Germany - 1.2.2 Post War Problems

Question 1

The terms of peace were agreed in the Treaty of Versailles, in 1919. The Germans were humiliated and resented the Allies. They believed the treaty was ______ (a dictated peace) and that it was unfair

Answer 1

Diktat

Question 2

What were the main terms of the Treaty of Versailles? (5)

Answer 2

• Germany accepted blame for the war (Article 231, the ‘War Guilt Clause’)
• Germany must pay £6.6 billion in reparations (payments to the victors) to the Allies
• Loss of land in Europe and all overseas colonies: Germany lost 10% of its land and 12.5% of its population
• Placing severe limits on the German military
• Preventing Germany joining with Austria

Question 3

What were the military terms of the ToV? (3)

Answer 3

• Military restrictions, which included having a maximum of 100,000 soldiers, 15,000 sailors, 6 ships, 0 submarines and 0 armoured vehicles
• The demilitarisation (removing military from an area) of the Rhineland
• Not being able to join with Austria

Question 4

Who were Germany banned from joining with at the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 4

Austria

Question 5

When WW1 first broke out in August 1914, Germany was a wealthy nation and most Germans enjoyed a good standard of living. Many Germans were proud of their country and confident of a quick victory. By _____, the situation was very different

Answer 5

1918

Question 6

The post-war problems grew, resulting in the _____________ crisis of 1923

Answer 6

Hyperinflation

Question 7

In _______, the amount of reparations Germany had to pay was decided: _____ billion marks over ___ years

Answer 7

1921, £6.6, 66

Question 8

In 1922, the Weimer Republic stopped paying their reparation instalments (fixed regular payments) and this led to 2 huge crisis’ in 1923. What were these?

Answer 8

• Hyperinflation
• Invasion of the Ruhr

Question 9

What was French and Belgium’s reaction to Germany failing to pay these reparations?

Answer 9

• In 1921, Germany managed to pay the first reparation instalment but in December 1922 Germany announced it could not afford to pay the second instalment
• In January 1923, French and Belgian troops invaded the Ruhr (part of Germany near France) taking control of all factories and mines. They took raw materials, machinery and manufactured goods back to France and Belgium in place of reparation payments due

Question 10

What was the German reaction to the seizing of the Ruhr? (3)

Answer 10

• Ebert told German workers to go on strike, he urged passive resistance (non-violent opposition). Some of them damaged goods and machinery
• But, France and Belgium simply brought their own workers to take their place
• French and Belgium soldiers arrested, expelled and even killed some striking workers: over 8 months, 132 people were killed and 150,000 Germans were kicked out of their homes in Ruhr

Question 11

What impact did the seizing of the Ruhr have on the German economy?

Answer 11

The Germany economy was badly hit, it didn’t have the produce from the Ruhr to sell (80% of its coal, iron and steel was in the region). It also had to pay the striking workers. The government decided to print more money, which led to hyperinflation. By November 1923, the German mark was worthless

Question 12

What was the German state formed after the Kaiser widely known as?

Answer 12

Weimar Germany

Question 13

How was hyperinflation caused?

Answer 13

• When money was printed, governments tied currency to a fixed value of gold. But Weimar Germany didn’t have enough gold to match the amount of money it was printing
• This meant that the value of the German mark fell and that the price of goods increased rapidly. This caused hyperinflation
• Germany’s war debts and the interest payments on these meant that they had debts worth 175% of their total national output (Debt: GDP of 175%). This is the same level as Greece in the Eurozone crisis

Question 14

What are 2 examples of how hyperinflation changed the prices of goods/life in Germany? (use statistics - 2)

Answer 14

• In 1918, a loaf of bread cost 0.6 German marks. By November 1923, it cost 201 billion German marks
• As prices rose every hour, people bought goods as soon as they were paid. This meant that they carried money round in wheelbarrows

Question 15

How did people get around the problem of hyperinflation?

Answer 15

People used a barter system (trading items) instead of money

Question 16

Who suffered the most from hyperinflation? (3)

Answer 16

• People with fixed or monthly incomes, such as pensioners, suffered the most
• Savings became worthless. This affected the middle classes most
• Small business owners went bankrupt. (Those that made money took over the struggling ones)

Question 17

What were the positive effects of hyperinflation? (4)

Answer 17

• Farmers benefitted, as they were paid more for their food
• Some people and businesses could pay off loans and mortgages
• Fixed rents for rooms or shops became very cheap
• Foreign visitors could buy more for their money

Question 18

In January 1919, 32 countries came together in Paris to make peace after WW1. Who were the big 3 that dominated this conference?

Answer 18

• David Lloyd George (Britain)
• Georges Clemenceau (France)
• Woodrow Wilson (USA)

Question 19

Who was not invited to this conference?

Answer 19

Germany

Question 20

What did Woodrow Wilson believe in? (3)

Answer 20

• Germany shouldn’t be harshly punished, he thought this because the USA had not been involved in the war as much as Britain and France and had not received as much damage
• Wanted to prevent another World War by creating the LoN based on his 14 points to ensure Germany would not be destroyed
• LoN would serve as an international forum and an international collective security arrangement

Question 21

What did Georges Clemenceau believe in? (6)

Answer 21

• To punish Germany and ensure it was too weak to attack France again, militarily, strategically and economically
• Accepted the LoN but believed it would need to be strengthened to deal with Germany
• To return Alsace-Lorraine to France
• An independent Rhineland which could weaken Germany
• Huge reparations
• To disband the German army so that Germany would never be strong enough again

Question 22

What did Lloyd George believe in? (2)

Answer 22

Lloyd George was an in-between, this reflected Britain which had little land damage but high war losses
- Wanted to make sure that the U.K had a share in Germany’s colonies
- Wanted Germany’s navy reduced as this could threaten the U.K

Question 23

When the ToV was ready, what was Germany’s reaction to it?

Answer 23

When the ToV was ready, Germany was shown the document, but there was no negotiation, they were ignored.
On 28th June 1918, they met at the hall of mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris and forced 2 german representatives to sign it

Question 24

What did David Lloyd-George think about the end result of the ToV?

Answer 24

He was unhappy with the final Treaty- he thought it was too harsh and that Germany would want revenge. (he was right) However, the British public were happy and re-elected Lloyd George

Question 25

What did Georges Clemenceau think about the end result of the ToV?

Answer 25

He thought the final Treaty was not harsh enough in the light of how much France had suffered. The French public agreed and did not re-elect Clemenceau to office

Question 26

What did Woodrow Wilson think about the end result of the ToV?

Answer 26

He was very unhappy with the final Treaty- for him it was too harsh. He felt the amount of reparations given to Germany (£6.6 billion) was far too high and he was also displeased with the lack of self-determination Germany was given. However, some of his 14 Points, such as the creation of a League of Nations, were carried through

Question 27

What was the long-lasting effect of hyperinflation?

Answer 27

Even after the Weimar Republic recovered, these people didn’t get their savings back. The elderly with fixed pensions suffered. They could not get any more money and so their incomes were destroyed