The Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles conference began in January of 1919. Officials were talking of peace and, these talks were discussed in the Palace of Versailles, in Paris by the "Big Four." This group, which consisted of President Wilson, the British prime minister David Lloyd, George, French premier Georges Clemenceau, and Italian prime minister known as Vittorio Orlando, attended the meeting. Germany was not allowed to attend the conference. The Allies decided not to completely accept the entirety of Wilson's fourteen point plan, saying it was too lenient towards Germany. But, one of Wilson's fourteen points was carried out and accepted. This point that they had accepted was the League of Nations, which was created in hopes that the league would maintain the peace among nations. The treaty was officially signed by Germany on June 28, 1919. It stripped Germany of its armed forces. "The German military forces shall be demolished and reduced as prescribed hereinafter." (Treaty of Versailles article 159).
Following the treaty, Germany had to publicly acknowledge responsibility for World War I. Germany also lost a lot of its territory which was then distributed throughout those of the Allies. The United States of America, Great Britain, France, and other allied states had forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles. They imposed economic, military, and territorial provisions on Germany. Germany had lost thirteen percent of its European territory, and Germany gave back Alsace-Lorraine to France. Belgium got Eupen and Malmedy. Saar region was placed under the administration of the League of Nations for fifteen years. Denmark got Northern Schleswig, Poland received West Prussia and Silesia, Czechoslavakia got Hultschin, and Rhineland was demilitarized. A large part of Danzig was free and under the League of Nations' protection. Memel, territory in East Prussia near the Baltic Sea was placed under Lithuarnian control. The whole of Germany's colonies had vanished before their eyes. The treaty was aimed to weaken Germany as a country so that the Germans would not be able to start a second World War.
Seeing as the Treaty of Versailles was an armistice, it seemed as though peace between Germany and the Allies would have lasted for a while, but actually, the Germans were able to regain the finances that they had to give up for reparations and rebuilding their army to claim the territories that they lost in the treaty.
Following the treaty, Germany had to publicly acknowledge responsibility for World War I. Germany also lost a lot of its territory which was then distributed throughout those of the Allies. The United States of America, Great Britain, France, and other allied states had forced Germany to sign the Treaty of Versailles. They imposed economic, military, and territorial provisions on Germany. Germany had lost thirteen percent of its European territory, and Germany gave back Alsace-Lorraine to France. Belgium got Eupen and Malmedy. Saar region was placed under the administration of the League of Nations for fifteen years. Denmark got Northern Schleswig, Poland received West Prussia and Silesia, Czechoslavakia got Hultschin, and Rhineland was demilitarized. A large part of Danzig was free and under the League of Nations' protection. Memel, territory in East Prussia near the Baltic Sea was placed under Lithuarnian control. The whole of Germany's colonies had vanished before their eyes. The treaty was aimed to weaken Germany as a country so that the Germans would not be able to start a second World War.
Seeing as the Treaty of Versailles was an armistice, it seemed as though peace between Germany and the Allies would have lasted for a while, but actually, the Germans were able to regain the finances that they had to give up for reparations and rebuilding their army to claim the territories that they lost in the treaty.