The Treaty of Versailles: Fair or Unfair?

The Treaty of Versailles, was made at the final end of World War I, or as known as the The Great War at the time. On the  28th of June, 1919, the treaty was signed. Coincidentally or purposely, that was the exact date five years ago when assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was the main cause of why the war started. The Treaty of Versailles was directed at Germany for possibly the reason that a part of the "Big Three" (consisting of David Lloyd Jones, Clemenceau and Woodrow Wilson) wanted Germany to be thrashed. The following treaty states the agreements that Germany had to make after defeat.

"Therefore the treaty contained the following articles:


80. Germany will respect the independence of Austria. 


81. Germany recognizes the complete independence of Czechoslovakia. 


87. Germany recognizes the complete independence of Poland. 


119. Germany surrenders all her rights and titles over her overseas countries. 


159. The German military forces shall be demobilized and reduced not to exceed 100,000 men. 


181. The German navy must not exceed 6 battleships, 6 light cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 12 torpedo boats. No submarines are to be included. 


198. The Armed Forces of Germany must not include any military or naval air forces. 


231. Germany and her Allies accept the responsibility for causing all the loss and damage to the Allied Powers. 


233. Germany will pay for all damages done to the civilian population and property of the Allied Governments. [The figure was later set at $33 billion]. 


428. To guarantee the execution of the Treaty, the German territory situated to the west of the Rhine River will be occupied by Allied troops for fifteen years. 


431. The occupation forces will be withdrawn as soon as Germany complies with the Treaty."

(From Reading One: Treaty of Versailles)

In my opinion, around 60% of it would be fair, but the other 40% wasn't. I do agree from lines 80-119, 231,431 and 428. I do think that respecting and recognizing the independence of Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland, giving back the overseas countries that Germany had taken, and that the troops will go from Germany as soon as the treaty was signed was fair to Germany. On the other hand, I didn't agree with lines 159-198 and 233. The lines 159-198 clearly allows.. "159. The German military forces shall be demobilized and reduced not to exceed 100,000 men. 181. The German navy must not exceed 6
battleships, 6 light cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 12 torpedo boats. No submarines are to be included. 198. The Armed Forces of Germany must not include any military or naval air forces." That's just basically saying that Germany has barely any forces in case of a plot against other countries. However, the treaty should have stated that if Germany needed any troops in the event of an attack by a country, another country should have helped Germany. Though, the case of a country attacking Germany, then when Germany has more forces both Germany and another country turn against the Allied Forces and work together to create another war. That conspiracy would be a perfectly good argument against the thoughts of allowing more troops in case of war though. On line 233, it shows that.. "233. Germany will pay for all damages done to the civilian population and property of the Allied Governments. [The figure was later set at $33 billion]." The thing is that Germany wasn't the ONLY country that took part in the war against the Allied Forces. There was also Austria-Hungry, Bulgaria, and Turkey who took sides with Germany. Why would they only pinpoint this on Germany, when the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was by a Serbian? The answer could either be that Germany was declared the leader of the war, or the possibility that people wanted revenge on Germany. The treaty only lasted around 20 years, and when that time was up, Adolf Hitler had plans already to conquer Europe.

"This is not peace, it is an armistice for twenty years." -Ferdinand Foch

Sources:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles

Reading One: The Treaty of Versailles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Foch

-R

So...What are the values of the major world religions?

What are the values of the major world religions? 


To me, it really does depend on what you believe in. All to do with the religion. If your Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist; we're not that different because we all believe in values. Personally, I don't really see what is up with war these days. It's like looking at a person and saying "Oh. Someone he might know died in war." It's just not phasing anymore, and I can't see why we're not doing anything. Okay, so maybe we are, but it's not affecting the world. Most of what previous wars has been about religion, and their main disputes are about values. I mean, I know everyone has different values as someone in a religion, or no religion at all, but  making wars about of it, I don't think that's the answer. Some values can be.....

