2. The Treaty of Versailles: political and economic significance Flashcards
Why did France want the Treaty of Versailles to be harsh?
France shared a boarder with them so felt the most threatened and they wanted revenge for Prussia beating them in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian war
Why did the Brits want a slightly less harsh treaty?
They wanted to punches Germany, as made clear by the ‘khaki election’ however they were also worried that if they punished them to harshly it would hurt European trade and this damage Britain as well
Why did Gustav Bauer, the new German chancellor, finally sign the treaty?
He knew that if they refused then the war would commence, and Germany could not afford to let this happen. Although he did try and negotiate
Why did some of the allies make the Treaty harsh?
Thanks to the treaty of Brest litovsk the allies believed they deserved no mercy
What were the most important agreements in the ToV?
- Territorial changes
- Germany’s military
- Reperations and war guilt
- International changes
How many square miles did Germany lose?
25,000
How many people did Germany lose in the territories removed from them?
7 million
What did the treaty forbid between Austria and Germany?
Anschluss (uniting)
What land areas did Germany lose?
- Alsace-lorraine
- Polish Corridor
- Eupen-Malmedy
What happened to the Rhineland?
Germany was allowed to remain in control, but it had to remain demilitarised
What happened to they’re overseas colonies?
they were handed to other countries in the world
What happened to the land taken by the treaty of Brest-litovsk?
It was returned to Russia, but some was split into new states such as Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia even Poland got some of this land
How many men was Germany’s army reduced to?
100,000 soldiers
What is the Reichswehr?
German armed forces
What was the aim of allies in reducing the armed forces?
Prevent any further attacks
Encourage other armies to reduce their militaries
What happened to Conscription?
Banned
What happened to Tanks?
Army was not allowed any
What happened to International arms trade?
Germany was not allowed to participate
What happened to the Air Force?
Banned
What was the navy limited to?
6 battleships, 12 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats, NO submarines and only 15,000 sailors
Which article was the war guilt clause?
Article 231
What was the original amount of reparation payments set in 1921?
132 billion gold marks
Why was the League of Nations formed?
to stop war by setting up a global organisation to settle disputes between countries
What word was used to describe the treaty by Germans?
Diktat, dictated peace
Why were Germans angry at the treaty ?
- They did not believe they were to blame for the war starting
- they felt they could not afford the reparations
- They worried their reduced military left them vulnerable to attack
Why was anti-semitism rising after WWI?
There were rumours of Jewish involvement in the treaty
What was signed between Germany and USA in 1921?
A separate peace treaty because the US Congress never agreed the ToV
When was the brunt of the Hyperinflation crisis?
1923
What action in the Ruhr encouraged right-wing support to grow?
The allies armies occupation of the Ruhr
Why can the theory that economic problems in 1929 be debunked as why the ToV led to the collapse of the Weimar Republic?
The depression was a world wide event and had nothing to do with the treaty of versailles
