Treaty of Versailles (1919)

1. Treaty of Versailles (1919)

2. Europe 1914

3. Europe 1919 - 1939

4. How did the Europe of 1919 come to be?

5. World War One • 1914 - 1918 • A total war • Triple Entente Vs Central Powers • 9 000 000 military fatalities • 6 000 000 civilian fatalities

6. World War One • 11 Nov 1918 - Germany surrendered • Negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference • Outcome was the Treaty of Versailles

7. What was the Treaty of Versailles?

13. What were the terms?

15. War Guilt & Responsibility • Article 231 - the “War Guilt” Clause • Held Germany to be solely responsible for all loss and damage suffered by the Triple Entente during the war • “…Germany accepts responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied governments and their peoples have been subjected to as a result of the war…” • Provided the legal basis for the financial terms of the Treaty

16. Financial Terms • Known as reparations • Announced in 1921 • Sum of £6 600 000 • An astronomical sum – Germany would take roughly 70 years to repay the entire sum • To be paid in cash or in kind e.g. coal

17. Territorial Terms

18. Germany was also stripped of its overseas colonies - many of these colonies were taken over by France and Britain • Germany was not permitted to unite with Austria in an attempt to limit its economic (and thus war making) potential

19. Military & Disarmament Terms • Germany was not allowed to have a General Staff - the body that coordinates military planning and strategy for a country’s armed forces • German Army restricted to 100 000 men; no conscription allowed • It was not allowed to have any tanks or artillery (big guns) • German Navy was allowed to have six battleships and no submarines • Germany was not allowed to have an air force • A demilitarized zone (DMZ) was established in the Rhineland

20. Others • An international organisation known as the League of Nations was to be set up to provide a platform for the peaceful resolution of international disputes • Separate treaties were signed with Germany’s allies that saw the dismantling of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

21. What did Germany lose?

22. How did you think the German people reacted to this?