Treaties+affecting+Europe+from+WWI+to+1929

Treaties affecting Europe from WWI to 1929
Treaties signed at the end of World War I left unresolved problems, economic issues that led to widespread meltdowns throughout, and extensive border and territorial disputes. Most of the treaties following World War I affected Europe up to 1929 by economic, political, social, and territorial means. The League of Nations was a cause of most of the disputes between countries and it couldn’t force its members to act, and there was no standing army. Most of the treaty-caused problems relating to boundaries were resolved by 1924, some by peaceful means, others by force (1).

Economic issues caused heightened unemployment rates and war debts. However, the Allies demanded “compensation by Germany for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allies and their property by the aggression of Germany by land, by sea and from the air.” Nine of Wilson’s Fourteen Points covered new territorial consignments that were made complicated by the secret treaties that England, France, and Italy had made with Greece and Romania during the last years of World War I (3). Reparations to England, France, and other European countries pushed Germany even more into debt, and because it had borrowed money from America, Germany had repay the U.S. The German reparations were a possible cause of World War II because of the economic meltdown of the country. In addition, the Austrian Republic charged with reparations and limited army, and the Habsburgs hadn’t signed the Treaty of St. Germain.

The League of Nations had many weaknesses that lead to the downfall of political parties in Europe, including no enforcement of the treaties, no outstanding army or enforcement of militaries, and the member states were still self-interested. Pre-WWI culture still dominated European politics and states didn’t gain much positive influence from helping others and always had a fear of cheating. Real Politik would create no international authority, and the states would need to maximize power to ensure security.

Germany wanted to have treaties on both the West and East sides and the Berlin Treaty was an ideal solution; although it pressured Poland to cede to German demands for territorial changes, it increased possibility for trade and military cooperation between Germany and other countries. The Treaty of Trianon was between Hungarian and Entente leaders, and had economical, territorial, and political effects with a limited Hungarian army, reparations, and land by being forced to give up almost 75% of its territory.

The Locarno Treaties of 1925 reinforced the Versailles settlement and seemed to secure peace between the two most likely enemies in Europe, France and Germany (2). Thus, the Treaty of Versailles reduced the population and territory of Germany by about 10 percent, and on the west Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France, and the Saarland was placed under the supervision of the League of Nations until 1935. In the north three small areas were given to Belgium (3). Successor states were created from the Habsburg Empire and Germany. The Treaty of London was between neutral Italy and the Allied forces and persuaded Italy to enter World War I. The Allies wanted Italy's participation because of its border with Austria, and Italy agreed to participate mainly because it wanted more land (4). In the end though, Italy received very little, but most of its achievements were through the Treaty of St. Germain.

(1) International Organizations and Crises 1919-1936 guided discussion notes Nov. 9, 2009. (2) International Relations and Crises 1919-39 p. 288 (3) "Versailles, Treaty of." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2009 . (4) "London, Treaty of." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2009 .