Dylan Callahan

Treaty of Versailles DBQ

Western Civ. 4

World War II was a war that took the lives of millions of regular townspeople that had no role in
the war. It was a big turning point in history for the civilian population that had nothing to do with the war.
Many of the innocent civilians were killed during the war because most of the towns were burned or
destroyed. This mostly took place in Germany after the year of 1918. The Treaty of Versailles was brought
about to try to end a war, but in reality caused another war. The treaty helped ignite World War II because
of what it contained.
Territorial losses played a major role in World War II. As stated in Document A, the restoration of
the frontiers of 1914 could be achieved only by blood, (Mein Kampf, 1924). The Versailles treaty was a
treaty that not only was said to bring about another war, but was a treaty that had an effect by territories
lost. Due to the Versailles treaty, Germany lost the Polish Corridor, The Lorraine, The Aisace, and also the
Danzig. This was a big change because these countries would not have to go into rule of a different
country. After the Versailles treaty is passed, Hitler responds by giving his famous Blood and Iron speech,
speaking about how everything will play out from here. Overall, it is shown that the Versailles treaty did
not only give up a few territories in Germany, but also played a big role in World War II.
Military restrictions cause the german army very mad. As said in the Treaty of Versailles, the
German army must not comprise more than seven divisions of infantry and three divisions of cavalry
, (Treaty of Versailles, 1919). This was a huge turning point because it caused the Germans to reduce
their huge army when that is what they have been known for all of these years. The Treaty of Versailles
only allowed the German army to contain about 100,000 troops all together. The army shall be devoted
exclusively to the maintenance of order within the territory and to control of the frontiers, (Treaty of
Versailles, 1919). The treaty then states that the German army should only use their army for order within
their territory, that the should stay strictly inside their borders. Overall, the military restrictions brought
about by the Versailles treaty was a huge turning point.
War Reparations were a thing that was not thought about during a war for any country. But, after
a war was over and those war reparations had to be paid, it was a big deal. Germany undertakes, that
she will make compensation for all damage done to the civilian population of the Allied and Associated
Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency.., (Treaty of Versailles, Article 232).
Germany was required to pay off all of the damage done to civilian population. This was to be done in 30
years of May 1st, 1921. In 1929, the amount of money that was to paid was reduced to 112 billion gold
marks or in US dollars, 341 billion dollars. This helped Germany out, but it was still a lot of money that
eventually hurt them in the long run. Overall, War Reparations were nothing it seemed like to countries
during the war, but after the war, their biggest problem.

The War Guilt Clause was just a part of the Treaty of Versailles. The Allied and Associated
Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her Allies for causing all the
loss and damage, (Treaty of Versailles, Article 231). The main Idea of Article 231 is to sympathize how
Germany feels bad for what they have done, even though they really do not. Most Germans felt that the
Treaty of Versailles was an atrocious in just, a very evil thing that must be destroyed. This was because of
all the limitations on their army, their war reparations that had to be paid, and of the damage they done
had to be fixed. Some Germans then began starting to admire Adolf Hitler because of a sense of worth
that he gives them and a value of themselves. Hitler was the first person to probably actually make these
people feel good about themselves, which is why so many people worshipped him. Overall,The War Guilt
Clause and the Treaty of Versailles was a very bad thing in the German eye.
In Conclusion, territorial loses, military restrictions, war reparations, and The War Guilt Clause
were just a few effects from the Treaty of Versailles that played a big role in the War. These all went bad
for the
German army, which is why they wanted the Treaty to get destroyed. But, in the long run, everything
turned out well and The Treaty of Versailles was a very important document that helped many.

Works Cited
German Territorial Losses, Versailles Treaty, 1919.
Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, 1924.
John Maynard Keynes, The economic Consequences of the peace, 1920.
Laurence V. Moyer, Victory Must Be Ours: Germany in the Great War 1914-1918. 1995
The Treaty of Versailles, 1919. Article 160
The Treaty of Versailles, 1919. Article 232
The Treaty of Versailles, 1919. Article 233