The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles

1. Signed on the 28th June 1919

2. Land

   • Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France
   • Lost overseas colonies
   • Land was demilitarised

3. Army

   • Germany was not allowed military aircraft or submarines
   • The navy was reduced to 6 battleships and 15,000 sailors
   • The army was reduced to 100,000 men
   • The Rhineland area was demilitarised and occupied by allied troops

4. Money

   • £6.6 billion had to be paid in annual instalments

5. Blame

   • Article 231 said that Germany was to blame for the war
   • This was the term that Germany most resented
   • They believe that Germany went into the war as self defence

6. Reactions to the treaty

   • Germans were shocked by the strictness of the treaty which caused protests in Berlin
   • the treaty was labelled 'diktat' meaning dictated peace
   • Germany lost 13% of its land
   • The military terms were destroying the country's reputation as a great power and left it vulnerable to attack
   • The 'Land' terms robbed Germany of their industrial areas eg Alsace- Lorraine
   • Germany lost 10% of its industry and 15% of its agriculture