Joshua Skrapits

Treaty of versailles DBQ

Western Civ. 4th period
During the late 1930's and mid 1940's, over 60 million people were killed because of WWII. It
was caused in major part of the Treaty of Versailles which basically humiliated the German people. The
treaty blamed Germany for causing the first world war. A majority of the reparations were to be paid by
Germany, resulting in their hatred towards the rest of the world. More tension built up after France seized
control of their mining territories. The conditions were now right for Adolf Hitler to seize control of this
desperate nation. The Treaty of Versailles was the cause of World War II because it crippled the
Germans economy, military, and nationalism.
The territorial losses of Germany before World War II were a key part in their hatred. They lost
the territories: Lorraine, Alsace, the Polish corridor, and a piece near denmark. The loss of the Polish
corridor was a major hit on the Germans because it was a primary area where they mined resources to
pay for war reparations. Adolf Hitler states, (1924) No nation can remove this hand from its throat except
by the sword (DOC A). This is a statement by Adolf Hitler which meant that the only way to not be held
under control, was to seize control. The restriction by the treaty was not limited to the reparations.
Germanys military went from a super power to an absolute joke. The treaty stripped them of their
weapons and limited their troops to 100,000. Compared to the 4.5 million that served in WWI, this is a
major downstep. According to the Treaty of Versailles (1919) The Army shall be devoted exclusively to
the maintenance of order within the territory and to the control of the frontiers...whatever their
composition, must not exceed four thousand. (DOC B). This states that the army is a large police force,
and it is not allowed to attack other nations. This is where the Germans were humiliated the most by the
Treaty of Versailles. Although this was debatably the most staggering consequence of the treaty, there
were others.
The reparations required to be paid were at a staggering 132 billion gold marks which is equal to
about 367 billion U.S. dollars. This was marked down to 112 billion gold marks in 1921, which is equal to
341 billion dollars. This did nothing to sway the toll it took on Germanys economy. The [Allies]...require,
and Germany undertakes, that she will make compensation for all the damage done to the civilian
population of the Associated Powers and to their property during the period of the belligerency (DOC
C). This excerpt from the Treaty of Versailles displays the belief that Germany should be held
accountable for all of the damage from WWI. The Treaty of Versailles has once again smashed the pride
of Germany. The accusation of Germany is stated directly in the treaty.
In Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles it directly accuses Germany for causing WWI. As would
be expected the german people were outraged. ...but most Germans saw it as an atrocious injustice, an
evil thing which must be destroyed. This feeling persisted long after most of the provisions had been
carried out, long after many Germans could even name its provisions. (DOC D). This is documentation
that Germans actually did hate the Treaty of Versailles. At this point their nationalism was crushed and it
had almost no chance of recovery. With the nation falling apart from the treaty, the conditions were right
for Hitler to seize control of germany.
Displayed through the harsh terms of the treaty, war can be very brutal and start from brutal
beginnings. Germany had been outcasted and restricted to the point of humiliation by the Treaty of
versailles. Although there were other factors to the cause of WWII, the Treaty of Versailles was
undoubtedly the main cause. The Treaty of Versailles was the cause of World War II because it crippled
the Germans economy, military, and nationalism.

Works Cited
Article 232. (1919). In Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler, A. (1924). Mein Kampf. Adolf Hitler. pg (128)
Keynes, J. (1920). The Economic Consequences of the Peace.
Mee, C. (1919). The End of Order: Versailles.
Moyer, L. (1995). Victory Must Be Ours: Germany in the Great War 1914-1918.