A Polish harbour east of Prussia?

For what it’s worth, I think Danzig should have eventually been returned to Germany. Perhaps Versailles could have mandated a plebiscite there in the 1940s or so to remove ambiguity about its fate.
I've been partial to the idea of "All Reparations Paid = Plebiscites To Rejoin Germany Allowed". That would at least gave some incentive to Germany to honor her obligations.
 
I've been partial to the idea of "All Reparations Paid = Plebiscites To Rejoin Germany Allowed". That would at least gave some incentive to Germany to honor her obligations.

I don't think this was an especially workable plan, because a big issue was the legitimacy of the reparations in themselves, which to many people, was questionable. In any case, why not lobby for both a reduction in reparations and immediate plebiscites?
 

Nietzsche

Banned
Many people here tend to forget that Gdańsk/Danzig and the Corridor were not the only problem in Polish-German relations. There were also Great Poland (Wielkopolska) with Poznań/Posen and Silesia. Far too many Germans were willing to accept Poland only with German eastern border from 1914, although it has to be said that many of them were willing to accept the loss of Poznań/Posen (Silesia was another matter).
Gdańsk/Danzig was the most visible symbol of Polish-German problems, but not the only one.

The only people still holding onto Posen as a non-negotiable province were those too deluded to even realize what year it was, let alone run a country. Silesia is a minor problem, given that Poland simply took it with no intention or attempt at holding a vote.
 
The only people still holding onto Posen as a non-negotiable province were those too deluded to even realize what year it was, let alone run a country. Silesia is a minor problem, given that Poland simply took it with no intention or attempt at holding a vote.

Well, those who supported military conquest also thought they could hold Posen, and possibly more. But that's somewhat different from negotiation.
 
I don't think this was an especially workable plan, because a big issue was the legitimacy of the reparations in themselves, which to many people, was questionable. In any case, why not lobby for both a reduction in reparations and immediate plebiscites?
To clarify, I meant plebiscites in Danzig or Memel, not those in Upper Silesia or the Corridor. That sort of delay would make the latter plebiscites meaningless.

On the other hand it indeed might be a good idea to delay the latter plebiscites a bit, so they can take place after the situation has actually stabilized and the choice is actually between Poland and Germany rather than brand-new-Soviet-fighting Poland and defeated-Germany. Those could be done in 1923 or 1924. As for reparation reduction, I would agree to it because the idea should be to actually pay the reparations in full rather than default on them or dodge them via inflation.
 
To clarify, I meant plebiscites in Danzig or Memel, not those in Upper Silesia or the Corridor. That sort of delay would make the latter plebiscites meaningless.

On the other hand it indeed might be a good idea to delay the latter plebiscites a bit, so they can take place after the situation has actually stabilized and the choice is actually between Poland and Germany rather than brand-new-Soviet-fighting Poland and defeated-Germany. Those could be done in 1923 or 1924. As for reparation reduction, I would agree to it because the idea should be to actually pay the reparations in full rather than default on them or dodge them via inflation.

That much I agree with; especially in the middle of a war wasn't a pretty good time to hold a plebiscite.

On the other hand, I think the Allies worried that the ground situation might have changed significantly by the time the war ended.
 
On the other hand, I think the Allies worried that the ground situation might have changed significantly by the time the war ended.
True enough. Then delay the plebiscites up to 1924, but until then place those territories under Polish administration. Poland is now free to focus on the Soviets and in the future German administrative advantage in the plebiscites is negated.
 
True enough. Then delay the plebiscites up to 1924, but until then place those territories under Polish administration. Poland is now free to focus on the Soviets and in the future German administrative advantage in the plebiscites is negated.

I would actually prefer international administration. As Poland is a party to the plebiscites, it would seem to go against the idea of plebiscites to have one of the parties have control over the territories in question until the plebiscite is decided. Foreign troops should be used to maintain order, in this context, probably American or French.
 
I would actually prefer international administration. As Poland is a party to the plebiscites, it would seem to go against the idea of plebiscites to have one of the parties have control over the territories in question until the plebiscite is decided. Foreign troops should be used to maintain order, in this context, probably American or French.
I'm not quite sure the Entente would be willing to pay for full on administration and garrisoning. If yes, that would be fairer than both OTL and my proposal, since IIRC Germany retained the administration of plebiscite areas.
 
Germans were not clearly winning. IMO, if you make 1916 a year of CP wins, the majority of the Polish leaders will come to accept this solution. And the average Pole will be better off than OTL.

In that case, the Central Powers could carve Poland from the lands ceded from Russia in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
 
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