An Irish Independent book of the year.

Did the Versailles Peace Treaty cause World War II?

The Versailles Peace Treaty - the pact that ended World War I between the German empire and the Allies - has long been regarded as one of the key causes of World War II. Its requirements for massive reparation payments, it is argued, crippled Germany's economy, de-stabilised the country's political life, and paved the way for Hitler.

Here, Jurgen Tampke disputes this commonplace view, suggesting that Germany got away with its responsibility for World War I, that the treaty was nowhere near as punitive as people think, and that the German hyper-inflation of the 1920s was a deliberate policy to minimise the cost of paying reparations.

This is a controversial and important work of revisionist history, which challenges one of the greatest misconceptions of our times.

About the Author
Jurgen Tampke was born 1944 in Brandenburg, Germany, and migrated to Australia in 1964. He graduated with first-class honours from Macquarie University in 1971 and with a PhD from the Australian National University in 1975. Jurgen occupied the position of associate professor at the School of History, University of New South Wales, before his retirement. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Weimar and Nazi Germany and Czech-German Relations and the Politics of Eastern Europe.

Reviews

'In this highly readable account Jurgen Tampke tackles the much-debated and perennially fascinating question of whether the Treaty of Versailles caused the Second World War. He comes down firmly on the No side and produces a wealth of evidence and careful analysis to back his arguments. Anyone who is interested in what remains one of modern history's most important debates will want to read this.'

-- Margaret MacMillan
'An intriguing and persuasive account by an experienced historian of the much-maligned Treaty of Versailles. This new book provides a fresh and often provocative account of a tangled story. It should help put to rest the persisting myth about the 1919 peace with Germany.' -- Emeritus Professor David Walker

'Gamely confronts the now-prevailing orthodoxy ... deserves to be read.'

-- Roger Moorhouse * The Times *

'This is a fascinating and provocative re-assessment of one of the great conventional wisdoms of recent history, made all the more compelling by the Australian-based author's forceful and often witty delivery.'

-- Eamon Delaney * Irish Independent *

'This is an excellent book, which argues it case well. It should be widely read in the lead up to the centenary of the Armistice and peace settlement.'

* NZ International Review *


Awards
Long-listed for Australian Book Design Awards, Best Designed General Non-Fiction Book 2018 (Australia).



Book Information
ISBN 9781911617280
Author Jurgen Tampke
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Scribe Publications
Publisher Scribe Publications