Question

How will you explain the role of terms of the Treaty of Versailles in encouraging the rise of dictators across Europe in the 1930s? Explain with examples.

Answer 1

Instructions:
The answer to this question must include the following causes:

• The treaty of versailles
• Resentment and political changes
• Social changes and economic destruction of Europe and the world.
• Rise in arms manufacturing and ultra nationalism ideology.

Solution:
The great war left deep scars on the people of Europe in all fields of life. The Treaty of Versailles left Germany feeling humiliated and weak, making life for ordinary Germans even more difficult after the war had ended.

The heavy war fine that Germany was forced to pay after being declared a war criminal put extraordinary pressure on the already weak resources of the country.

Even the formation of the League of Nations did not help Germany recover from the war, since it was never made a member of the League by the winning nations. The absence of the USA from the League of Nations at the end of world war I resulted in the league not having practical real power in stopping future conflicts from arising.

Added to this was the rise of ultra nationalism inspired ideologies that were arising in several European countries, especially in Germany and Italy. While Nazism under Hitler’s propaganda was growing in popularity, in Italy it was Mussolini who was promoting the ideals of Fascism.

Both ideologies blamed the ruling governments for failing to provide any relief to the people who were facing unemployment and poverty due to the war and later the Great Depression of 1927-29.

These leaders blamed the terms of the Treaty of Versailles for the economic hardships faced by common people, and they also blamed the winning side for humiliating the people of Germany. This propaganda became popular with the masses, who wanted a strong leader willing to fight for their rights.

Even later on once Germany attacked Poland, The League of Nations failed to intervene on time, resulting in a full blown World War II breaking out across the globe.

Therefore we can say that had the terms of the Treaty of Versailles been less harsh, the feeling of humiliation wont have set in the minds of the people, who were willing to adopt the most violent ideologies only to fight back to regain lost honor and a sense of national pride.