The Effect of Diplomacy on the Rise of the Modern State Essay

European states ended the Thirty Years’ War with the Peace of Westphalia (1648), which laid the foundations for a system of independent, competing states. They also mutually recognized their rights to organize their domestic and religious affairs and agreed that political and diplomatic affairs were to be conducted by states acting in their own interests.

Everyone wants peace but it is not often that it is accomplished, especially between nations. Even though World War 1 was over, disputes between nations did not come to an end, but continued. The Treaty of Versailles was one of many attempts. It was a document that ended World War 1; however, it solely blamed Germany for the war and forced Germany to pay reparations. Furthermore, the treaty was also unfair because Germany did not even attend the meeting, Germany was blamed and humiliated, and they also had to pay everything.

France and Britain made Germany sign The Versailles Peace Treaty but once Hitler became the leader of Germany, he wanted to change everything in Germany and make it powerful like it was once before. The League of Nations came into being after the end of World War One. The League of Nation’s task was simple to ensure that war never broke out again but eventually the League of Nations failed. As the League of Nations crumbled, politicians turned to a new way to keep the peace appeasement. This was the policy of giving Hitler what he wanted to stop him from going to war. It was based on the idea that what Hitler wanted was reasonable and, when his reasonable demands had been satisfied, he would stop. There were many reasons why Chamberlin appeased Hitler. A few of them

On June, 28 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. This treaty coupled with other factors, such as the Nazis rise to power in Germany, Europe’s policy of appeasement, and Germany’s invasion of Poland would lead to - and be direct causes of - World War II. In fact, when French military commander Marshal Foch heard of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, her observed with extreme accuracy - “This is not Peace. It is an Armistice for 20 years.” (Churchill, 7)

Ninety-eight years ago, after the fighting of World War I subsided, the Treaty of Versailles (“the Treaty”) was signed at the Palace of Versailles in France by the Allied powers and Germany. The compromise of the Treaty is that it ended World War I. The conflict of the Treaty is that it fed the German’s hate for the Allied Powers and, in turn, was the cause of World War II. “In their hearts was a stern resolution that the fiasco of November 11, 1918, would not be repeated for all serious people in America, as in all nations, remembered that much hailed Versailles Treaty was sown the very seeds of World War II” (Library Of Congress. Manzanar free press, November 12, 1942. 1942. Newspaper. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/sn84025948/1942-11-12/ed-1/. )

On January 22, 1917, Woodrow Wilson addressed the United States Senate appealing for a settlement of conflict for ‘peace without victors’. Unfortunately the Treaty of Versailles was signed by participating nations and could not end the hostilities that terrorized to destroy European Civilization. The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most important social and physical agreement or disagreements that help shape the European 20th century. The treaty was very important because it violated Wilson’s ideals. The Treaty of Versailles was the official end of the World War I and was ultimately the main reason that led to World War II.

Promptly after the First World War had ended there were many debates about who or what caused the war. Historians such as Fritz Fischer argued that Germany was the to blame for the entirety of the war but there have been many more ideas of what was the cause of the war and therefore causing peace to fail. The main ideas amongst historians for the underlying causes of the war are the different balance in power due the formation of alliances, imperialism, militarism and also the July Crisis of 1914. This essay will argue that the alliances were the main cause of peace failing as with the constant conflict of interests and increasing tension it made it almost impossible to create peace in Europe in 1914.

“The representatives in the Congress of Vienna wanted to prevent France’s aggression by surrounding France with stronger nations, restore balance of power, so no country would be a threat to others and restore Europe’s royal families to the thrones they head held before Napoleon’s coquets” (Beck, 239). In order to make the weak nations around France stronger, the former Austrian Netherlands and Dutch Republic were united to form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “Group of 39 German states were loosely joined as the newly create German confederation, dominate by Austria. Leaders of Europe wanted to weaken France, but also didn’t want to leave it powerless. If they did, the French might rebel to take revenge but if France became weaker and was broken up, another country might become so strong that it would threaten them all. France remained a major but diminished European powers” (Beck, 239). Nevertheless, not all-important decisions were made by the great powers.

