The fallout from Versailles

In the January edition you asked for opinions on Professor David Reynolds’ stimulating article on the Treaty of Versailles ( Did the Versailles Peace Trigger Another War?). In 1998, did anybody anticipate the financial crisis of 2007– 08, the worst to afflict the world economy since the Wall Street Crash of 1929? In which case, is it reasonable to expect the peacemakers in 1919–20 to have had any inkling of that crash occurring? This perhaps even applies to Keynes himself, critical as he was of reparations and “the economic consequences of the peace”.

No doubt historians will continue the debate about other fundamental post-Versailles factors: the weaknesses in the constitution of the Weimar Republic; the controversial economic actions taken by Bruning as chancellor between March 1930 and his departure in May 1932; to say nothing of the intrigues of von Papen, von Schleicher and others, which led to the appointment of Hitler as chancellor on 30 January 1933.

I wonder what historians in 2029 might have to say about the outcome of Brexit, in whatever form it might take, in the light of unforeseen political and economic developments in the meantime. Brian Smith, Norwich

We reward the Letter of the Month writer with our book of the month. In this issue that is Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham. Read the review on page 69