The Treaty of Versailles

The Treaty of Versailles was not that good in with Germany. The nation had been blamed for the first world war and had been forced to pay compensation to the allies under the war guilt clause of the treaty. The war guilt clause not only made the Germans accept responsibility for the war but also cost them dearly. 10% of German lands were lost as a result, all of Germany's overseas colonies were taken away and shared between the allies and a massive 12.5% of the German population found itself living outside of the new German borders. These terms had several very dramatic consequences on Germany.

• Initially they refused to sign the treaty and opted to scuttle the fleet in protest.

• The economy was ruined as much of the produce and profit had to be sent to the allies as reparations payments. This meant that the German economy was unable to recover itself.

• The disarmament of the armed forces was viewed as an embarrassment and the Germans felt very insecure about their inability to defend themselves: it also meant a loss of status as military power means that a nation has political clout.

• The German people felt bitter that they were excluded from the league of nations and enforced to live by other peoples rules.