• Cherish your life
• Be neutral- choose the "middle path"
• Treat others the way you want to be treated
• Help people, whether they're different skin colors or follow different religions
• Do want you think is right
• Go to other people for opinions, not direction 
• Push yourself to achieve the highest you can be
• Your family's always there, no matter what.
• Don't harm yourself, because there's probably a chance you'll change something for the better
• Always have self-confidence in yourself, because in the end, you're the only one who matters

So yea, these are basically what I believe in, sorta. Sometimes I doubt my values, but I know that this would be the same thing that keeps me going through the day. It's the same with religion. Values are how you live your life, if your kind or mean, harsh or soft, caring or inconspicuous. It's what  you believe in, and it's one of the things that no one can tell you to do. It's your own free will. 

-R  

Positive Attitudes and their Tyranny

 Me. That’s what I believe in. Being me. I know, I know, EXTREMELY cheesy. But, I’m actually being serious. If you were in my position, you would understand. Reading all those stories and listening to what they have to say was sorta inspirational, if you ask me. Unlike them, I’ve never really had anything really hit me, like “BAM! This event is going to make you a better person and enjoy life!” I’ve never been like that, all serious. My life is what you call bipolar. It’s on two sides. Sometimes I single out the good things, sometimes I single out the bad things. It just so happens that when something bad happens, something good comes out of it. But when something good comes, something bad comes out of it. Let’s just say my life, myself, and the whole general idea, well it’s very bipolar. Usually, people like me like to brand things. Like, dislike. Love, hate. Good, bad. Hero, villain. It’s just the way I roll as well. But positive attitudes, someone named Barbara Held changed my mind about them.   This is my take of: Combating the Tyranny of Positive Attitudes.

Barbara Held, a psycho-logist/therapist living in Maine has a little thing against positive attitudes. She believed that positive attitudes are overrated and you should never tell someone to keep one when they feel down. This, I strongly agree. When I heard this, I was having a bad, bad day so obviously I had to agree. No one really likes to be around happy people when they’re sad. It’s just plain depressing. “The problem is this demand for good cheer brings with it a one-two punch for those of us who cannot cope in that way: First you feel bad about whatever’s getting you down, then you feel guilty or defective if you can’t smile and look on the bright side. And I’m not even sure there always is a bright side to look on.” She says, in a recording of her essay. When I heard this, I was hooked. I seriously thought to myself: “Hey! I can relate to this!” And I did. She says so many things, psychological things, and philosophical things. Personally, the average person would shoo this away in disgust. But this is where I’m different. I may be bipolar and hypocritical, but I sure can relate to what people say, and how they say it. It’s not saying that I’m super-duper over achiever, but I like listening to these things.

But for this “This I Believe”, it was on fear. Listening to more of the recording, I learned that she had come down with the flu years ago, and with headaches after. The fear that brought her to this site was presumably the basis of this statement: “He reassured me that I would make a full recovery, but I was left traumatized by the weeks of undiagnosed pain. I really thought I had a brain tumor or schizophrenia. Being a psychologist didn’t help; I was an emotional wreck.” This was her pain. This was her fear. Being mentally ill. As a therapist/psychologist, it doesn’t help at all. You’re always debating what’s the right option, how mentally and physically you are dealing through the fear of being mentally ill. That’s the hardest part. Trying to take decision on what is the best choice for yourself, and on top of all that, the fear of making things worse. She was terrified. She had no one to turn to, except when she asked her psychiatrist-neighbor if she was schizophrenic. The reply she got was: “‘Professor,’ he pronounced, ‘you are a mess, but you are not a mentally ill mess. You are just terrified.’” This all, was true of course. This lightened up her mood a little, but one thing bothered her. She told him that her friends were telling her to lighten up, so he told her to say that, in plain words, “I would love to be cheerful, but right now it’s rough so leave me alone.”  Saying something similar to that helped lift the weight off her shoulders, and released her fear. That person, Aldo Llorente, helped her redeem herself and make her realize the unnecessary fear she had. And that, dear reader, was what made her go against positive attitudes and go on This I believe, so someone like me would eventually find this needle in a haystack. 

-R

DomiKnow Profile - One less H

In for the last two classes, we have been discussing and experimenting with DomiKnow profiling. I turned out to be slightly different profiles then last year. I have H, and previously i had HH, which mesans a series of different things based on how physically we comunicate to options.  

