The Treaty of Versailles was the topic of most controversy in the Weimar Republic.
The Germans saw it as 'A Diktat' - a dictated peace. The main issues: reparations and the war guilt clause.
They thought it would be based on Wilson's Fourteen Points. The ToV was considerably different.
Wilson - wanted international disarmamant, self-determination (let a country govern itself), create a new League of Nations.
Clemenceau - motivated by revenge. Wanted large annexations. Wanted major German disarmamant and heavy reparations to rebuild French economy.
Lloyd-George - initially motivated by revenge. Had to compromise and hold back Clemenceau. Just wanted GB security and to keep communism away.
Did it fundamentally weaken WR?
It was a huge blow, but Germany still had a strong economy - extensive industry and resources.
Public opinion was main problem - Germans thought it was totally unfair - had been hoping for victory - defeat came as a shock.
Fuelled 'stab in the back myth' - it was a long-term cause for failure - 'stab in the back myth' gained more popularity - Hitler used it.
Unfair - The Weimar Republic had to take responsibility for a war that Imperial Germany started. It was never going to be easy, but the WR never won round public opinion.
LEFT THREAT
KPD - wanted Marxist revolution. Totally rejected WR.
Exaggerated -
didn't have strong enough leadership (Liebknecht and Luxemburg murdererd in 1919).
Badly co-ordinated - often led by workers who had no idea what to do.
Concessions often divided them - weakened.
Repression - often brutal - Friekorps - White Terror (anti-republic and hated socialism).
They simply were NOT powerful enough to lead a revolution against WR.
RIGHT THREAT
More serious.
Kapp Putsch - highlighted weakeness of WR and unreliability of Army. ALSO the disloyalty of the judiciary - undermined WR with lenient prosecutions.
Civilians protected WR - but WR relied on unreliable forces like civilians.
Munich Putsch - most serious.
Failed because it didn't have enough loyal support.
Initally was a victory for WR.
BUT, elevated Hitler to a national audience - seen as a hero. Wrote 'Mein Kampf' in prison.
Overall, the Weimar Republic was a 'republic without republicans'.
Three main parties: SPD, ZP, DDP - lost many votes from 1919 to 1920.
Also, unable to form long-term coalitions - the longest was 18th months - inconsistency.
From 1920 onwards, political support became increasingly polarised.
BIG PROBLEM: traditional institutions undermining the republic.
Government - overestimated support for left threats and relied on the right.
RIGHT - INSIDIOUS support - growing silently - that was the real threat.
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