Versailles Treaty, the agreement that ended the First World War, was signed on 28 June 1919 in the suburbs of Paris, a former royal residence.
armistice effectively ended the bloody war, was signed November 11, 1918, but the heads of the warring states took another half a year to jointly develop the main provisions of the peace treaty.The Treaty of Versailles was signed between the victorious countries (USA, France, Great Britain), and vanquished Germany.Russia, also part of the coalition of anti-German powers, earlier, in 1918, concluded a separate peace with Germany (in accordance with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk), so did not participate in the Paris Peace Conference, or in signing the Treaty of Versailles.For this reason, Russia has suffered huge human losses in World War I, not only did not receive any compensation (indemnity), but also lost part of their ancestral territory (some parts of Ukraine and Belarus).
terms of the Versailles Treaty
main provisions of the Treaty of Versailles - the unconditional admission of guilt in Germany "caused by war."In other words, the full responsibility for fomenting the global European conflict fell on Germany.This resulted in unprecedented austerity sanctions.The sum total of indemnities paid by the German side of the victorious powers, was 132 million gold marks (in prices of 1919).The last payments were made in 2010, so, Germany was able to fully repay the "debt" of World War only after 92 years old.
Germany suffered very painful territorial losses.All German colonies were divided between the Entente (anti-German coalition).Part of the ancestral lands of the continental German also was lost: Lorraine and Alsace were ceded to France, East Prussia - Poland, Gdansk (Danzig) was recognized as a free city.
Versailles Treaty contained detailed requirements aimed at the demilitarization of Germany, to prevent re-kindling of a military conflict.The German army is greatly reduced (to 100 000).German military industry had actually ceased to exist.In addition, separately it was written demand for the demilitarization of the Rhineland - Germany was forbidden to concentrate where troops and military equipment.The Treaty of Versailles included a paragraph on the establishment of the League of Nations - an international organization, similar in function to the modern UN.
Impact of the Treaty of Versailles to the German economy and society
Terms of the Treaty of Versailles had been unduly harsh and severe, the German economy could not withstand them.A direct consequence of the implementation of draconian requirements of the contract was the complete destruction of German industry, the total impoverishment of the population and a terrible hyperinflation.
In addition, offensive peace agreement touched a sensitive though and immaterial substance, as the national consciousness.The Germans felt not only devastated and robbed, but stung unfairly punished and hurt.German Society readily apprehended the most extreme nationalist and revanchist ideas;in this - one of the reasons that the country only 20 years ago, with grief in half finish one global military conflict, easily got involved in the following.But the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, which was supposed to prevent potential conflicts, not only failed to fulfill its mission, but also to some extent helped fuel the Second World War.
