The Treaty of Versailles

Question 1

When was the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer 1

1919

Question 2

Who requested the Armistice at the end of WWI?

Answer 2

The German Supreme Command

Question 3

Who were the German Supreme Command?

Answer 3

Hindenburg and Ludendorff

Question 4

What were the terms of the armistice for Germany?

Answer 4

immediately withdraw from France, Belgium and Alsace-Lorraine + surrender vast amounts of war materials and weapons

Question 5

Who were the ‘big three’?

Answer 5

The U.S (President Woodrow Wilson), Great Britain (Prime Minister Lloyd George) and France (Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau)

Question 6

what was France’s (Prime Minister Clemenceau’s) main aim in Versailles?

Answer 6

To exact revenge from Germany, to keep her economically and militarily weak

Question 7

What was the aim of President Wilson in Versailles?

Answer 7

To remove the causes of war to make the world ‘safe for democracy’

Question 8

What was the last of Wilson’s ‘Fourteen Points’ ?

Answer 8

To establish the League of Nations

Question 9

what was Great Britain’s (Prime Minister Lloyd George) aim in Versailles?

Answer 9

GB knew that revenge was a popular goal (George’s party campaigned on the slogan ‘hang the Kaiser’, however also knew that it was a short-term goal– they knew the dangers of humiliating the powerful nation [“we cannot both cripple her (Germany) and expect her to pay” (Lloyd George)]

Question 10

What were the military costs for Germany following Versailles?

Answer 10

army reduced to 100,000, u-boats prohibited and navy severely restricted, no tanks or air force allowed

Question 11

what were the economic costs for Germany following Versailles?

Answer 11

pay for the costs of the entire war, both sides. (the exact amount had not been determined yet when Germany signed, and came to about 6.6 billion euros). Belgium and France were given machinery + infrastructure

Question 12

How many tons of coal and timber were to be given to France each year? (by Germany)

Answer 12

8 million

Question 13

What happened to German overseas colonies following Versailles?

Answer 13

They had to all be given up

Question 14

What happened to the Rhineland following Versailles?

Answer 14

It became a demilitarised zone

Question 15

What happened to East Prussia following Versailles?

Answer 15

It was lost to Poland (originally belonged to Germany)

Question 16

What aspect of the Treaty imposed on Germany full responsibility for the war?

Answer 16

War Guilt Clause 231

Question 17

Who from Germany were deemed as war criminals by the War Guilt Clause 231?

Answer 17

The Kaiser (Wilhelm II) and his chief generals

Question 18

When was Germany finally able to join the League of Nations?

Answer 18

1926

Question 19

Who did the German public believe initiated the Armistice at the end of WWI?

Answer 19

The Provisional Government (socialist politicians), which culminated the entire ‘stab in the back’ myth

Question 20

Why was Japan disappointed at the results of Versailles?

Answer 20

They were hoping to gain Germany’s former trading rights with China, however were unsuccessful

Question 21

Why was Italy bitterly disappointed at the results of Versailles?

Answer 21

They did not gain any new territory or share of Germany and Turkey’s colonial possessions

Question 22

What did Germany’s loss of territory and economic punishment feed into?

Answer 22

the German people’s hate for internationalism (this aided Hitler and the Nazi Party’s rise to power)

Question 23

What is a ‘diktat’ ? (which Hitler famously referred to the Treaty of Versailles as)

Answer 23

an order or decree imposed by someone in power without popular consent