Why was There a Need for the Treaty of Versailles? (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)

There was a need for peace treaties due to the conflict of the First World War from 1914 to 1918. The First World War occurred between the Triple Alliance, or Central Powers, of Germany, Austria-Hungary and their allies and the Triple Entente of France, Britain and Russia. During the 1910s, most European leaders were planning for a conflict. Germany launched the Schlieffen Plan in August 1914. This aimed for Germany to rapidly invade and conquer France by cutting through neutral Belgium. This plan ultimately failed, creating the need for trench warfare. European countries would later use the Schlieffen Plan as evidence that Germany was aggressive and caused the First World War.

During the First World War, Germany created harsh peace terms for their enemies. As a result of its poor military performance and the communist revolution, Russia withdrew from the conflict. In March 1918, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk forced Russia to give up around 1 million square miles of land and over a third of its population. The Allies used this treaty against Germany in the Paris Peace Conference. Some European countries argued that Germany should suffer as harsh peace terms as they had forced Russia to endure.

Germany launched their Spring Offensive in March 1918 and their military leaders were confident it would result in German victory. Despite its early successes, the gamble of the Spring Offensive did not deliver the necessary defeat of the Allies. The USA joined the war in April 1917 in support of Britain and France, boosting the number of Allied soldiers. Germany surrendered on 11th November 1918. German politicians of the new Weimar Republic signed the Armistice. The German army retreated in November 1918 but it was not defeated. Some Germans did not believe in signing the armistice because Germany had not lost the war on the battlefield.

The First World War had a devastating impact on Europe. Historians estimate that the conflict caused around 8.5 million military deaths and around 13 million civilian casualties. In France, in the 18 to 30 age group, there were 15 women for every man in 1919. Britain also suffered heavy losses. Around 750,000 British soldiers died in the First World War. A significant amount of fighting and trenches occurred in Belgium and France. This is known as the Western Front. The use of artillery and offensive mining caused mass destruction of the landscape. The conflict destroyed hundreds of factories, railways and roads. This created significant economic problems for France. The levels of destruction made some leaders of Europe seek revenge against Germany. This influenced the type of peace achieved in the Treaty of Versailles.