“The Treaty of Versailles was a harsh and unfair peace.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Candidates will consider of the merits or otherwise of the statement; they may support it or argue against it, or they may choose a position somewhere in between. Posterity has not been favourable to the Treaty of Versailles, and candidates may address how judgments of the treaty are affected by how much Germany was negatively affected following the ratification of Versailles in July 1919. However, this is not a “rise of Hitler question” and candidates must not use it thus. Candidates may argue that the treaty was not unfair, referring to the fact that Germany had requested an armistice (thereby admitting defeat), but also remained a major European power after ratification. Some discussion of the significance of Wilson’s Fourteen Points as a basis for negotiation would be relevant, along with the aims of the peacemakers. Comparison with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk could also be relevant.