Chapter 1: Impact of World War I in Europe - Treaty of Versailles

Britain wanted German navy to be weak so that Britain can maintain its naval superiority.

Lloyd George wanted Germany to be able to recover economically from the war to prevent the rise of communism.

Lloyd George was personally opposed to treating Germany too harshly because an unfair peace would lead to another war.

Lloyd George was re-elected in 1918 on a platform of extending British influence to Asia so he wanted to take over German possessions in Asia.

Lloyd George faced public pressure back home to keep Germany weak

Saar remained under German but was to be run by the League of Nations until 1934. All profits from the Saar coal region would go to France.

Germany lost all her overseas colonies in Africa and the Asia Pacific.

Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine to France.

Germany had to give up territory between Germany and East Prussia to form the Polish Corridor.

Germany was not to unite with Austria.

Army was reduced to 100 000 men and navy was restricted to 15 000 men.

Army was reduced to 10 000 men and navy was restricted to 150 000 men.

Conscription was not allowed. Air force, tanks, and submarines were also not allowed.

Conscription was not allowed but an air force, tanks, and submarines were allowed.

Germans lost a lot of territories – Alsace-Lorraine to France, Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium, Northern Schleswig to Denmark, Polish Corridor to Poland, Part of Upper Silesia to Poland, Hultschin to Czechoslovakia, Memel to Lithuania. The territorial losses hurt Germans' national pride. Germany used to be a great colonial power but now its territorial size was so much reduced. Thus the Germans felt humiliated and hence hated the territorial terms.

Germans hated the territorial terms of the Treaty of Versailles because they lost a lot of territories. They lost Alsace-Lorraine to France, Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium, Northern Schleswig to Denmark, Polish Corridor to Poland, Part of Upper Silesia to Poland, Hultschin to Czechoslovakia, Memel to Lithuania Germans hated the territorial terms because many of the territories that they lost were rich in resources e.g. parts of Poland and the Saar coal region.

Germans hated the territorial terms of the Treaty of Versailles because they lost a lot of territories. They lost Alsace-Lorraine to France, Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium, Northern Schleswig to Denmark, Polish Corridor to Poland, Part of Upper Silesia to Poland, Hultschin to Czechoslovakia, Memel to Lithuania Germans hated the territorial terms because many of the territories that they lost were rich in resources e.g. parts of Poland and the Saar coal region. At a time when Germans needed the resources to rebuild their war-torn economy, the loss of these resource-rich territories meant Germans lost a valuable source of resources that could be used to rebuild German economy. Hence the territorial losses meant it damaged German economy and prolonged the suffering of the Germans. Hence Germany hated the territorial terms.

Germans hated the territorial terms of the Treaty of Versailles because it caused the Germans to lose a lot of territories – Alsace-Lorraine to France, Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium, Northern Schleswig to Denmark, Polish Corridor to Poland, Part of Upper Silesia to Poland, Hultschin to Czechoslovakia, Memel to Lithuania. The territorial losses hurt Germans' national pride. Germany used to be a great colonial power but now its territorial size was so much reduced. Thus the Germans felt humiliated and hence hated the territorial terms.

The Germans hated the military terms. The terms stated that the army must not exceed 100,000 men, universal compulsory military service shall be abolished i.e. no conscription, and that Germany’s wartime weapons were to be destroyed. Germany was not allowed to have an air force, submarines, or tanks. The Navy was limited to 15 000 men, 6 battleships and a few smaller ships. Germans hated the terms because Germany used to be a great military power but now it was reduced to a state where it could barely defend itself. The Germans hated the terms because it left them vulnerable to attacks. The Germans also hated the terms because they felt it was unfair for Germany to disarm when others such as Britain and France (whom they saw as equally responsible for the war) did not have to.

The military terms affected Germany. The terms stated that the army must not exceed 100,000 men, universal compulsory military service shall be abolished i.e. no conscription, and that Germany’s wartime weapons were to be destroyed. Germany was not allowed to have an air force, submarines, or tanks. The Navy was limited to 15 000 men, 6 battleships and a few smaller ships. All these terms affected German pride because Germany used to be a great military power but now it was reduced to a state where it could barely defend itself. These terms affected German security because the military was so weak so it left them vulnerable to attacks.

The military terms affected Germany. The terms stated that the army must not exceed 100,000 men, universal compulsory military service shall be abolished i.e. no conscription, and that Germany’s wartime weapons were to be destroyed. Germany was not allowed to have an air force, submarines, or tanks. The Navy was limited to 15 000 men, 6 battleships and a few smaller ships. These terms affected the Germans because it was unfair for Germany to disarm when others such as Britain and France (whom they saw as equally responsible for the war) did not have to.