3_The terms of the Treaty of Versailles

1) League of Nations:

• Germany was excluded from joining the League of Nations, founded to avoid future wars (one of Wilson’s Fourteen Points).

• Under Articles 1–26, Germany was not allowed to join initially, but admitted later in 1926 under the Weimar Republic.

2) Rhineland:

• Demilitarised under Article 42: all fortifications in the Rhineland and 31 miles east of the Rhine had to be demolished.

• Germany forbidden from building new defences; Allied troops occupied the territory for 5–15 years to ensure compliance.

3) Saar:

• The Saar coalfields were given to France for 15 years (Article 45) as compensation for coal-mines destroyed in northern France and part payment of reparations.

4) Territorial losses:

• Germany lost ~13% of its European territory and all overseas colonies.

• Lost territories included:

  • Alsace-Lorraine (France)

  • Eupen & Malmedy (Belgium)

  • North Schleswig (Denmark)

  • Hulschin (Czechoslovakia)

  • West Prussia, Posen, Upper Silesia (Poland)

  • Saar, Danzig, Memel (League of Nations administration)

  • Gains from Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia)

  • All colonies given as mandates to Britain and France

5) Union with Austria forbidden:

• Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria (Article 80) without League of Nations consent.

• Later broken in 1938 by the Anschluss, when Hitler annexed Austria.

6) Army restrictions:

• Army limited to 100,000 men (Article 163), with a maximum of 7 infantry and 3 cavalry divisions (Article 160).

• Conscription banned; German General Staff dissolved (Article 175).

• Officers outside allowed units forbidden from military exercises.

7) Navy restrictions:

• Germany allowed only 6 battleships, no submarines (Article 181).

• Manpower capped at 15,000 men, including all naval personnel (Article 183).

• All other warships had to be placed in reserve or for commercial use.

8) Air force banned:

• Germany forbidden to have military or naval aircraft (Article 198).

• Required to hand over all aircraft and related materials, and prohibited from producing or importing for 6 months.

9) War Guilt Clause:

• Germany had to accept responsibility for starting the war (Article 231).

• Provided legal basis for reparations, though controversial; seen as a national humiliation.

• Germans called the Treaty a diktat (dictated peace).

10) Reparations:

• Germany had to pay $31.4 billion (~132 billion gold marks, £6.6 billion, ~£284 billion today).

• Considered too harsh by economists like John Maynard Keynes; some Allies, like Foch, thought it was too lenient.

• Payments crippled Germany’s economy, led to default in 1923, rescheduled under Dawes and Young Plans, and fully repaid 92 years later.

• Treaty created resentment in Germany; Foch called it “an armistice for twenty years”, predicting future conflict.

The Treaty of Versailles imposed harsh terms on Germany. Germany was initially excluded from the League of Nations, its Rhineland was demilitarised with Allied occupation, and the Saar coalfields were given to France for 15 years as compensation. Germany lost ~13% of its European territory, all colonies, and key areas like Alsace-Lorraine, West Prussia, and Danzig. Union with Austria was forbidden. The army was limited to 100,000 men, conscription banned, General Staff dissolved, the navy restricted to 6 battleships, and the air force banned. Germany was forced to accept war guilt (Article 231) and pay $31.4 billion in reparations, which crippled its economy. These terms caused deep resentment in Germany, which many historians view as a factor contributing to future conflict.

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