Question

Mention four pbints under the Treaty of Versailles, which affected Germany.

Answer 1

Consequences of the First World War on Germany: Germany was compelled to sign the Treaty of Versailles on 28th June, 1919 and was forced to accept the following terms which were comparatively very harsh:
(i) Germany and her allies were held guilty for aggression and hence Germany was forced to cede certain parts of her pre-war territories to Denmark, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia.
(ii) Alsace and Lorraine were returned to France. Moreover, the Saar Valley, known for its coal mines, was ceded to France for 15 years.
(iii) Germany had also to lose all her colonial empire which was divided among the victors. Togo land and Cameroons were divided among France and England. German colonies in South-West Africa and East Africa were also taken away from her and shared by England, Belgium, Portugal and South Africa. While Japan got the Shantung and Kiau Chow in China, New Zealand got the Samoa Island.
(iv) The area of the Rhine Valley was also demilitarized. The German army was also reduced to 1,00,000 and she was not toJhqve any air force and sub-marines.
(v) Germany had to accept the war-guilt and she was compelled to pay a heavy sum (of 6,500,000,000 Pounds) as war-indemnity to the Allies.
Thus the Treaty of Versailles was very humiliating for Germany. So it had far reaching effects on Germany. It led to the rise of Nazism in Germany. Its leader, Hitler violated all the terms of this humiliating treaty (of Versailles) and plunged the world into another world war.