If Germany was not sanctioned so harshly, there would not have been as many economic, geographical, and political impacts. First, Germany’s economy would not have suffered so harshly. Although Germany was hurting, economically, prior to the Treaty of Versailles, the Allied Powers aggravated their economic issues. Along with being forced to accept responsibility for causing the Great War, Britain, France, and America required Germany to pay $32 billion worth of fees. However, the Germans did not have this money. Therefore, they paid for it in resources such as coal, steel, and crops, impacting their economy heavily. On the other hand, if they were not obligated to do this, Germany may have been twice as successful, even after losing World War I. Secondly, Germany may have also been able to expand and conquer more land. The treaty had forced the nation to abolish its airforce and reduce its armies. This made Germany militarily vulnerable, forcing them to settle with the land they had previously colonized. But, they may have been able to conquer more land if they had the military power to do so. Lastly, Hitler may not have been a political figure, let alone a German Chancellor if Germany was not sanctioned so harshly. The main causes of Hitler’s rise as a leader were because of the issues Germany was facing politically and economically due to the treaty. Hitler was directly against the Treaty of Versailles and, therefore, disobeyed its terms. This incited his popularity and allowed him to become the Chancellor of Germany. However, if these conflicts did not occur, Hitler would not have gained so much fame from the German people. Instead, he would most likely have continued to fight in the German army as a soldier because of his hardcore patriotism, fascism, and national pride. Furthermore, the results of WWI and the Treaty of Versailles connect to our Kahiau project issue of global climate change because of the class stratification established. Climate change is a global issue happening in almost every region of the world. Therefore, it requires the attention and unity of everyone, regardless of where you are from. However, the class stratification and social hierarchies built as a result of the treaty are affecting our ability to amalgamate and address this issue. The treaty provided the Allied Powers with a sense of superiority by allowing them to become a dominating global force. It not only allowed them to control global geography and world conquest, but it also allowed them to manage global economies, as seen in both Germany and Japan. This inequality allowed the Allies to establish themselves in the top tier and class of the social pyramid. Meanwhile, other nations were portrayed as inferior to them. Due to this, segregation and conflicts were spurred between groups of people, many of which continue to exist today. Therefore, it is also preventing us from collaborating and communicating on the climate change crisis. Akana, H. (2020, July 01). InterWar Years: In Between WWI & WW2. Lecture presented at Kamehameha Kapālama Summer School. Retrieved July 01, 2020, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/13wU5AgIxysOjp-bTBVYWcm7agTz6vDBH/view
WatchMojo.com. (2010a). World War I - Treaty of Versailles. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKzZ1OwPXgk WatchMojo.com. (2010b). WWI - The Aftermath. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl5OqQVaD9Y Axelrod, J. (2019). NPR Choice page. Retrieved from Npr.org website: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2019/08/11/742293305/a-century-later-the-treaty-of-versailles-and-its-rejection-of-racial-equality BBC. (n.d.). WW1: Can the Treaty of Versailles help us tackle climate change? Retrieved July 2, 2020, from BBC Teach website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/can-the-treaty-of-versailles-help-us-tackle-climate-change/z7twbdm History.com Editors. (2018, September 4). Apartheid. Retrieved from HISTORY website: https://www.history.com/topics/africa/apartheid Uneven Earth. (n.d.). Hierarchy, climate change and the state of nature – Uneven Earth. Retrieved from Uneven Earth website: http://unevenearth.org/2018/04/hierarchy-climate-change-and-the-state-of-nature/ Parliament UK. (1919). Treaty of Versailles. Retrieved from UK Parliament website: https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/yourcountry/collections/paris-1919-vers/tre-of-vers/ Zax, T. (2019, September 29). Revisiting Hitler, in a New Authoritarian Age. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/29/books/hitler-biographies-longerich-simms.html
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