The Treaty of Versailles was penned during the Paris Peace Conference, mainly to decide upon Germany’s consequences for beginning World War One. When Germany signed the treaty, it lost a tenth of its land to surrounding countries. Not only did they lose part of their country, but they also lost their overseas territories, including Chinese ports, Pacific Islands, and African colonies. One of the actual causes of the war was that Germany wanted ‘a place in the sun’, and requested

Danish, Swedish and French forces intervene in support of the Protestants while the Spanish intervene in support of the Catholics. The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War in 1648 and recognizes all states within the Holy Roman Empire as individual, and the concept of sovereignty arises. The states no longer have the right to tell each other what they can and cannot do within their own borders. The Holy Roman Empire slowly started to fall apart as a result of the Protestant reformation. Sovereignty is seen today in western civilization, no states or countries have the right to tell one and other what to do which keeps the world on good terms (McKay). From a political stand point European Expansion gained Europe huge amounts of power. Europe was able to start trading with other nations and getting silver and gold. European Expansion allowed for Europe to become wealthy in both goods and land by exploring into the Americas and forming colonies in those new areas.

Are you saying they exhausted all possibilities through diplomacy prior to World War I? The tension between the nations was just too high to avoid a conflict. The nations just did not realize the scope of the war. as in previous conflicts they were quite localized and between two parties. So, the war would appear to only be of short duration until each side brought in neighboring countries to help them. One of the reasons for the second world war was the unwillingness of the allies relive the destruction and human loss as in the first world war. Appeasement is the giving in to one party, hoping that they will be satisfied. Diplomacy is when two parties seek to find the mutual resolution to the situation. Neither of which the Nazis never

The Successes and Failures of the Treaty of Versailles in Addressing the Causes of Conflict and Restoring Peace and Normality

Modernization of the statehood has developed over the course of history, and has clearly defined properties, which give the foundations for ruling. The development of the modern state can only be understood by first evaluating its characteristics. Four major values include: territory, sovereignty (internal and

The significance of the Peace of Westphalia has long been lauded as beginning of international relations as it is recognized today. Many have attributed the popularity of this belief to the article, Peace of Westphalia, 1648-1948 by Leo Gross which was published in 1948. It discusses the merits of the agreement in sparking the establishing the modern state system. A more recent piece, Sovereignty, International Relations, and the Westphalian Myth by Andreas Osiander takes an entirely different approach by attempting to debunk what Peace of Westphalia stands for in the current world. Both articles have strongly argued for their respective views on the issue, however it is clear that when it comes to whether or not the two treaties that make up the Peace of Westphalia actually contribute as much as ???? However it is clear that Osiander is more convincing??? While both articles make strong arguments to convince the reader of their respective views, Osiander employs By

November 11, 1918, Europe would be left in utter devastation from the effects of World War I. These effects which would have unprecedented effect on the development on European nations into modern nations. However, the immediate impact of the policies and treaties created by the “Big Four” (Great Britain, Italy, France and The United States) would leave devastating irreversible consequences on the Great War’s losers. The most important treaty that the allies would make would be The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28th, 1919. This treaty would have the most destructive consequences on Germany, whom would become bitter, nationalistic, and isolated from its effects. As Holborn puts it, “the treaty did not solve the problem of reparations, which was not settled for years to come in a fashion that would have stabilized the social and economic conditions of Europe. The struggle about the economic settlement of World War I kept alive and magnified the national hostilities which the political provinces of the peace produced.”1 The Treaty of Versailles would require Germany to surrender vast amounts of territory in Europe and oversea, diminish its military might significantly, impose insurmountable financial and economic demands, as well as making her accept the ‘War Guilt Clause;’ this in turn would make the Germans feel a national humiliation and cause tremendous resent, this in turn would lead to the rise of authoritarianism, expansionism and the public demand for redemption.