Germany 2

Germany

By: Sol Di liscia, Catalina Grosso, Estanislao Casas, Tomas Anania & Catalina Rela

Terms of the treaty

War Guilt

One thing Germany had to do was to accept the blame for starting the war. For Germany this was extremely harsh.

Reparations

● The majors powers (France, Britain and USA) agreed that Germany had to pay for the damage caused by the war.

● Germany had to pay €6600 millions for the damages she had caused.

Germany's overseas empire was taken away. This was one of the causes of bad relations between Britain and Germany before the war. The ex German colonies became mandates controlled by the League of Nations (this meant that France and Britain controlled them.)

German territories and colonies

League of nations

It was an organisation to set up an international "Police Force" to have peace between countries. Germany was angry becauseuntil she showed she was a peaceful country France, USA and Great Britain would not let them join the League.

Germany's Armed Forces

Germany's growing army and navy was a major concern to all the powers, especially France. After the war, Germany was restricted to a level well level below the level they had before the war:● The army was limited to 100,000 men.● Conscription was banned - soldiers had to be

volunteers.● The navy could only build six battleships.● Germany was not allowed to use armoured vehicles,

submarines or aircrafts.

● Germany had lost 10 per cent of its land ● All of its colonies ● 12.5 per cent of its population ● 16 per cent of its coalfields and nearly half of

its iron and steel industries.

Germany lost... (thanks to the treaty)

Undefeated so why unrepresented?

● Many Germans felt that their country had not been defeated.

● Germany had not been occupied and the German government had simply agreed to a ceasefire (to stop shooting) on 11/11/1918 (Armistice Day).

● Germans expected that their nation would be able to negotiate peace terms.

Germany's reaction to the Treaty of Versailles

On 7 May, the victors presented their Treaty to the German delegation. Count Brockdorff-Rantzau (German diplomat) got angered by the Big Three giving them a long speech criticising the Treaty; then the delegation left and set about countering (to speak or act in opposition) it. A little later, they sent their counter-proposal based on the Fourteen Points to the Big Three -- their reply was so good that one of the British delegation said it was much better than the Allies' suggestions, and even Lloyd George wondered for a time if they ought to rethink the treaty . Then the delegation went home. Many Germans wanted to refuse to sign the treaty; some even suggested that they start the war again. So it was with great difficulty that the President got to agree to sign the treaty, and the imperious way the two German representatives were treated when they were forced to sign made things worse.Germany felt that the Treaty of versailles instead of being a negotiation was an execution.

Why should we care about the German's reaction?

● Hitler would gain a lot of support by promising to tear the Treaty of Versailles up. Germans would continue to feel outrage and betrayal by the terms of the treaty.

● Many people in Britain would forgive Hitler’s violation of the treaty terms (for example, by rearming or expanding some of Germany’s borders). They would feel that the Treaty of Versailles was unnecessarily harsh.

Countering: to speak or act in oppositionAim: To position or direct (a firearm, arrow, rocket, etc) / ObjectiveHarsh: Ungentle and unpleasant in action or effect: harsh treatment; harsh manners.Coalfield: A coalfield is an area where coal is mined.Rhineland: It was the border area between Germany and France.Aircraft: An aircraft is a machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air.

Glossary

Forbade: Refuse to allow (something).Former: Having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing.Of or occurring in the past or an earlier period.MP: Members of parliament.

Glossary

http://www.slideshare.net/Halligan/the-german-reaction-to-the-treaty-of-versailles-1http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties5.htmhttp://dictionary.reference.com/

Sources