Causes and Consequences of The Treaty of Versailles

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Treaty of Versailles 1919

Britain, France, USA, Germany

Causes: France suffered great losses, France wanted security, France also wanted revenge for a previous war

Consequences: Germany admitting full responsibility(war reparations), Germany was made to significantly disarm, Germany lost territory

France suffered great losses

1.4 million soldiers died between 1914 - 1918

40k civilians died

2.5 million injured

9 entire villages at the north of France

France felt she needed security and protection in case Germany decided to start a war against her

Germany would be punished severely in the treaty

France wanted advantages such as armed forces

France wanted revenge

In a previous war between France and Germany, France had lost

She had to give up Alsace-Lorraine to Germany

She wanted to take back Alsace-Lorraine which might have been compromised if taken by force

A treaty would ensure that the transfer would be made

The consequence of most impact was that Germany had to admit full responsibility for starting the war

Germany hated this clause

Because of this clause Germany was made to pay full war reparations costing 6.6 million pounds.

Germany was not able to keep up with the payments so France took over the industrial Ruhr region in Germany.

Things became violent as German workers went on strike and so France sent in her own workers to complete the work.

France withdrew from the Ruhr but the economy was already in tatters from the reparations and the German government began to print more money.

Prices continued to rise as the money became worth less and less. German people found their life savings were worth almost nothing.

Germany was made to disarm significantly

Only allowed 100,000 men in her army

Navy was limited to ships under 100,000 tons and no submarines

Not allowed tanks, aircrafts/airships, poisonous gas and heavy machinery was restricted

Germany ended up blowing up her own submarines and other not allowed machines to stop them coming into the hands of the Allied Powers.

All German soldiers had to be withdrawn from the Rhineland

Germany lost territory

13.5% of her territory was re-assigned to other countries and new countries formed

Allied Powers wanted to weaken Germany but taking away some of her land and people

Areas were given to Poland which gave her access to the Baltic Sea and separated Germany from East Prussia which they hoped would prevent them reuniting for war

Alsace-Lorraine was given back to France

Land was also given to Belgium and Denmark who both had stayed neutral during the war

All of Germany's overseas colonies were taken under the power of the League of Nations

Treaty of Versailles had many causes and consequences. Many of these causes revolve around France, as stated above, due to the fact she was worried about another war because they were neighbouring countries as well as the fact of revenge. The consequences of the Treaty of Versailles were very harsh on Germany, causing her economy to decline dramatically from war reparations, her army and navy forces being reduced to almost nothing and taking away a great percentage of her land. These consequences made the people of Germany very bitter and left the country broken in more ways than one.

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