The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles

1. Territory

   • Land was taken from Germany
     • Parts were given back to France
       • Alsace Lorraine
       • The Saar: coal fields
     • The Rhineland was demilitarised
   • Polish corridor
     • Given back

2. Military

   • Germany was forbidden to unite with Austria
   • Germany's army reduced to 100,000 men
     • Not allowed tanks
     • Not allowed an airforce
       • Only 6 naval ships
         • No submarines
   • No conscription to join the army

3. Financial

   • The Germans were told that they had to write a blank cheque
     • Had to pay £6.600 million
       • They couldn't pay
         • More taxes
           • Poverty

4. War guilt

   • Germany was blamed for WWI
     • No choice
   • France wanted to weaken Germany
     • America sat on the fence
       • Britain hated the Germans

5. DATES

   • World War One ends: 1918
   • Treaty of Versailles: 1919

6. League of Nations

   • Germany not allowed to join
     • Supposedly, an alliance

7. Problems this caused

   • Germany payed reparations
   • January 1923: French and Belgian troops entered the Ruhr
     • They took what was theirs as Germany couldn't pay reparations
     • Government asked people to go on strike "Refuse to cooperate and stop working"
       • Prices went up
       • Government prints money to be able to pay workers on strike
         • Money looses its value
           • Middle class affected the most
             • People lost business and savings
           • High unemployment
           • Gains for people in debt
         • HYPERINFLATION
           • RAPID ACCELERATION INFLATION (increased price in everyday items)
         • The German government was considered weak