PS 203 Lecture Outline 10 21 13 Versailles to Munich Learning goals By the end of this lecture you should be able to 1 Identify and describe the major consequences of the Versailles Treaty 2 Describe the orthodox explanation for Chamberlain s decision at Munich 3 Describe the revisionist explanation for Chamberlain s decision at Munich 4 Define the following key concepts and illustrate each with an example appeasement justice motive trust and mistrust Munich analogy Versailles to Munich I Victors Peace at Versailles A Background on Versailles 1917 towards the end of WWI Lenin and the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia through a revolution Russia sues for peace with the Germans and its allies US comes into the war and tips the balance of power Nov 1918 war ends Kaiser leaves Germany Hitler invites him back to Berlin several years later Treaty Of Versailles peace treaty signed between Germany and the Allies formally ended WWI 5 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Treaty was very much a treaty where the victors dictated the terms 1 3 of British and French men between 19 22 were killed in the war French were so humiliated hid official statistics about how many of them died Because of this French wanted a victors peace for their suffering wanted Germany to pay for it The US wanted more of a balance peace America lost about 180K men Woodrow Wilson travels to Versailles proposed the League of Nations Wilson thought that the absence of democracy caused WWI especially in Germany and not the balance of power Wilson was a liberal There must not be a balance of power but a community of power in Europe Wilson Wilson also thought that their were secret alliances treaties in WWI B Consequences of the Treaty 1 Sanctions and punishment against Germany Allies captured 100K German soldiers Prohibited Germany from building tanks artillery battleships weakened German military Required Germany to pay for the war pay damages 4 Billion dollars in damages wasn t enough up to 20 Billion cause Allies thought that they caused the war 2 A League of Nations with no teeth League of Nations was designed to keep peace in Europe Three problems with the League 1 Wilson proposed it but the US did not sign to it Why US had isolationists in Congress who voted the treaty down 2 Germany and Russia were excluded from it both pariahs at that time 3 League had no teeth NO ENFORCEMENT POWER an organization which made lots of demands but no capabilities to back up those threats no standing army no power to keep states in line with the League WHY DOES ALL THESE MATTER victors created conditions in Europe which is conducive for WWII excluded Germany made demands but unable to enforce it II Appeasement at Munich 1938 A What happened at Munich 1 Hitler s rise Germany was very ripe for radicals to come into power because of the suffering and humiliation in Germany this contributed to the rise of Hitler 2 Remilitarization and expansion Hitler then sends German troops to the Rhine Land in 1936 the Rhine Land was a stretch of territory between France Belgium Germany Hitler annexed Austria by force in 1938 Provoked Czechoslovakia by demanding the Sudetenland caused a territory dispute 3 Munich Conference a What is appeasement meeting between Nazi Germany major European powers and the United States point of meeting decide the fate of the Sudetenland tiny piece of land in Czechoslovakia Hitler wanted it to be incorporated into Germany Czechoslovakia didn t Germany was willing to go to war to get it because it was carved out of Germany during the Versailles Treaty If Sudetenland is given there will be peace NOT CLEAR HOW EXTREME HITLER WAS UNTIL WWII WAS UNDERWAY To European powers Sudetenland was just a piece of territory inhabited by ethnic Germans anyway To the Czechs it was important because it was where Czech fortifications were Czechoslovakia would be defenseless if it is given to Germany Problem is the Czechs had no say as they weren t invited to the conference Britain and France got to decide Czechoslovakia s fate without the agreement of the Czech s Therefore Hitler offers peace in exchange for Sudetenland British PM gives Sudetenland to Hitler on the condition that Hitler would not ask for any more lands in Europe this is an appeasement the policy of offering concessions to adversaries in the hopes of that they would be satisfied and ask for no more Appeasement didn t work for Hitler he was a liar and he was a revisionist B What explains Chamberlain s appeasement policy 1 Orthodox view Hitler duped Chamberlain Accepted by conventional wisdom Hitler duped Chamberlain tricked Chamberlain Chamberlain should not have trusted Hitler should have taken Britain to war with Germany a Feelings of injustice British sympathy i What is the justice motive In favor of this argument the dupe was believable Hitler s claim to injustice to the Sudetenland was plausible Because of the treaty of Versailles Sudetenland was carved out of Germany and given to the Czechs was a great injustice to Hitler worth fighting for was a feasible argument People often fight to correct what they feel to be injustices When people feel that what they deserve exceeds what they actually possess benefits they get angry Often willing to fight to correct this injustice In international relations states sometimes go to war to correct injustices Other states often sympathize with this feeling of injustice try to help correct the injustice to maintain peace According to the Orthodox believe Chamberlain was sympathizing with Hitler to correct this injustice exactly what Chamberlain tried to do at Munich according to Orthodox belief b What should Chamberlain have done War Orthodox historians argue that Chamberlain was a fool to sympathize with Hitler Chamberlain should refuse to bow down to Hitler and go to war with Germany should they refuse 2 Revisionist view Chamberlain had no choice a Chamberlain mistrusted Hitler i What are trust and mistrust Counterview Revisionist views According to revisionists Chamberlain mistrusted Hitler did not trust Hitler He knew that Britain cannot afford to go to war lack of capabilities especially after WWI British public did not want to go to war and cheered him after Chamberlain came back from Munich Chamberlain wrote series of private letters to friends he had no illusions about Hitler intentions Argument from revisionists Chamberlain actually mistrusted Hitler Trust and mistrust are emotional beliefs Trust