Nexus of Thought: What new countries arose from the Treaty of Versailles?

Friday, August 21, 2020

What new countries arose from the Treaty of Versailles?

(Asked on Quora). My answer.

One. Poland. It had its independence formally confirmed at Versailles.

The Treaty of Versailles was the most important treaty signed after World War One but it wasn’t the ONLY treaty signed after the Great War. Specifically Versailles was signed by the Allied/Associated Powers and Germany. It was inked on the 28th of June 2019 and became effective on January 19th 1920.

Other treaties were signed by the Allies and the Central Axis belligerents. These were Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Allies and German-Austria), Trianon (Allies and Hungary), Neuilly-sur-Seine (Allies and Bulgaria) and Sèvres (Allies and the Ottoman Empire). It was these treaties in various combinations that gave rise to the new countries not Versailles so much.

Europe in 1914 source; Great Military Battles

Here is the list of infant countries and the respective central axis treaty that birthed their existence. I have not included mandated territories as these were not independent countries.

Armenia (Treaty of Sevres)

Austria ( Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye)

Czechoslovakia (Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye)

Hungary (Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye followed by Trianon)

Poland (Treaty of Versailles and Saint-Germain-en-Laye)

Turkey (Treaty of Sevres )

Yugoslavia (Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye)

Europe after the Great War source: History Hit.

So what about Versailles? Did it not have a vast territorial component to it?

Most definitely. However Versailles was extremely broad in its scope and included other vital aspects. These can roughly be grouped under five headings - Territorial changes, mandates, military restrictions, reparations and guarantees.

A further extension allowing for the formation of the League of Nations was included as well.

What follows is a list of the Key territorial initiatives outlined at Versailles

The Schleswig Plebiscite (held in Feb/March 1920) - that resulted in the partition of this area between Germany and Denmark;
The East Prussia Plebiscite (held on July 11th 1920) - resulting in the region opting to stay with Germany;
Plebiscites in Eupen, Malmedy and Prussian Moresenet - these regions opted for incorporation in Belgium;
Hultschin area transfer - this territory in Silesia was given to Czechoslovakia;
Upper Silesia plebiscite - following on the heels of much violence Upper Silesia was partitioned between Germany and Poland;
The Memel handover - initially the city of Memel was intended for administration by the League of Nations but after an invasion by Lithuanian troops following the Klaipėda Revolt the Allies agreed that this should become an autonomous territory of Lithuania.

The Big Four at Versailles source: Brittanica

German territory located off the European continent was divided as follows using the mandate system (in brackets is the recipient of the specific League of Nations mandate).