Impact of the Treaty of Versailles

Question 1

What was the Paris Peace Conference

Answer 1

• conference to settle peace terms met in Versailles in Jan 1919.
• German gov suggest changes to the treaty but the allies agreed to few.
• on 16 June, German gov only had 7 days to accept.
• on the 28 June 1919 -> T of V was signed.

Question 2

List the terms of the Treaty of Versailles

Answer 2

• territorial losses
• disarmament
• war guilt
• loss of the Rhineland
• loss of the Saarland

Question 3

What were the territorial losses of the T of V

Answer 3

• removed over 13% of territory and all overseas colonies were confiscated.
• Alsace-Lorraine returned to France.
• most of Posen, W Prussia and part of the Polish corridor were given to Poland.
• meant Germany loses 75% iron ore, 68% zinc ore, 26% coal and 15% arable land.
• overseas colonies in Africa and Far East placed under League of Nations Control.

Question 4

Explain the disarmament term of the T of V

Answer 4

• Germany surrender all heavy weapons.
• conscription to the army was forbidden and army limited to 100,000 men.
• navy limited to 15,000 men -> only limited to 6 battleships and no subs allowed.
• no air force.

Question 5

Explain the war guilt clause of the T of V

Answer 5

• article 231 -> accept responsibility for starting the war.
  -> reparations was fixed in 1921 at £6.6 billion.
• had to give allies most of merchant fleet and overseas investments.

Question 6

Explain the loss of the Rhineland

Answer 6

• the left bank of the Rhine and a 50km strip on the right bank was demilitarised.
  -> allied occupation was based here to ensure Germany fulfilled this term.

Question 7

Explain the loss of the Saarland

Answer 7

• area of South-West Germany, which contained rich coal reserves, was taken ad placed under League of Nations (LON) control for 15 years.
• would supply France, Belgium and Italy with free coal as part of reparations.
• France allowed to exploit coal mines.

Question 8

List some of the other terms of the T of V

Answer 8

• Austria forbidden from uniting with Germany.
• not allowed to join the LON.

Question 9

What was the German reaction to the T of V

Answer 9

• Regarded as ‘Diktat’ or ‘dictated peace’ as Germans were not invited to the conference to negotiate the terms.
• Wilson’s points of self-determination were denied to Germans themselves.
  -> millions who saw themselves as Germans were now living in non-German countries like Czechslovakia and Poland.
• War guilt clause seen was unjust humiliation -> believed they were forced into war by allies.

Question 10

What was the impact of the T of V

Answer 10

• Political crisis of June 1919
• reaction on the right

Question 11

What was the political crisis of June 1919

Answer 11

• when terms were revealed, all parties agree with chancellor Scheidemann’s view accepting would be dishonourable.
  -> however no concessions were made -> majority of the cabinet knew there was no choice.
• new coalition led by Gustav Bauer formed.
• Army officers, with support of Hindenburg, discussed military resistance.
• However Groener informs Ebert that resistance would be futile.

Question 12

What was the reaction of the right to the T of V

Answer 12

• Led many to join nationalist groups wanting to destroy the Rep.
• those who voted for the signing were labelled the ‘November Criminals’ and actions of betrayal (abdication of Kaiser, Armistice, T of V) known as the ‘stab in the back’.
• Ludendorff and Hindenburg promoted the ‘stab in the back myth’ -> this appealed to ex soldiers who suffered and were humiliated on return to home.
  -> many soldiers were unable to adjust and find employment.
• gravitated to the Freikorps and nationalist movements.
  -> as a result -> Rep was under continuous threat from violent nationalist groups.