“The Paris peace treaties (1919–1923) caused more problems than they solved.” Discuss with reference to two treaties.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that the Paris peace treaties (1919–1923) caused more problems than they solved. Candidates may offer equal coverage of two treaties or they may prioritize their discussion of one. However, both treaties will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to the general principles and political considerations of the treaties that led to hostility and instability; the contradiction of the principle of self-determination, such as the Anschluss which was forbidden by Versailles. Some may argue that the problems emerged from the fact that the defeated powers were not invited to the negotiations in Paris or that the harshness of the various treaties in terms of war reparations or territorial changes became important grievances for Austria, Hungary and Germany leading to demands for revision of the treaties. Some may argue that security guarantees were not sufficient such as the failure of Versailles to safeguard France against a future German attack. Some could argue that the treaties did solve some problems of national self-determination such as the establishment of an independent Poland and the Baltic states. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that the Paris peace treaties (1919-1923) caused more problems than they solved. This was a popular question. Some candidates demonstrated good in-depth knowledge of the problems caused by Versailles, St. Germain, Trianon and Sèvres. Weaker candidates only discussed one treaty which was invariably Versailles. Stronger candidates also discussed successfully how it could be argued that these treaties solved problems as well as caused them.