Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919. It was designed to officially end the First World War.
Many historians believe that this treaty was a major cause of the Second World War.
The treaty was characterized by its harsh stipulations against Germany, leading to widespread anger among the German population.

Primary Goals:
- Security: Ensure Germany could not invade France in the future.
- Revenge: Punish Germany for the devastation caused during the war.
- Reparations: Financial compensation for the damage inflicted by German armies in northern France.
- Clemenceau's Stance: Known as “The Tiger”, Clemenceau was adamant about making Germany pay for the war damages.

Public View: Advocated for punishing Germany due to strong anti-German sentiment post-war.
Private View: Acknowledged the necessity for Germany's recovery as a crucial trading partner.
Concerns:
- The rise of communism following the 1917 Russian revolution.
- A strong Germany was seen as a bulwark against the spread of communism.

Context: Wilson aimed to implement his ideals encapsulated in the Fourteen Points.
Stance:
- Favorable for moderate punishment of Germany, seeking a just settlement that would not foster resentment.
- Proposed the establishment of an international organization known as The League of Nations for resolving future disputes.
Public Sentiment: The American populace largely favored isolationism after the war, opposing Wilson’s internationalist agenda.

The German army was limited to 100,000 men.
Germany was prohibited from maintaining tanks and an airforce.
The Rhineland was to be demilitarized and occupied by Allied forces for 15 years.
The German navy could not possess submarines or large battleships.

Colonies: Germany lost all overseas colonies.
Specific Territories Lost:
- North Schleswig: Given to Denmark.
- Danzig: Established as a free city administered by the League of Nations.
- Eupen and Malmedy: Transferred to Belgium.
- Posen: Given to Poland to provide access to the Baltic Sea, creating the Polish Corridor which isolated East Prussia from Germany.
- Saar Coalfields: Assigned to France for 15 years.
- Alsace-Lorraine: Returned to France.
- Further Demilitarized Zones: Areas lost by Germany that voted to remain German were designated as demilitarized.

Stated:
- “The Allied and Associated Governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her Allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associate Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of a war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her Allies.”
Implication: Germany accepted blame for starting the war, which many Germans considered unjustified.

Germany agreed to pay reparations for the damage inflicted during the war, with the total compensation fixed at £6,600 million.

Many Germans viewed the Treaty as a “diktat” (dictated peace) as they were not included in the negotiations and faced threats of renewed conflict if they refused to sign.
Discontent centered around several factors:
- The War Guilt Clause was seen as unjust, with many blaming France and Britain for the war.
- Territorial losses were perceived as excessively punitive.
- Economic distress was anticipated from the required reparations payments, leading to fears of crippling the German economy.
Reactions ranged from broad outrage to specific criticism of the new Weimar Republic, often linking the treaty to the narrative of the “November Criminals” who were accused of betraying the military.