#paris peace

[linprobable]

1 mois déjà... Paris 13/11/2015

[voldemeg]

I cannot leave this subject as though its just treatment wholly depended either on our own pledges or on economic facts. The policy of reducing Germany to servitude for a generation, of degrading the lives of millions of human beings, and of depriving a whole nation of happiness should be abhorrent and detestable,—abhorrent and detestable, even if it were possible, even if it enriched ourselves, even if it did not sow the decay of the whole civilized life of Europe. Some preach it in the name of Justice. In the great events of man’s history, in the unwinding of the complex fates of nations Justice is not so simple. And if it were, nations are not authorized, by religion or by natural morals, to visit on the children of their enemies the misdoings of parents or of rulers.

John Maynard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1919)

Pretty shocked I'm quoting Keynes here, who usually makes my blood boil, but this book he wrote about the Paris Peace Conference is actually amazingly well-aimed and damn him, he's got a way with words. His descriptions of the diplomats are particularly great, here he describes Wilson:

The first impression of Mr. Wilson at close quarters was to impair some but not all of these illusions. His head and features were finely cut and exactly like his photographs, and the muscles of his neck and the carriage of his head were distinguished. But, like Odysseus, the President looked wiser when he was seated; and his hands, though capable and fairly strong, were wanting in sensitiveness and finesse. The first glance at the President suggested not only that, whatever else he might be, his temperament was not primarily that of the student or the scholar, but that he had not much even of that culture of the world which marks M. Clemenceau and Mr. Balfour as exquisitely cultivated gentlemen of their class and generation. But more serious than this, he was not only insensitive to his surroundings in the external sense, he was not sensitive to his environment at all. What chance could such a man have against Mr. Lloyd George's unerring, almost medium-like, sensibility to every one immediately round him? To see the British Prime Minister watching the company, with six or seven senses not available to ordinary men, judging character, motive, and subconscious impulse, perceiving what each was thinking and even what each was going to say next, and compounding with telepathic instinct the argument or appeal best suited to the vanity, weakness, or self-interest of his immediate auditor, was to realize that the poor President would be playing blind man's buff in that party. Never could a man have stepped into the parlor a more perfect and predestined victim to the finished accomplishments of the Prime Minister. The Old World was tough in wickedness anyhow; the Old World's heart of stone might blunt the sharpest blade of the bravest knight-errant. But this blind and deaf Don Quixote was entering a cavern where the swift and glittering blade was in the hands of the adversary.

Full text available on econlib.org, here.

[voldemeg]

Efforts to bankrupt and humiliate a nation merely incite a people of vigor and of courage to break the bonds imposed upon them. ... Prohibitions thus incite the very acts that are prohibited.

John Foster Dulles, one of two authors of Article 231 of the Versailles Peace Treaty, or the German "War Guilt Clause", 1954, as United States Secretary of State and in discussion with the Soviet Union in regards to German reunification.

Article 231 on Wikipedia

[batemanibnotes-blog]

October 3rd, 2011

Alliances - That morning the French signed separate treaties with the British and Americans to guarantee to come to France's aid if attacked by Germany - First time treaty was filmed - Treaty was in a leather box - Find seals ○ Tradition that signatures have a personal stamp Economics - Keynes ○ The Economic Consequences of the Peace came out Christmas 1919 and has remained in print ever since - The Final figure was set in London in 1921 at 132 billion gold marks (or 33 bill) - in reality though because of complex clauses only about 1/2 of that amount) - Germany may have paid 4.5 bill (less than what France paid after the Franco-Prussian war)

Germany also lost… - Limited in the number of officers in the army itself to 4000 but it said nothing about the non-commissioned officers so the Germany army had 40000 sergeants and corporals - In return for space and secrecy for experiments with tanks, aircraft and poison gas, Germany provided technical assistance and training - Russians helped Germans around the Treaty - The Treaty is not to blame, it was never consistently enforced…" (MacMillan, pg 482) Conclusion to Paris - Wilson left that night - French sent British a bill for the use of the train - Conference continued until Jan 1920 but big decisions deferred to major world leader - Smaller powers had to signed treaties that bound them to treat their minorities equally and tolerate religious differences ○ What about Blacks in US? § Not until 1960's (hypocritical) § Irish in Britain ○ What about the Irish with the British?

Remaining in Power - LG had 3 more years in power, remained an MP - Clemenceau destroyed his papers ○ Foct published and then he wrote about his papers but died before able to finish - Wilson had a stroke in October continued to battle for treaty until he died in 1924 ○ Senate had a problem with Article X ○ The US would not act to protect the territorial integrity or independence of any league member unless Congress approved

Russian Adventure - Pulled out in 1919 ("we can't afford the burden") ○ British spent 100 million ○ France spent 50 million pounds ○ Wilson sent troops to Siberia - Were they at war? ○ Didn't end blockade until 1921 ○ Knew that it could open up reparations issue - Wilson's 6th point dealt with the evacuation of Russian territory by foreign armies (meant Japan in particular) - For Lenin and Trotsky if revolution was going to happen immediately, there was no need to deal with the enemy Famine - 200 million people in enemy countries were facing famine ○ Diseases for people who lived solely on beets (made up names) - Put Hoover in charge of Allied relief administration - With 100 million from the US and 62 million from British. He established offices in 32 countries and opened soup kitchens that fed millions, moved tons of food and medical supplies - By summer of 1919 (6 months) said that the US had some enough - Ties the poor countries with the United States because of debt - who was going to get the contract overall?

Social - British noticed how seriously the "American took rank: unlike their own delegation, the important men never sat down to meals with their juniors." - American soldiers clashed with French and brawled in streets - Wilson as the only head of state had a chair a few inches higher than any one else - Lloyd George's daughter was shipped to boarding school - Japan representative went to school with Clemenceau, brought lady 50 years younger and not discreet so sent home - Prostitutes said business was off when they left Paris - US refused to allow black combat troops to fight alongside white Americans in the war, preferring to place them under French command