On the Treaty of Versailles
At the end of World War I in 1918, Great Britain was one of the victorious powers, and they sought to create a peace treaty that would both punish Germany and prevent any future war. The Treaty of Versailles, which Germany was initially forced to sign in June 1919, stipulated strict restrictions on the German army and military industrial production, while at the same time taking away German territory and among other things forcing Germany to pay crippling reparations to the Allies.
One of the main questions arising from this treaty was how powerful Germany was allowed to become afterwards. Leaving Germany too weak would have risked completely destabilizing the region or allowing them to become a threat again in the future, while allowing them to become too powerful was equally dangerous.
The treaty stipulated that Germany’s land army could not exceed 100,000 men, and they were only allowed six battleships, no submarines, and no aeroplanes. Armaments were only allowed to a prescribed level, which was usually a fraction of the energies produced before the war. It seemed that Great Britain wanted Germany to be just weak enough to not be a threat again, and more specifically to not become a power powerful enough to be able to threaten the British Empire.
This was partly the result of growing British fears that, after the German military buildup that happened prior to World War I, Germany could become a global superpower. In fact, the German naval buildup prior to the war was seen as a particular threat to the British Empire, which at the time was built on a strong navy and trade relations along the major trade routes.
After World War I, the British government was determined to keep Germany weak and unable to challenge the British Empire. The restrictions on the German military, and in general on German power, were put in place to ensure that Germany would remain weak and unable to challenge the British Empire in the future.
The Rise of German Democracy
One thing the Treaty of Versailles did not attempt to do was to control German politics. This was mostly because the Allied forces had previously been unsuccessful in trying to control the German government during the war and were not optimistic about their chances of success in trying to do so afterwards.
In fact, soon after the war, a democratic government was formed and established in the Weimar Republic, which meant that while the Allied nations had some control over Germany in terms of military strength and armaments, they had very little control over internal German politics. This was a source of great frustration for the Allied forces, as without proper political control they had no way of preventing a possible future militarization of Germany.
That being said, the Weimar Republic was, for the most part, successful in keeping Germany relatively peaceful and even though the economy and political situation was unstable, it was one of the most stable periods in the country’s history up to that point. This was partly due to the restrictions that had been placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.
Of course, the restrictions could not last forever, and in the years following the Treaty there were attempts by German politicians to try to increase the power of Germany, as well as the power of the military. Despite their efforts, Great Britain was still determined to keep Germany weak and to prevent them from becoming a threat to the British Empire.
The Nazi Takeover and Its Consequences
In 1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany and Adolf Hitler became the new leader of the country. One of the Nazi Party’s main agendas was to expand the military of Germany. This was in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, but the Allies were either unwilling or unable to do anything about it. This allowed the Nazis to build up their military and soon Germany was again a global superpower.
The Allies’ failure to prevent the Nazi takeover of Germany was also a major factor in the escalation of World War II. This was a major blow to Great Britain, as they had been hoping to maintain a balance of power in Europe by controlling the power of Germany and keeping them relatively weak.
In hindsight, it is clear that allowing Germany to become too powerful was a mistake, as without proper control, the Nazis were able to reignite the old ambitions of German militarism and use the increased military power to their advantage. This lead to the expansion of the German Empire and eventually the outbreak of World War II, a conflict from which Great Britain emerged a much weaker power.
The Restoration and Censure of the German Power
When the war ended in 1945, the victorious Allied nations sought to ensure that Germany could never again become a threat to Europe or the world. This was a much more difficult problem than during World War I, as Germany was now divided up between four occupying forces, each with their own agenda.
In order to solve it, the Allies sought to re-establish the balance of power in Europe and prevent Germany from ever becoming a threat again. To do this, they sought to keep the German economy weak, keep the army small, and keep the country geographically divided. This was done through the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Demilitarized Zone, both of which were established as part of the Allied Control Council in 1949.
Germany’s economy was kept weak through the establishment of a series of economic agreements. The German currency was strongly regulated and severely limited, while trade between the occupation forces was heavily restricted. This ensured that Germany could not become a superpower and that their economic power would remain weak compared to the rest of Europe.
At the same time, the German army was kept relatively small and limited in terms of armaments and the military industrial production was again heavily restricted. This ensured that Germany could not build up an army or military industrial complex. Similarly, the Allies sought to keep the country geographically divided, making sure that the East and West halves of the country remained geographically separate.
The Adjustments since the Cold War
In the decades since the end of World War II, there have been some changes to the restrictions on Germany, particularly after the end of the Cold War. The restrictions on the German military have been relaxed, allowing the country to build up its military, and the restrictions on German trade and economic activity have also been eased in recent years.
That being said, there are still restrictions in place to prevent Germany from becoming too powerful, particularly in terms of their military. Germany is still prohibited from having nuclear weapons or missiles, and the German army is still limited in size and power.
In addition, the European Union has played a major role in keeping Germany’s power in check. Through the implementation of regulations, tariffs, and sanctions, the EU has managed to limit the economic and military power of Germany, and even though the country has become increasingly powerful in recent years, it is still restricted in terms of what it can and cannot do.
Britain’s Longstanding Position
Overall, it is clear that Britain has long sought to keep Germany weak and unable to challenge the British Empire. This is evidenced by the restrictions put in place through the Treaty of Versailles, as well as the restrictions put in place in the years since the end of World War II. These restrictions may have been relaxed in recent years, but they are still in place to ensure that Germany remains weaker than its European counterparts.
The Allied forces were successful in limiting German power initially through the Treaty of Versailles, but their failure to control German politics eventually allowed the Nazi takeover of the country and the subsequent expansion of German militarism. In the years since, that lesson has been learned and Great Britain has sought to ensure that Germany is kept weak enough to not become a threat again, but not so weak that they cannot be a stable and reliable partner in Europe.
The Future?
It remains to be seen how powerful Germany will become in the future, but it is clear that Great Britain will continue to monitor the situation and take steps as necessary to ensure that Germany does not become a threat to the British Empire or to the European stability. This is something that has been going on since the end of World War I and will likely continue to do so in the years to come.
It is also worth noting that Germany is no longer the only potential threat to British supremacy in Europe. There are various other powers that are now vying for dominance in the region, such as Russia, and Great Britain will need to consider all of these powers when determining how best to protect itself.
The Impact on Europe
The UK’s attempt to control German power has had a major impact on European politics. Many of the problems Europe is facing today can be traced back to the UK’s decision to control German power after World War I. For example, the fragmentation of Germany due to the UK’s decision to divide the country into occupation zones has had far-reaching consequences, and even now it can be seen playing out in the current political climate.
Similarly, the restrictions on German economic activity have had a major impact on the German and European economies. While it has generally been beneficial for Europe to have a relatively strong economy, it has also been detrimental in terms of creating an imbalance of power that can lead to economic and political instability.
In the end, it is clear that the UK’s attempt to control German power has had a major
