The terms of the Treaty of Versailles: Flashcards
List the five main terms of the treaty:
1) War Guilt Clause
2) Reparations
3) German territories and colonies
4) Germany’s armed forces
5) League of Nations
What was the war guilt clause?
Germans had to accept the blame for starting the war.
How did the Germans feel about the war guilt clause?
They saw it as extremely harsh.
What was the amount of reparations asked for in the Treaty?
£6.6 billion
In terms of Germany’s colonies, what was taken away?
Germany’s overseas empires were taken away. Former German colonies such as Cameroon became mandates controlled by the League of Nations, which effectively meant that France and Britain controlled them.
How many soldiers was the army limited to after the Treaty?
100,000 men.
What was banned (in relations to the armed forces)?
Conscription - soldiers had to be volunteers.
What were the restrictions on army vehicles?
Germany was not allowed armoured vehicles, submarines or aircraft. The navy could only have 6 battleships.
What happened to the Rhineland under the terms of the Treaty?
The Rhineland became a demilitarised zone. This mean that no German troops were allowed into that area.
Why was the Rhineland significant?
It was significant because it was the border area between Germany and France.
What was the League of Nations ‘set up’ as?
It was set up as an international ‘police force’.
Were Germany allowed to join the League?
Germany was not allowed to join the League until it had shown that it was a peace-loving country.
What were the Germans’ reactions to the war guilt clause?
They did not feel that they had started the war and they believed that at the very least the blame should be shared.
What were the Germans’ reactions to the reparations?
They were bitter that Germany was expected to pay for all the damage caused by the war even though the German economy was severely weakened.
What were the Germans’ reactions to the disarmament term?
They felt that these terms were very unfair - also, despite Wilson’s Fourteen Points calling for disarmament, none of the Allies were being asked or forced to disarm in the same way.
