Germany and the Treaty of Versailles Flashcards
What did Germany expect a peace treaty to be based on?
Wilson’s Fourteen Points
What is a diktat?
A peace agreement forced upon a country. The Allies did not let the Germans have any input.
What was the main motivation of the French in the peace process?
To ensure that the Germans could never invade France again.
What size was the German army to be reduced to?
100,000 men
What were the military provisions in the Treaty?
Conscription was banned, Germany was not allowed to produce many types of weapons, no air force, only a few ships allowed in the navy, no submarines allowed, no training academies.
What happened to the areas of Alsace and Lorraine?
They were given to France
What happened to the Saar region of Germany?
It was placed under international control. The French exploited the coal mines.
Which countries were given land that once belonged to Germany?
France, Poland, Denmark, Belgium
What happened to Austria under the Treaty of Versailles?
It became a separate country. Any future union between Germany and Austria (called the Anschluss) was banned.
What happened to all of the German colonies?
They were taken away from Germany and looked after by the League of Nations.
What were the reparations?
Germany had to pay for the cost of the war. The reparation figure was 132 000 million gold marks (US$32 billion).
What was Clause 231 of the Treaty of Versailles?
It was the ‘war guilt clause’. Germany was to accept responsibility for all of the death and destruction caused during the war.
How did the Germans initially react to the Treaty of Versailles?
They were shocked and angry. Chancellor Scheidemann announced that the German government would not accept it.
Why did Germany have no choice but to accept the Treaty of Versailles?
The Allies continued the blockade of Germany until June 1919 and were prepared to resume the war if necessary.
What did General Groener believe Germany should do about the Treaty of Versailles?
He believed Germany should accept it, otherwise Germany would ‘disappear from the map’.
When did Germany sign the Treaty of Versailles?
28 June, 1919
What happened to the Rhineland?
The Rhineland (between the Rhine River and the French border) was not to have any German troops located there. It created a buffer zone between France and any German troops.
How much Germany’s natural resources were lost under the Treaty of Versailles?
48% of its iron ore and 16% of its coal resources. This would impact upon Germany;s ability to recover in the 1920s.
What was a long term impact of the Treaty of Versailles?
The Herman people felt bitter and humiliated. They associated these feelings with the new republic and democracy.
How did the Treaty of Versailles help groups on the extreme left and extreme right?
They used the feeling of humiliation against the new republic and encouraged Germans to overthrow the new democratic system.
How did Germany suffer economically under the Treaty of Versailles?
They were forced to pay reparations, but the treaty reduced Germany’s ability to pay. By 1923 the German economy had collapsed.
Why was the Treaty of Versailles an unrealistic long-term treaty?
The great sense of humiliation and bitterness meant that Germany would eventually try to reject the harsh treaty.
