for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allied and
Associated Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency of each as an
Allied or Associated Power against Germany by such aggression by land, by sea and from the
air, and in general all damage as defined in Annex l hereto.
Source D:
‘Germany is crushed by the Treaty of Versailles’ drawn in 1931 by E. Shilling, a German
artist.
Source E:
Excerpt from Europe 1870-1991 written by Terry Morris and Derrick Murphy and published
in 2000 in London.
...Germans found themselves presented with a dictated peace which stripped the Reich of 25,000
square miles...of territory and 7,000,000 inhabitants, about 13% and 10% of its respective totals.
They found that, in many cases, Germany was treated according to principles quite different
from those that governed settlements with other states. Nationality was proclaimed principle
behind most territorial settlements, yet union between Germany and the German-speakers of
Austria was specifically forbidden.Germany was disarmed and stripped of its colonies, while the
victors retained their weapons and in some cases actually added to their colonial powers.
QUESTIONS
Question 1)
a) What are Germany’s responsibilities as decided by the Allied Powers according to
Source C, and what problems does it face?[3 marks]
b) What message is conveyed by Source D? [2 marks]
Question 2)
Compare and contrast the feelings expressed in Source A and Source B [6 marks]
Question 3)
With reference to origin and purpose, asses the value and limitations of Source A and
Source E for historians studying about the Treaty of Versailles.[6 marks]
Question 4
Using the sources and your own knowledge, to what extent do you agree with the statement
that the Treaty of Versailles was a punitive treaty?(8 marks)
MARK SCHEME
Question 1)
a) What are Germany’s responsibilities as decided by the Allied Powers according to
Source C, and what problems does it face?[3 marks]
Source C is about the Allies imposing reparations for war damage on Germany despite knowing
that she will be unable to compensate for that amount of damage.
These could be summarized as:
 Germany must compensate for damages done to the civilian population and to their
property.
 Other provisions in the treaty permanently diminished the resources of Germany.
 Germany cannot “make complete reparation for all such loss and damage”
b) What message is conveyed by Source D? [2 marks]
Award a point for
 Germany is crushed by the burden of the Treaty of Versailles -- Treaty is too severe
 Germany is struggling-- trying to farm i.e. feed itself.
 Woodrow Wilson, the US President, is shown to have turned his back on Germany and
its woes
Question 2)
Compare and contrast the feelings expressed in Source A and Source B [6 marks]
For comparison:
 Both Clemenceau and Wilson have a negative, hostile view of Germany
 Blame is placed on the German people as a whole
 Both talk about a major participant to the Peace Treaty
 Both believe Germany is insincere in its dealings
For contrast:
 Source A is about Wilson, Source B about Clemenceau
 Source A includes an actual quote from Wilson, Source B doesn’t include any quotations
 In source A, Wilson’s views are private, in source B, Clemenceau’s views are public
 source A mentions the Coventry,
 source B talks about the German psychology in negotiation
Do not expect all of the above. If only one source is discussed award a maximum of [2 marks].
If the two sources are discussed separately award [3 marks] or with excellent linkage [4-5
marks]. For maximum [6 marks] expected a detailed running comparison/contrast.
Question 3)
With reference to origin and purpose, asses the value and limitations of Source A and
Source E for historians studying about the Treaty of Versailles.[6 marks]
Source A
Origin: Excerpt from Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World written in 2001 and
published in 2002 in New York.
Purpose: Is to inform and to show the extent of bias against Germany directly after the Great
War.
Limitations: written in hindsight by westerners and is from a perspective that does not have bias
against Germany and therefor the full feelings of the Ally’s of the time could not be fully
understood.
Values: access to archives, written with quotes from the time. Gives insight into how Germany
was viewed after the great world.
Source E
Origin: from Europe 1870-1991 written by Terry Morris and Derrick Humphrey in 2000,
London.
Purpose: To inform and present statistics of the German loses through the Treaty of Versailles.
Limitations: Does not present a particular view, either from a German perspective or an Ally
perspective.
Values: States terms that were made through the Treaty of Versailles that affected Germany
because it is basically statistics. Shows how much punishment was enforced on Germany.
Do not expect all of the above. Ideally there will be a balance between the two sources, and each
one can be marked out of [3 marks], but allow a 4/2 split. If only one source is assessed, mark
out of [4 marks]. For a maximum of [6 marks] candidates must refer to both origin and purpose,
and value and limitations in their assessment.
Question 4
Using the sources and your own knowledge, to what extent do you agree with the statement
that the Treaty of Versailles was a punitive treaty?(8 marks)
The following source material could be used for analysis:
Source A
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson voices personal hostility towards Germans
Lays collective responsibility on the entire German people for the war
General agreement that Germany was to blame for the war, and want to prevent
further German aggression
Source B
French President Georges Clemenceau attitude hostile
“...must never negotiate with a German or conciliate him; you must dictate to
him.”
Shows how a Treaty for Germany must be
Source C
Actual excerpt from Treaty
Though Allies understand Germany will have trouble paying reparations because
of the
other impositions of the Treaty, they still demand reparations.
Demonstrates severity of Treaty.
Source D
Germany is crushed by the burden of the Treaty of Versailles
Germany is struggling; trying to farm i.e. feed itself.
Shows the Treaty is too severe.
Source E
Terms of the Treaty, statistics show harshness
Germany is treated worse than other losing powers.
Own knowledge could include more details on the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, more details
on the aims of the participants of the peace conferences, public opinion and political pressures
from victorious nations.
Do not expect all of the above, and credit other relevant material. if only source material or only
own knowledge is used, the maximum mark that can be obtained is [5 marks]. For maximum,
expect [8 marks] expect analysis, synthesis of source material and own knowledge, as well as
references to source material used.