Kissinger’s Theory

By Kevin Williamson, Ellis Brown, Vincent Stanec and Jon Baer

Kissinger’s Theory

• The Versailles settlement was stillborn because the values it extolled clashed with the incentives needed to enforce it: the majority of the states required to defend the agreement considered it unjust in one way or another

France

• France wanted the dismemberment of Germany they wanted Germany to be eliminated completely in order to end the threat to their security.

• They also wanted reparations from Germany both to cripple them and because they had lost a lot to Germany in the war.

Great BritainThe general British public wished, similarly to France, crush Germany

and blame the outbreak of war completely on themGreat Britain’s representative, Prime Minister David Lloyd George,

had vowed to the British masses which elected him in 1918 that “Germany would be made to pay the full cost of the war and that ‘we will search their pockets for it’” *

During negotiations about the Treaty of Versailles, Lloyd George views stood in between Georges Clemenceau’s revengeful ones and Woodrow Wilson’s idealistic ones

He wanted: – To obtain some reparations (and land), but not as much as

France– To reduce the German navy to maintain British naval supremacy– Reduce any future German military power– To avoid getting on Germany’s bad side – To improve German economy for the sake of trade

He disliked:– Potentially provoked Germany– Lowering of British trade due to a smaller German economy

because of reparations– France’s plans which would upset balance of power

* (Kissinger Reading p. 230)

David Lloyd George

Unites States at VersaillesWoodrow Wilson• America believed in Democracy and Self-

Determination as a pose to the typical European concepts of Realpolitik and the balance of power.

• 14 Points of how the treaty should be laid out– 8 “obligatory” points:

• Open diplomacy• Freedom of the seas• General disarmament• Removal of trade barriers• Impartial settlement of colonial claims• The restoration of Belgium• The evacuation of Russian territory• The establishment of a league of nations

– 6 possibly dispensable points:• Restoration of Alsace Lorraine• Autonomy for minorities of Austria-

Hungary and the Ottoman Empire• Readjustment of Italy's frontiers• Evacuation of the Balkans• Internationalization of the Dardanelles• Independent Poland with access to the

seas

What the US didn’t want:• Didn’t want Germany to be put on a

ridiculous payment plan of $33 billion; decided that the best way to have Germany pay would be to give them money to begin their reparations economically and socially, and then every year Germany could pay what they had the ability to pay.

• The division of Germany in the breaking up of its parts. This would lead to an inability to pay reparations. It would also lead to absolute chaos for the German people.– The catch to this was that Wilson

suggested that they give up territories that they had gained in the war such as the Balkans and Poland. This concept of giving up land won in war was relatively new; never before had a nation been so unequally represented in treaty negotiations. The 14 Points of Woodrow Wilson were designed to be as fair as possible to Germany, and the terms of the points still fell under the War Guilt clause.

The Treaty of Versailles

• The league of nations was created• All the land that Germany acquired during the war want

to be given to other countries• All overseas colonies were given to the league of nations• All land taken from Russia had to be given back to Russia• The German Army had to be reduced to 100,00 men• Western Germany was demilitarized• Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria• German had to accept the War Guilt Clause and pay

reparations

France

• France felt that the final restrictions placed on Germany of disarmament, reparations loss of territory and other restrictions were too lenient and felt that Germany was still a threat that would come up again.

• Didn’t manage to have Germany dismembered but did regain some lost territory in Alsace Lorraine.