Unit 2A: Germany 1918-1939 treaty of versallies

Unit 2A: Germany 1918-1939 treaty of versallies

1. The Treaty Versailles

   • Germany lost over 13% of her pre- war territory which contained around 6 million of her people
   • Territorial
     • Alsace- Lorraine given to France.
       • West Prussia and Posen (the Polish Corridor) given to Poland
         • Eupen and Malmedy given to Belgian
           • Northern Schleswig to Denmark
             • Part of Upper Silesia to Poland
               • Danzig to be a free country under the control of the League of Nations
                 • Memel to be administered by the League but was seized by Lithuania
                   • Germany lost all of her overseas colonies- these were to be administered by the allies as League 'mandates'
   • Military
     • French desire for security meant that German armaments had to be drastically reduced
       • No air force
         • Army limited to 100,000 (with no conscription)- no armoured vehicles were allowed
           • The Navy was limited to 15,00 sailors, 6 battleships and no submarines
             • The rhineland was to be occupied by Allied troops for 15 years and no German troops were allowed in that area
     • A great power like Germany this represented abject humiliation. If the other countries were serious in their desire for world peace, then they would have reduced their military capabilities
   • Political
     • Article 231 stated that the responsibility of the war lay solely with Germany and her allies. This is the 'War guilt clause'
       • The Treaty set up the League of Nations- Germany was not allowed to join.
         • Union (Anschluss) with Austria was banned
       • Article 231 caused outrage in Germany- they felt that the war had been one of self-defence
   • Economic
     • Germany was responsible for the war as stated by the war guilt clause the allies could claim REPARATIONS (compensation for the damage that the war caused
       • In 1921 a commission set the figure at £6600 million
         • Germany also lost much of her rolling stock and her merchant navy
     • REPARATIONS bill caused outrage in Germany.
       • Been handed a huge bill at the time their ability to pay had been seriously restricted.
         • The Treaty took away 10% of German industry
         • 15% of her agricultural land, 16% of her coal industry and 48% of her iron industry
   • The peace negotiations started in Paris January 1919 and culminated with the signing of the treaty of Versallies on 28th June 1919