THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES
BACKGROUND: The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty that sought to end World War I. Signed on June 28, 1919: its contents ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. The treaty was written by the Allies with almost no input from Germany. It took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to agree and conclude upon the peace treaty. Finally, it was registered and printed in The League of Nations Treaty Series on October 21, 1919.
The Treaty of Versaille was comprised of many parts and 440 articles. Arguably the most important, and also the most controversial, was requiring “Germany to accept the responsibility of Germany and and her allies for causing all the loss and damage” in WWI. The other members of the Central Powers signed separate treaties with similar provisions. This provision is outlined in Article 231, but was soon referred to as the War Guilt clause. Germany was forced to disarm and pay reparations. In total, Germany had to pay 132 billion Marks. In 2015, that is roughly equivalent to 442 billion Dollars.
The Senate in the United States refused to ratify the treaty, and the US government also refused to take any responsibility for most of the provisions. The German government signed it under protest. Right-wing German parties saw it as a betrayal, and terrorists assassinated many politicians who they believed to be responsible. This treaty was strictly enforced for five years. Germany agreed to pay the reparations under the Dawes Plan and Young Plan but the depression lead to the cancellation of the reparations in 1932. In addition, Germany violated many of the provisions of Part V. As Adolf Hitler came to power, he denounced the treaty altogether in 1935. From 1937 through 1939, Hitler overturned the territorial provisions in regards to Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Memel. On September 1, 1939, Hitler attacked Poland.
BACKGROUND: The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty that sought to end World War I. Signed on June 28, 1919: its contents ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. The treaty was written by the Allies with almost no input from Germany. It took six months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to agree and conclude upon the peace treaty. Finally, it was registered and printed in The League of Nations Treaty Series on October 21, 1919.
The Treaty of Versaille was comprised of many parts and 440 articles. Arguably the most important, and also the most controversial, was requiring “Germany to accept the responsibility of Germany and and her allies for causing all the loss and damage” in WWI. The other members of the Central Powers signed separate treaties with similar provisions. This provision is outlined in Article 231, but was soon referred to as the War Guilt clause. Germany was forced to disarm and pay reparations. In total, Germany had to pay 132 billion Marks. In 2015, that is roughly equivalent to 442 billion Dollars.
The Senate in the United States refused to ratify the treaty, and the US government also refused to take any responsibility for most of the provisions. The German government signed it under protest. Right-wing German parties saw it as a betrayal, and terrorists assassinated many politicians who they believed to be responsible. This treaty was strictly enforced for five years. Germany agreed to pay the reparations under the Dawes Plan and Young Plan but the depression lead to the cancellation of the reparations in 1932. In addition, Germany violated many of the provisions of Part V. As Adolf Hitler came to power, he denounced the treaty altogether in 1935. From 1937 through 1939, Hitler overturned the territorial provisions in regards to Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Memel. On September 1, 1939, Hitler attacked Poland.
CONTENT: The first 26 Articles of the Treaty outline the Covenant of the League of Nations.
The remaining 414 Articles detail Germany’s punishment.
Part I: created the New League of Nations.
Part II: specified German’s new boundaries.
Part II: created a demilitarized zone, separating the Tsar from Germany for fifteen years.
Part IV: stripped Germany of all its colonies.
Part V: reduced Germany’s armed forces to 100,000 men and prohibited Germany from having certain weapons.
Part VIII: established Germany’s liability for reparations.
Part IX: imposed other financial obligations upon Germany.
Clause 231: Germany had to accept blame for starting the war.
The remaining 414 Articles detail Germany’s punishment.
Part I: created the New League of Nations.
Part II: specified German’s new boundaries.
Part II: created a demilitarized zone, separating the Tsar from Germany for fifteen years.
Part IV: stripped Germany of all its colonies.
Part V: reduced Germany’s armed forces to 100,000 men and prohibited Germany from having certain weapons.
Part VIII: established Germany’s liability for reparations.
Part IX: imposed other financial obligations upon Germany.
Clause 231: Germany had to accept blame for starting the war.
THE LAND BREAKUP:
Alsace-Lorraine. Taken from Germany, given to France.
Eupen and Malmedy. Taken from Germany, given to Belgium.
Northern Schleswig. Taken from Germany, given to Denmark.
Hultschin. Taken from Germany, given to Czechoslovakia.
West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia. Taken from Germany, given to Poland.
The League of Nations also took control of Germany's overseas colonies.
Germany returned land to Russia. Some of this land was made into new states; including, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland also received some of this land.
Alsace-Lorraine. Taken from Germany, given to France.
Eupen and Malmedy. Taken from Germany, given to Belgium.
Northern Schleswig. Taken from Germany, given to Denmark.
Hultschin. Taken from Germany, given to Czechoslovakia.
West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia. Taken from Germany, given to Poland.
The League of Nations also took control of Germany's overseas colonies.
Germany returned land to Russia. Some of this land was made into new states; including, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland also received some of this land.
THE GERMAN REACTION:
Once the German's agreed to the Armistice, they were under the impression that they would be consulted by the Allies on the contents of the Treaty. When this did not happen, they were angry but they had to army to continue to the war. There was nothing they could do about their representation in the creation of the treaty.
Anger spread around Germany when the terms were made public. The treaty soon became known as a "Diktat;" something that was forced on them. Most Germans did not want the treaty to be signed, but they also knew they were incapable of restarting the war again. All together, it left a nation feel like they were treated unfairly. Many German citizens felt that they were being punished for the mistakes of the German government as it was the government that had declared war, not the people.
Most importantly Germany hated the clause blaming her for the cause of the war and the resultant financial penalties the treaty was bound to impose on Germany.
Once the German's agreed to the Armistice, they were under the impression that they would be consulted by the Allies on the contents of the Treaty. When this did not happen, they were angry but they had to army to continue to the war. There was nothing they could do about their representation in the creation of the treaty.
Anger spread around Germany when the terms were made public. The treaty soon became known as a "Diktat;" something that was forced on them. Most Germans did not want the treaty to be signed, but they also knew they were incapable of restarting the war again. All together, it left a nation feel like they were treated unfairly. Many German citizens felt that they were being punished for the mistakes of the German government as it was the government that had declared war, not the people.
Most importantly Germany hated the clause blaming her for the cause of the war and the resultant financial penalties the treaty was bound to impose on Germany.