History IB SL IA

Kyle​ ​Guggenheim

Candidate​ ​code:​ ​glq279

History​ ​IA

Standard​ ​Level

How​ ​significant​ ​was​ ​the​ ​Treaty​ ​of​ ​Versailles​ ​and​ ​its​ ​economical​ ​consequences​ ​on Hitler’s​ ​rise​ ​to​ ​dictatorship​ ​?

Session:​ ​May​ ​2018

Word​ ​Count:​ ​1903

I. Introduction

Between 1921 and 1945, Adolf Hitler was politically involved in Germany’s government, during which he rose step by step until he got the title of leader. At the end of World War one, the treaty of Versailles (signed in June 1919) destroyed Germany’s economy and hence increased poverty, unemployment and hatred towards the German political representatives. The economical depression of 1929 and the government actions pushed the citizens towards a change of political ideology, towards Adolf Hitler. As well as its impact on the population turning them towards​ ​extremists​ ​parties.

II. Identification​ ​and​ ​evaluation​ ​of​ ​sources

The Treaty of Versailles made Germany economically miserable. The consequences of this treaty on the German population was devastating which changed their political view. They wanted change as their country lost their economy, territory, power and no changes were visible, if they were, they were terrible. Which leads me to my question; ​“How significant was the treaty of Versailles and its economical consequences for Hitler’s rise to dictatorship ?” To do so, I had to evaluate the economical consequences made by the Treaty as well as the quality of life of the Germans​ ​during​ ​the​ ​inflation.

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1. Source​​A

This first source is an Internet page about the 1923 hyperinflation in Germany. It’s a website made by teachers. As they say: ​“​All are historians, academics, teachers and professionals who are passionate about history and history education.”1 The article about the hyperinflation was written by Jennifer ​Llewellyn a former history teacher2. Along with, Jim Southey another former history teacher and Steve Thompson, a former​ ​teacher​ ​as​ ​well,​ ​he​ ​is​ ​the​ ​lead​ ​author​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Alpha​ ​History​ ​website.

In this article, they explain the economical impacts on the population as well as their currency. They compared the currencies across years coupled with different goods to demonstrate the impact of the hyperinflation on everyday needs. This source helped me understand furthermore about the consequences of the War Guilt clause (Clause 231 of the Treaty of Versailles) on the population, during their everyday life. How poverty increased and what made them wanting changes. Thus helping Hitler to rise​ ​to​ ​political​ ​power.

2. Source​​B

This second source the history book used for the International Baccalaureate. As I use it for classes and it had relevant information about the effects of World War One as well as the causes of the Second World War and Hitler’s war. I used this source all along my writing as it contains the causes and effects of the 20t​ h century wars. It details all the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, which I used to determine the relevant terms for this subject. In this book, there are also analysis from few economists, notably John M. Keynes, historians, presidents and others. Also,

1​ ​​Alpha​ ​History.​ ​2017.​ ​​About​ ​Alpha​ ​History​.​ ​[ONLINE]​ ​Available​ ​at:​ ​​http://alphahistory.com/about-alpha-history/​.

2​ ​​Alpha​ ​History.​ ​2017.​ ​​Alpha​ ​History​ ​authors​.​ ​[ONLINE]​ ​Available​ ​at:​ ​​http://alphahistory.com/alpha-history-authors/​.

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Germans’ reactions to the Treaty of Versailles terms are explained as well as intertwining economist’s analysis with the terms consequences (Keynes opinion on the​ ​reparation​ ​terms).

The information limits itself as it is a course book about many historical events, meaning they are incapable of giving every information with the most accurate details​ ​possible.

III. Investigation

An armistice settlement in fourteen3 points was proposed by Woodrow Wilson, the American president, during a speech to Congress on January 8t​ h 1918, to enumerate few of them: disarmament by all countries, abolishment of secret diplomacy, fair trade between them, German troops to leave Russia, France controlled Alsace and Lorraine and that a League of Nations had to be created to preserve the peace. Leading to the 28t​ h of June 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed by the Allied Powers​ ​and​ ​Germany​ ​to​ ​put​ ​an​ ​end​ ​to​ ​the​ ​first​ ​world​ ​war.

The​ ​Clause​ ​231​ ​is​ ​a​ ​major​ ​key​ ​to​ ​Hitler’s​ ​rise​ ​to​ ​power:

"The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her​ ​allies."4​ ​​Article​ ​231,​ ​Treaty​ ​of​ ​Versailles,​ ​1919

3​ ​​HISTORY.com.​ ​2017.​ ​​Wilson​ ​delivers​ ​Fourteen​ ​Points​ ​speech​ ​-​ ​Jan​ ​08,​ ​1918​ ​-​ ​HISTORY.com​.​ ​[ONLINE]​ ​Available​ ​at: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/wilson-delivers-fourteen-points-speech​.

4​ ​​Facing​ ​History​ ​and​ ​Ourselves.​ ​2017.​ ​​Treaty​ ​of​ ​Versailles:​ ​The​ ​War​ ​Guilt​ ​Clause​ ​|​ ​Facing​ ​History​ ​and​ ​Ourselves​.​ ​[ONLINE]​ ​Available​ ​at: https://www.facinghistory.org/weimar-republic-fragility-democracy/politics/treaty-versailles-text-article-231-war-guilt-clause-politics.​

3

The Germans were outraged by that clause as, for them, all countries were as responsible as Germany for the outbreak of the First World War (in 1914). What scandalized the German population was the meaning of the clause. It

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