Peace after war needs to be formally created, which is very difficult for a few reasons.

1. Propaganda used to encourage people to fight created intense nationalism, encouraging hatred for the enemy and distrust.
   

2. Each country had its own agenda, goals, and issues to overcome.
   

3. A number of empires had fallen, and the nationalities in those countries had seized power. Without military action, these new governments could not be removed.

Thus, treaties are created to determine the terms and conditions of the end of the war.

The victorious leaders met in Paris to attempt to "rebuild" Europe. Thirty-two allied countries were involved, however, it was dominated by three people.

The key terms of the Treaty of Versailles:

Territorial Arrangements, War Guilt, Reparations, Disarmament, and Maintaining Peace

1. Territory

• Germany was forced to surrender the control of its colonies, to be supervised by the League of Nations as mandates.

• Return Alsace -Lorraine (coal towns) to France

• Relinquish control of land, in order to create new territories and Poland

• All port cities were made international "free cities" under the control of the League of Nations

• Forbidden to reunify with Austria

2. War Guilt

• Forced to sign the "War Guilt Clause" (Article 231).

  • • • Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied governments and their peoples have been subjected as a result of war.

• This became the basis for reparations to be made

3. Reparations

• A sum was to be fixed at a later date by a special commission (IARC - Inter-Allied Reparations Commission)

  • 132 billion Gold Marks (approx. $270 billion today). This was finally repaid in 2010.

• All coal production in the Saar Region was given to France until 1935

4. Disarmament and Peace

• Germany to abolish conscription and reduce its army to 100,000.

• No tanks

• No "Big Guns" (artillery)

• No military aircraft

• Limited Navy

  • Six battleships, six cruisers, twelve destroyers, twelve torpedo boats

  • No submarines (u-boats/unterseeboots)

• Demilitarised Rhineland (modern-day Cologne) as a barrier between France and Germany

5. Maintaining Peace

• The establishment of the League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations)

• Germany had to accept the creation of the League of Nations but initially was not allowed to join

Welcome to the first Extension Activity. You are here because you want to know the weird bits of History, or you just can't get enough of history! Join the club!!

Check out the article to the right about how bad the treaty was for Germany...