I think I learn best when I am alone, the door closed and the room silent. I believe this because once, there were two people in my room, and it took me three hours to finish my homework, when I only had a blogpost to do. In a classroom, I think I learn best at the front of the class, at the left side. That's because my left ear is facing the board, so I can listen better and pay more attention. I'd rather have my back toward the back of the classroom, not the front. I think the best way for me to learn is in a quiet class room, where there are no distractions, one person talking, and no music. These things are my strategies that will help my learning. Besides, on the paper that says things about my profile, its says: " Quiet time alone is especially beneficial."I would like my teachers to know that even though I prefer quite places, I can work in places that are noisy, too.

50 word Summary of Chapters 1 and 2- Theseus

For this blog, we have been assigned to make a 50 word summary of how much we read of a Greek Myth book, weather it's a few chapters or the whole book. In my table group, we have been assigned to read Theseus, who slayed the Minotaur. We did something similar in class, but with 20 words and the story of Daedalus and Icarus.

~

Theseus Summary:
 Aegeus wanted a son, he went to Medea and she put an incantation; the first time Aegeus holds a woman, she'd bear his child. Aethra, the woman he held, gave birth to Theseus. In later years, Theseus, 17, killed Perphetes by picking up and boulder and throwing it at Periphetes.

-50 words-

Yea.. Seems like some pretty lousy stuff, huh? :P

-R 

Bio Poem

Radhika

Who is... enthusiastic, a bit of a nutjob, and fun.

Who is... the sister of Tanya Sharma.

Who loves... oreos, cake, and books.

Who feels... sad, happy, and confused.

Who needs.... her best friend, a puppy to love, and a peaceful world.

Who gives... help to others, time to people at a time of doubt, and tries her best to save the Earth.

Who fears... losing everyone she loves, the world to end in our hands, and things that would risk her life.

Who would like to see... a world without war, a green planet, and everyone happy.

Who shares... advice, opinions, and food (maybe).

Who is.. ambitious, trustworthy, and loyal.

Who is a resident of..... Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sharma

-R 

Where did it all go, may I ask?

