The treaty was not the only reason for the failure of the Weimar Republic, issues such as the period time and the great depression contributed to this also. To state the treaty of Versailles was the only significant factor is difficult, as no single factor contributed to the rise of the Nazi party and eventual fall of Germany. The Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany was to loose essential territory to various victors of World War One. The most significant being loosing Alsace and Lorraine to France. The treaty added to Germany losing six million inhabitants and essential resources that contributed to their exports and in turn the economy.
When the war ended the general population of France wanted revenge on Germany. Clemenceau saw the Versailles treaty as a way of crippling Germany. To punish it so harshly so that Germany would never again be a threat to France. Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points No secret treaties, free navigation / trade, removal of economic barriers,
Both soldiers and civilians blame the defeats in the war and the growing crises on the home front on Tsar. Even the Tsars only army stated it wouldn’t support him if a revolution occurred. Explain the importance/significance of World War 1 to the downfall of the Tsar WWI was a very significant event on the rule of Tsar Nicholas 11. Although it initially bolstered his position, it then became a large factor that contributed to Nicholas’ downfall. The Country was ecstatic when the Tsar made the announcement that Russia was going to fight against Germany in WWI.
This shows that appeasement, in which is designed to avoid conflict, war and death was causing it anyway by letting a country being invaded by an Aggressive leader such as Hitler. This factor of surrendering the Sudentland under appeasement is key to why British Foreign Policy was a disaster. The factor that War had broke out in 1939 despite the actions under the British Foreign Policy shows that the policy was a disaster. It had failed the main achievement of avoiding war in Europe, however with the aggressive leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini in Europe; many believed they needed to be confronted with rather than given what they wanted. Source 4 is an extract from a speech by Winston
However some historians would say that Britain was too complacent when it came to foreign policy, and as soon as they believed they had reached satisfactory targets, they wouldn’t go any further, and so risk harming British interests. Yet other historians would also suggest that at the time, Britain had no choice but to be sometimes complacent due to economic factors, and at the time, their policy making decisions were not ultimately harmful to interests, but best suited to the current international climate. British Foreign policy in the 1920’s was dominated by the France and German tensions. Britain and France disagreed on most issues. French leaders were particularly concerned about Germany’s efforts to undo the treaty of Versailles.
The Nazis felt like this political group was trying to undermine their “people’s community”. Hitler made it very clear that he did not want the communists in his people community when he and the Nazi party realised their 25 point programme of 1920.However the Nazis also portrayed the socialist and any other party of which had taken part in coalition governments during the Weimar republic as they collaborated with communism and Jewish democracy. Hitler wanted to introduce the policy of volksgeminschaft in this case because if he could eliminate the communists and the other parties who were associated as collaborating with them, the Nazis could then get their votes as they had a high amount of supporters, which would mean them having the majority and coming into power. Anybody who the Nazis believed that represented a threat to the racial purity of which Hitler wanted would come under the socialism categories. This included, Jews, gypsies and those who were seen as mentally or physically unfit.
Germany had an aggressive foreign poloicy. Hitlers dream was to build a German Empire and dominate Europe. In order to achieve this dream Hitler annexed The Rhineland (3/7/1935), Austria (3/11/38) and Czechoslavakia (3/15/39). England’s, France’s, and Russia’s forgein policy was the opposite of Germany, they were not aggressive and wanted to avoid war at all cost. In order to avoid war the allies practiced appeasment and Russia signed non aggresion acts with Germany.
Germany responded only with the destruction of the steamer Sussex in March. At this point, Wilson threatened to end all diplomatic relations with Germany, an act that would surely bring the United States into war against Germany. To prevent this–the German Emperor knew he could not defeat the combined strength of the Entente powers and the United States–Germany agreed to respect certain shipping lines. War had been averted, but only for a
the “bad guys” (Germany and their allies). This has officially removed every obstacle in front of President Wilson’s way to join the war because as he had said before, he did not want to be sided with a tyrant, Russia. All he has to do is say the words and in a second we would be in the War, helping not only our own country, but our long good friends Britain as well. It is not difficult to realize that we don’t have the best army and navy, and that we mobilize slowly, but this is yet another reason for why we should start right here, right now. If we are successful to mobilizing quickly and having a military draft, our army would be almost unstoppable to other nations.
Therefore, the US created unconditional terms of surrender, knowingly going against the Japanese ethic of honour and against the institute of the emperor, whom most Americans probably wanted dead. Consequently, the use of the atomic bomb became a way to avenge America's fallen soldiers while also keeping the USSR in check in Europe. The Japanese civilian casualties did not matter in this strategy. Also, it did not prevent the Cold War, as the USSR was just a few years behind on a-bomb research. At the time, revenge, geopolitics and an expensive project that could not be allowed to simply rust away, meant the atomic bomb had to be hastily deployed “in the field” in order to see its power and aftermath – though little was known about radiation and its effects on humans.