I know it is conventional historical wisdom the Treaty of Versailles helped cause the rise of Hitler and though he did use resentment about the treaty to his advantage, I posit the treaty did not cause the rise of fascism because it was never actually enforced.
The UK in particular kept changing the terms over the objections of France to appease both Weimar politicians and latter Hitler.
The proscribed penalties for violations where rarely implemented.
The fact is German politicians of almost very party propagated the myth that Germany was not really defeated in WWI but was betrayed and the treaty thus was unfair.
Germany was not occupied and this re-enforced the myth, and German Weimar politicians, wanting to re-arm (this process started before Hitler) inflated their currency to pay back war debt thus hurting the middle class, but the victorious powers kept changing the terms in GermanyÂ’s favor.
If anything I think the Treaty of Versailles was too lenient. Germany did not know or feel she was a defeated.
Look at the difference between the aftermath of WWI and WWII, after WWII Germany is occupied, partitioned, her war leaders put on trial and her new government validated and dictated to by the victorious allies, and Germany never threatens European peace again.
The problem with Versailles is it caused resentment but did not punish seriously or contain a defeated enemy.
Well, now that you've dried out, we get to see the real you...a Bushie or maybe more of a Cheney...
History's neither one dimensional, nor can it be neatly defined by facts and historical events alone. History is the continuing saga of human existence and human conditions. Those human conditions, good or bad serve to fuel benign or aggressive behaviors. Actual outcomes of events, treaties and policies are determined as much by human perception as they are by fact. The Treaty of Versailles was perceived as very punitive in the eyes of the German people who anticipated Wilson's 14 Points, which was perceived as fair, a way to rebuild their economy, their country, re-enter the world community and retain some dignity. Instead they received Clemenceau's punitive ruler across the knuckles; total blame for the war, and with that total blame; reparations that would have taken until the late 20th century to repay. Add territorial clauses that would later become a rallying cry all combined to create animosity in Germany towards their 'enemies' and toward their own government that signed it.
If we are really going to get into that period of history and try to correlate events and consequences, there are MANY. Post WWI Germany saw a period of political instability. There were many factions vying for power. There was even a 'Red scare' not unlike right wing fear-mongering during our own Cold war. You seem to insinuate there was some pre-Hitler mental inevitability with your comment that Weimar politicians wanting to re-arm. It WAS the Treaty of Versailles that created the pre-Hitler mental inevitability. And it will remain in the annals of history as a leading cause that led to the rise of Hitler and ultimately WWII.
The main difference between the aftermath of WWI and WWII, the Treaty of Versailles was punitive and destructive. The Marshall Plan was not punitive, it was constructive...
These lessons will NEVER be learned by the right wing mind. They will continue to FEEL that punishment is the only way, and when it ultimately fails, it was only because the punishment was not severe enough. And they will continue to blindly follow authoritarian despots like Bush and Cheney that turned a gang of terrorists into an army of thousands.
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
Then they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out for me.
Pastor Martin Niemöller