Well, the end is near. I never really wanted this to happen. Where did the time go? The laughter, pain, sorrow, joy? Why will it all have to disappear? The journey was tough, but now we all, just have to let go. My experience in 6th grade has definitely been memorable. I can remember when I first laid eyes on the campus, as a scared little Middle Schooler. It's reflection time again.....

~~~~

One of my favorite pieces of work that we have done this year, out of the many, would be..... *thinking, thinking, thinking*.... MY LITERATURE CIRCLES!!!! Very weird choice, I know. Well, I must have expressed my neutral feelings about the Literature Circles before in my blog, all the pros and cons of them, and I must say, I have rather enjoyed them! From having tiny paragraphs, to enormous pieces of evidence and quotes, it would be an understatement to say that I have very simply improved. just really like how I get good grades for just expressing how I feel. All I can say is, that I have grown as a writer. Not only fictional, but at reasoning too! I mean, if I haven't grown at reasoning, than how can I write this post as the way it is now? Think it through. I bet you will understand. Maybe we won't have Lit. Circles in 7th grade, but still, I will write the way I write now, or if not better. But, all this, I have to thank one of my peers, Sunny. She was really the one who showed me a better way to express writing.

My greatest challenge, I think would be my problem with procrastination. I seriously always leave work to the last minute. How do you know that I'm not working on this blogpost on a Sunday afternoon, the day before it's due? Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. It's not that I'm not organized, I'm pretty much fine in the category, but I just need to get myself motivated to do the work. Some times I am motivated, but most of the times, I'm a big couch potato. It can be fun, laying on the couch, watching T.V and eating junk food, but I know the importance of getting my work done and why it matters. I think this will be a goal for me in 7th grade, where we will be getting 500 times the work we get now in 6th grade. Maybe I still do get good grades when I do my work but procrastinate. I just really hate how I can't spread out my work. Is it that hard for me? Well, I'm sure I will be testing that out the last 3 weeks of 6th grade. Who knows how it will turn out?

As we have been talking about growth a WHOLE LOT this year, I know that I have grown. In the Learner Profile assignment thing/ blogpost that we did, we have written down how we work, where we are most comfortable, and what do we want our teachers to know about us (which is very little, social-wise :P). What I've learned about myself, is that I need a very quiet environment to work in, with only the accent of the keys and the scratching whisper of a pencil to hear. I really do have a problem with noise, because I can never concentrate. Another thing that I have learned about myself is my level of persistence. I can really challenge and enjoy myself in class, and I always try to do my best. I think that my edge for learning really is one point of me that I will really tend to enjoy throughout my life, weather it stays with me or not. A small pointer I will have to add, is that I really do think things through very easily. I can be very wise at times, too. Weird, that coming from a 12-year-old. :)

MY WORK HABITS!

a) Behavior

Could be improved
Satisfactory

Perfect- Model Student-

I wouldn't call myself perfect-- no one is. I just think that my enthusiasm in class is worth stating. I have heard I am very proactive in class form my teachers, and I can work will socially and academically. I am more of a leader, as most of my fellow classmates know, and hopefully my future peers will comprehend that too.

b) Participation

None
Satisfactory

Actively participates in class-

I think that I can be very active in class. I like helping out my teachers and my classmates, and I always try to volunteer to do things. I try to cheer people up, and help them find a solution to a problem.

c) Organization

Needs serious help

Satisfactory-

In class, I tend to forget things sometimes and it causes trouble. I think that I am pretty much organized, but I now and then I show a lack of excitement. I think that it's not that serious, that I just have to motivate myself to keep on going. I know this will be something I need to improve on more to reach my overall goal- To be the best I can.

I'm super Organized

d) Effort

Needs serious help
Satisfactory

I alway go above and beyond what is required. -

My effort in class is what is a great thing about me. I am very persistent, and I will never give up. I try to do many things and lead people in the right direction. I think I show a lot of pride and commitment to any problem I am facing, and I do my best to solve it fairly.

MY GOALS FOR 7TH GRADE:

My goals in Grade 7 are easy: To fight my procrastination and to ask my teachers more questions.

Procrastination: As I have said earlier, my procrastination is doing me no good. Since there is so much more work next year, I really have to get ready to do things on time and well. This goal will continue for the rest of my life, so I can carry on trying to have everything in order to help me with my work. I will set a goal of not procrastinating in the last 3 weeks of school, and that will start from Monday, 23rd of May. Maybe I should have a priorities list to guide me through my assignments...?

More Question-Asking: In the Student-Led conference, my humanities teacher told me it would be a good idea to ask my teachers what they expect from the work that I will produce, so it will bring my stress level down. I do believe that that, was a very good suggestion for her to make. Along with that, I have to ask my teachers more questions if I don't understand the assignment or what we are doing. By doing that, I think it will help me be not so quiet and try to reach out more in class.

Since you 7th grade teachers have about 40 of these to read, I'll break what I want you to know down for you because I'm a nice person :)

• I mainly am a good sport in class.
• I always have a good attitude, even though I may feel bad now and then.
• I like to write and read.
• Math may not be my best subject, but I try my best at it.
• I'm not as athletic as I hope to be, but I do try.
• I'm a good listener.
• I can lead a group of people well.
• I like to help out people with their problems.

Well I that's what I want you to know, other than what I have already told you.... Or than what your will possibly find out.

And here, finally comes the time where I see you, THE NEW 6TH GRADERS!!!! *applause and cheering in the background*. Well I want to start what I want you to know with this. 6th grade is not that hard. Most of you won't believe me, but once you enter 6th grade, you will know that you will pass this grade as easy as pie. Yes, there will be many bumps in the road for you, but don't let that stop you from doing your best (my best attempt to not sound cheesy)! Oh and by the way, there will be: So. Much. Drama. Even if you may not be the most popular kid in your class/team/grade, you still will have drama with a lot of people. There is no way to push it out of the way, because it will keep coming at you. Just try to, I don't know.. embrace it? Just try not to get yourself in the middle of too many things. Oh, and do as much as you can do! What I mean is, try everything! You should always venture out to things. I mean, that's what middle school is about, right? Trying new things? And if you don't want to do too many things this year, try it next year in 7th grade. That's what I'm doing. But always remember, before you make a decision, think it through so you won't rue your choice. It is only wise to do so.

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool."

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

"There is no darkness but ignorance."

- William Shakespeare