IB History Topic Paris Peace Treaties Revision Notes… | RevisionDojo

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IB History Topic Paris Peace Treaties Revision Notes… | RevisionDojo

Overview

After World War I, the victorious Allied powers met in Paris to create peace treaties with the defeated Central Powers.
These treaties were meant to redraw borders, assign blame, and prevent future conflict.
However, the terms were often harsh and created long-term resentment, especially in Germany and the successor states of Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.

Each defeated country was given its own treaty:

Germany – Treaty of Versailles
Austria – Treaty of St Germain
Hungary – Treaty of Trianon
Bulgaria – Treaty of Neuilly
Ottoman Empire – Treaty of Sèvres (later revised at Lausanne)

Treaty of Versailles (Germany, 1919)

Aims:

Punish Germany and prevent future aggression.
Make Germany pay reparations and accept war guilt.
Redraw European borders and weaken Germany’s military.

Responses:

Germany saw the treaty as a “Diktat” (dictated peace) and deeply resented Article 231.
The treaty created anger across the political spectrum and fueled the rise of extremism.
Allies saw it as a necessary punishment; some, like the U.S., thought it was too harsh.

Tip

Make sure to explain how Versailles was both punitive and flawed (too harsh for reconciliation and too weak to stop future aggression.)

Treaty of St Germain (Austria, 1919)

Aims:

Break up the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Establish new states based on nationality (e.g. Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia).

Responses:

Austria lost much of its industrial territory, creating serious economic hardship.
Many Germans were left outside Austria, creating discontent (especially in Sudetenland).
Austria became landlocked and unstable.

Hint

Mention that although this treaty was less famous than Versailles. It had a huge regional impact in Central Europe.

Treaty of Trianon (Hungary, 1920)

Aims:

Finalize the breakup of Hungary from Austria.
Reward neighboring states like Romania and Yugoslavia.

Responses:

Hungarian nationalists called it a national tragedy.
Millions of ethnic Hungarians found themselves in foreign countries.
Hungary became bitter, revisionist, and politically unstable.

Exam technique

Use Trianon to show how peace treaties failed to respect self-determination and created long-term resentment in the region.

Treaty of Neuilly (Bulgaria, 1919)

Aims:

Punish Bulgaria for siding with the Central Powers.
Reward neighboring states like Greece and Romania.

Responses:

Bulgaria felt humiliated, especially by losing access to the Aegean Sea.
However, it was less harsh than the treaties with Germany or Hungary.

Tip

Mention Neuilly when showing that even minor Central Powers faced tough penalties, deepening regional bitterness.

Treaty of Sèvres (1920) & Treaty of Lausanne (1923) – Ottoman Empire

Aims:

Break up the Ottoman Empire and divide its territories among the Allies.
Create new mandates (e.g. Syria to France, Iraq and Palestine to Britain).

Responses:

The Ottoman Empire effectively ceased to exist.
Turkey became a republic under Atatürk.
Lausanne was the only treaty successfully renegotiated, showing that force could undo peace terms.

Hint

Use the Lausanne Treaty to show that the peace settlement was not final. Some parts could be challenged and overturned.

Exam technique

Always include at least two treaties in your answers. Don’t focus on Versailles alone.
Explain both intentions (what the Allies wanted) and outcomes (how countries responded).
Address self-determination vs. imperial interest.

Mistake	What to do
Only writing about Versailles	Include 2+ treaties for breadth
Listing facts	Explain impact and consequences
Mixing up treaties	Use a comparison chart to study
Ignoring self-determination	Connect to ethnic tensions and minority problems
Treating treaties as permanent	Show how some were challenged or revised
Skipping long-term consequences	Link to WWII and rise of fascism
Forgetting Allied aims	Include motives of France, Britain, USA
Misusing command terms	Follow directive: evaluate, compare, discuss, etc.

Active recall

Evaluate the political, social, and economic consequences of the peace treaties imposed on the defeated Central Powers after the First World War.
To what extent did the Treaty of Versailles differ from the other peace treaties (St Germain, Trianon, Neuilly, and Sèvres) in its aims and its impact?
Assess the reasons why the post-war peace settlement created instability in Europe and the Middle East between 1919 and 1923.