Chapter 10: Written by the Victors
With the war in Europe over, Germany sent invitations to delegations from the defeated Entente countries. In the following months, a series of treaties would be concluded that would determine the shape of the post-war world.
British Empire (also negotiating on behalf of the Dominions) was first to sign. The conditions of the Treaty of Wilhelmshaven were harsh:
- Britain was to accept the blame for the heinous crime of starting a war of aggression against the German Empire.
- Substantial war indemnities were to be paid to Germany as compensation for the inhuman blockade imposed by the British navy during the war. If Britain proved to be unable to pay in money, Germany would continue importing British coal, steel and other raw materials instead.
- Following territories were to be ceded to Germany: Gibraltar, Suez Canal zone, the Falklands, all British colonies in Africa except for Egypt, Sudan, British Somaliland and Bechuanaland, and also all British territories in China, including Hong Kong.
- The remaining colonies were to be opened to German trade.
- Britain would accept unconditionally the results of Treaty for the Limitation of Naval Armament that would be negotiated after peace treaties with other belligerents were concluded.
- Britain was forbidden from deploying more than one lightly armed infantry division in Ireland. Britain also 'agreed in principle' with the German support for full independence of Ireland as soon as the circumstances allowed.
- British and German governments jointly affirmed their determination to forever maintain peace between their two nations.
Surprisingly, it was Japan who signed next. When the war in Europe ended, Germany sent a diplomatic note to the Japanese government declaring that Germany was prepared to 'forget' Japanese transgressions against peace provided that Japan immediately evacuated all German territories currently occupied by Japanese forces. Should Japan fail to meet this condition, Germany hinted that the Hochseeflotte was now rather unoccupied and yearning for an excursion to East Asia. Japan knew that its navy was not yet prepared for a confrontation with Germany, so it decided to bear the humiliation and accepted the terms.
Unfortunately for Japan, it wasn't so easy. The Koreans, sensing Japanese weakness, rose up and liberated the southern part of the peninsula. To prevent the Japanese from drowning the rebellion in blood, Germany recognized the new Korean state and guaranteed its borders. The Japanese were forced to accept the
fair accompli. Japanese people reacted to the humiliation with mass riots. The government was forced to recall troops back to the Home islands to quell the riots, which the Chinese used to seize Formosa. Germany again recognized the changes and guaranteed the new borders. And so, in the span of just a few weeks, the Japanese imperial dreams were essentially crushed.
Italy got away relatively easy. It lost Venice to Austria-Hungary and was forced to pay some war indemnities, and also it had to surrender a part of its navy to compensate Austria for the losses it incurred during the war, but it was allowed to keep its colonies in Africa -
with exception of Somalia which was ceded to Germany. However, these terms were bearable compared to the original Austrian plans which called for dismemberment of Italy. Germany knew it could need Italy's cooperation in the future, so it restrained Austria in its demands.
On the other hand, the terms of peace with France were brutal. Germany viewed France as the main instigator of the war and the hereditary enemy of the German people, and acted accordingly to that.
- France was forced to accept the blame for the war and pay substantial war indemnities to Germany, either in money or raw materials.
- Until these were repaid, Germany would occupy a strip of land stretching from Calais to Alsace-Lorraine.
- Briey and Sedan areas were fully annexed by Germany.
- France ceded to Germany all its territories in Africa, except for Tunisia and the Algerian coast. Also ceded were French Indochina and the French islands in the Pacific. Despite American protests, French Guyana was also given to Germany.
- Germany was to retain veto over appointments to the French Cabinet to ensure that no enemies of Germany would influence the politics of the French state.
- Frontier forts facing German territory were to be disarmed as a sign of commitment to peace between the two nations.
- France would join in a tariff union with Germany.
In the Treaty of Tilsit,
Russia was forced to release Poland, the Baltic states, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan as independent states. Germany would guarantee their independence and borders and integrate them into the Central European Tariff Union (also wrongly called "Mitteleuropa"). On the other hand, Germany reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Tsar's government and warned against any attempts to challenge its authority.
The fate of the small Entente nations was grim.
Belgium, Denmark and Luxembourg became parts of the Greater German Kaiserreich. Serbia and Montenegro were annexed by Austria-Hungary. Portugal lost its colonies in Africa plus Macao and was forced to allow German military presence and bases in the remaining territories (Azores, Cape Verde, East Timor, etc.).
China was in such a chaos that Germany simply took what it wanted and then had it rubber-stamped by the Chinese government.
German territories now dominated the continent of Africa:
Germany and its allies/client states in Europe after the war:
