Treaty of Trianon

Treaty of Trianon

The Treaty of Trianon was signed on June 4, 1920. It ended World War I for Hungary and changed the country’s borders forever. The treaty was signed at the Grand Trianon in Versailles by Hungary and the Allied powers.

Before this treaty, Hungary had been part of the large Austro-Hungarian Empire. When the war ended in 1918, Hungary agreed to stop fighting. But its neighbors, such as Czechoslovakia, Romania, and The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, took control of some Hungarian lands. This made life difficult for people in Hungary.

The treaty was prepared at the Paris Peace Conference. Hungary had to accept it as it was, with no changes. By signing, Hungary lost large areas where many Hungarians lived. These areas went to neighboring countries, and Hungary became smaller and landlocked. The treaty also limited Hungary’s army and required payments to other nations.

Although Hungary accepted the treaty to bring back peace, many people were unhappy about losing land. The treaty affected Hungary and its relationships with neighbors for many years.

Background

First World War and Austro-Hungarian Armistice

Main articles: World War I, American entry into World War I, and Fourteen Points

In 1914, a leader of Austria-Hungary was killed, and this led to Austria-Hungary fighting against Serbia. This started World War I. Two groups of countries fought: the Central Powers, led by Germany, and the Triple Entente, led by Britain, France, and Russia. In 1918, Germany tried to win but failed. The Allies pushed back, and fighting stopped in November 1918.

The United States joined the war in 1917. President Woodrow Wilson wanted peace and used his Fourteen Points to help end the war. His plan included ideas like free trade, open agreements, and self-determination for people. Wilson also wanted to create a League of Nations to keep peace.

Aster Revolution and the First Hungarian Republic

Main articles: Armistice of Villa Giusti, Aster Revolution, and First Hungarian Republic

In October 1918, as the war ended, a revolution happened in Hungary. This led to the First Hungarian Republic. The new government wanted to keep Hungary’s old borders but had many problems, like not enough resources and pressure from other countries.

Treaty preparation and Conference at Trianon in Paris

The Treaty of Trianon was signed in June 1920. It ended the war between Hungary and the Allied powers. Hungary lost much of its land and had to accept new borders. Hungarian leaders wanted to keep their old lands, but the Allies decided the new borders would stay. The treaty also had rules for restoring economic relations between Hungary and its neighbors.

Borders of Hungary

The Hungarian government ended its union with Austria on 31 October 1918, ending the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy. Temporary borders were set by ceasefire lines in November–December 1918. These borders did not include several areas:

• Part of Transylvania south of the Mureș River and east of the Someș River, which came under Romanian control.
• Sibiu in Romania, where the local council chose neutrality.
• Târgu Mureș in Romania, occupied by Romanian forces.
• Areas that declared union with Romania and Czechoslovakia.

After the ceasefire lines were set, Hungary faced pressures to change its borders. This led to changes in leadership and military actions. The final borders of Hungary were set by the Treaty of Trianon on 4 June 1920. These borders excluded many areas that had been part of the pre-war Kingdom of Hungary, including parts of Transylvania, Carpathian Ruthenia, most of Burgenland, and Međimurje. Some cities were returned to Hungary, but the country lost access to the sea.

Results and consequences

The Treaty of Trianon caused big changes in Hungary and nearby areas. Many Hungarians felt unhappy because large parts of their land were given to other countries. This made some people in Hungary want to get those lands back.

Before the treaty, Hungary had a big empire with many different people living there. After the treaty, many non-Hungarian people became the main groups in the new countries. Hungary lost a lot of land and many of its people, which made the country smaller and weaker.

The treaty also caused economic problems. Hungary used to be good at making food, but now it had less land to farm. Factories and railways that used to connect different parts of the empire were now split up, making trade harder. This made life harder for many people in the area.

Hungary had to change its army and give up some of its rights. The country was not allowed to have a big army or modern weapons. Hungary also had to treat people of different nationalities living there fairly.