The Treaty Of Versailles Flashcards
The Treaty of Versailles
Background Fact 1 - what happened on the 18th of January 1919?
On the 18th of January 1919, countries excluding Russia, Germany, Austria and Hungary met in Paris to discuss peace terms.
The Treaty of Versailles
Background Fact 2 - What happened in June 1919?
In June of that year, countries including Britain, the United States and France agreed to a Treaty amongst them, punishing Germany for the events of the Great War known as the Treaty of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles
Territorial Changes - Polish Corridor
- Parts of Germany was split up and given to countries like Poland, forming the ‘Polish Corridor’. Due to this and other parts of Germany being given away, Germany lost 25,000 square miles of European territory which removed 7 million people from their control.
✓ The loss of land meant that a large amount of Germans found themselves in foreign governments which they were forced to adapt to.
x Germany was mostly giving back the land which they previously took from neighbouring countries, undermining the unfairness of the condition.
The Treaty of Versailles
Military Changes - Reduced Army
. Germany’s Reichswehr (armed forces) were reduced to 100,000 soldiers and banned conscription.
✓ Reducing the army caused a rise in unemployment, causing soldiers to lose their jobs. A weakened army also hurt Germany’s national pride.
x A smaller army gave Germany the chance to train its soldiers thoroughly, forming an elite and highly trained army.
The Treaty of Versailles
Military Changes - Tanks and Weaponry
- The Treaty banned Germany from using tanks, submarines, poisoned gas and limited its overall weaponry.
✓ The loss of certain weaponry further weakened Germany’s army, which made it vulnerable to attacks from other countries.
x Countries like Russia and France were weak after the war and so were not seen as a major threat to Germany.
The Treaty of Versailles
War Guilt - Article 231
- The Treaty forced Germany to take all blame for World War 1 through Article 231
✓ Many thoughts that taking the blame dishonoured the people that died form the war, who believed that they fought for the right reasons.
x During the war, it was believed that Germany was to blame as they brought Britain into the conflict due to their attack on Belgium, their allies. If Germany had not attacked Belgium, Britain would not have been involved in the conflict, preventing WW1.
The Treaty of Versailles
War Guilt - Reparations
- The Treaty urged Germany to pay 132 billion gold marks in reparations in 1921, to pay for the costs and damages of the war (as Germany was to blame)
✓ Germany simply did not have the money to pay off these reparations, causing mass poverty and eventually hyperinflation within the country. Germany also had their own rebuilding to do from the damages of war.
x Germany was expected to pay 7% of the annual national income, or the total amount of money earned by a nation, which they ended up only paying 3%
The Treaty of Versailles
Historian’s Views: Territorial Changes - Polish Corridor
The “new nations were carved out of old empires. New nations were created, but they were unstable and vulnerable…” - Tamara Chapman
The Treaty of Versailles
Historian’s Views: Military Changes - Reduced Army
The terms of the treaty were considered by all Germans as unfair and an affront to national honour - Colin Storer
