“The Treaty of Versailles” was written to prevent future wars, it didn’t. “The Treaty of Versailles” is a document that cut down Germany as a country, it did this to prevent Germany for ever rising to power again. World War I, the supposed “The War to End All Wars” was a War between the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, The Ottoman Empire, and Germany) and the Allied Powers (France, Great Britain, Russia, and other smaller nations). The Allied Powers had defeated the Central Powers November 11, 1918. A weakened economy sparked anger and humiliation in the German people. Which lead to the uprise of Hitler.
One reason the Treaty of Versailles was a cause of World War II was because it destroyed the German economy. Germany lost a large amount of territories and resources and they were forced to pay for reparations. Germany had a large deduction of land (Document A, German Territorial Losses, Versailles Treaty, 1919). The loss of land lead to a 40% reduction in coal production. In addition to losing land and resources, Germany had to pay reparations. Document C shows how the $367 billion in reparations destroy the German economic system. The stock market crash of 1929 places Germany in an economic Depression, their economy greatly suffered.
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The Treaty of Versailles lead to WWII because it destroyed the German economy and the pride of the German people.
They were also angry and humiliated when their military was reduced. The German military was reduced to 100,000 and was only allowed to protect the German citizens. Germany accepts the responsibility for the loss and damage and is then given a consequence by the Allied and Associated Governments. The Treaty of Versailles brought much humiliation on the German people and thought it should be destroyed. The Nazi regime was a form of restoring the German people’s pride. German people were disgraced and wanted back their pride. These emotions then lead to the uprise of Hitler and the start of World War
II. The Treaty of Versailles lead to WWII because the weakened economy, anger and humiliation cause the uprise of Hitler. Hitler thought the only reason to get rid of the Treaty of Versailles was by War. “No nation can remove this hand from its throat except by the sword.” (Mein Kampf). Hitler knew that destroying the Treaty of Versailles would give the German people a new pride. “Hitler restored a sense of pride, reawakened a sense of self-respect” (Victory Must Be Ours: Germany in the Great War). With the struggle of the German people Adolf Hitler decided to bring back pride by going back into war and destroying the Treaty of Versailles. In conclusion the Treaty of Versailles lead to the destruction of the German economy. With the German economy destroyed the German people feel anger and humiliation. This anger and humiliation lead to the uprise of Hitler. Hitler took it upon himself to restore the Germans sense of self pride and leading Germany into World War II. Even though the Treaty of Versailles was meant to prevent future wars it did the opposite, it started the next. Therefore the Treaty of Versailles is the spark of World War II.
There is no excuse for the horrible things Nazi Germany did during World War II. But one can get a better idea how that war started by learning about how World War I ended. The Treaty of Versailles was created by the winners of World War I, like France, Great Britain, and the United States, to make peace. So how did it help contribute to an even worse war less than twenty years later? It was mainly because it was too hard on Germany’s territory, military, economy, and national pride.
Finally, the accumulated hatred amongst the people gave birth to the potential for a revolution. The Treaty of Versailles is, therefore, an indirect cause to World War II, because of the alliances it caused, the punishments it enforced, and the hatred it developed. The coalitions brought by the Versailles Treaty contributed greatly to starting WWII. The Treaty was responsible for the formation of the Allies. However, when made, these alliances were based on promises from the superpowers, particularly France.
In conclusion, although the treaty of versailles was made in world war 1 but, it was a huge cause of world war 2. This is why world war 2 was caused by the treaty, because the Germans were punished in 4 key ways. One is territorial losses, two is proving that Germany is weak, third making them pay, and the last one is wanting to destroy the treaty. This is why it was such a big cause of world war
One main way the Treaty of Versailles caused WWII is the territorial losses Germany suffered. According to “German Territorial Losses, Versailles Treaty, 1919,” Germany lost a lot of land from the treaty. Some of the land the Germans lost was rich in coal, and when lost, the German’ coal production was reduced by 40%. As a result, Germany wanted its pre-war land back. As Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf says, “the restoration of the frontiers of 1914 could only be achieved by blood…” which foreshadows a war, with intent to get back lost land. Furthermore, the Germans were furious, which also foreshadows a war. All of the aforesaid evidence points to the Treaty of Versailles being responsible for WWII.
Germany and her allies were blamed for the war. The Treaty of Versailles said that they had to pay for the cost of the war. The Treaty of Versailles is what caused World War II. If it had been less harsh on Germany, the Weimar Republic would have been stronger and would not have faced as much economic and social turmoil. Had the treaty been harsher, Germany would not have had the power to make war.
The harshness of the Treaty and the way in which it blamed Germany for World War I crippled Germany. Much of its territory was taken away from it, including West Prussia that went to form a new Polish Corridor to the sea. Plus the Treaty forced Germany to reduce its army, demilitarise the Rhineland and get rid of its navy. The Treaty also forced harsh reparations for the War resulting in a great deal of the German people resenting the Allies. And it was later that Hitler used the bitter memories of Versailles to gain public support for his actions.
The Treaty of Versailles is a cause of World War II because of the restrictions it placed on Germany as the alleged sole aggressor of the war. The war reparation totaled $98 billion, and under Clause 231 Germany was forced to take the entire load onto her ruined economy and attempt to repay the debt starting with an initial $5 billion payment. In terms of military, Germany was limited to a 100,000 man army, with her navy stripped to the level of a coast guard, she was allowed no heavy artillery, no weapons of mass destruction and the border with France became a demilitarized zone for 15 years following the signing of the treaty on June 28 1919. Germany also lost all her territories in Africa and became a mandate of the Allied Forces, those living in mandated zones could participate in “self-determination” after the Allies taught them how to be a democracy (...
At the end of World War One, Germany was required to pay a large sum of money to the Allies consequently resulting in the German Depression. The sum Germany had to pay was set after the Treaty of Versailles was enacted at approximately six billion, six hundred million – twenty-two billion pounds, (World War Two – Causes, Alan Hall, 2010). The large amount of reparations that Germany had to pay resulted in a depression and angered the Germans because they thought it was an excessive amount of money to pay, (World War Two – Causes) The Germans hatred of the Treaty of Versailles was of significant importance in propelling the Nazis to power. Germany could not pay their reparations and was forced into a depression, (World War II – Causes). The Treaty of Versailles deprived Germany of its economic production and its available employments, (World War II – Causes). The German Depr...
The Treaty of Versailles, initially created to keep peace in Europe and ensure that another war like World War I wouldn’t happen again, had in fact, backfired and spiraled the world down into a deeper, bloodier battle. The treaty discriminated strongly against Germany, with the loss of territories, military restrictions, economic reparations, and the War Guilt Clause. It caused humiliation and anger within Germany, and led to Hitler and the Nazi Party coming to power. World War II was not only started by Adolf Hitler and Germany, but had a lot to do with the humiliation that Germany felt when the terms for the Treaty of Versailles were laid down. The harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles may be indirectly related to the cause of World War II, but nonetheless was a huge factor in starting the war.
Anthony J D’Angelo once said, “Reality doesn’t bite, rather our perception of reality bites.” D’Angelo is saying that it isn’t the truth that affects us, it is the way we look at, perceive, and take in truth that changes how what we think about it. When the Treaty of Versailles was signed and presented there was multiple reactions from the German people, the way they perceived the Treaty is what led to their reactions. While both perception and reality played an important role in the making of the Treaty of Versailles and the reaction to it, it was the perception of reality and how this changed how people thought that played a far more important role in the fail of the treaty.
In addition, having lost the war, the humiliated Germans were forced by the Allies to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 that officially ended World War I. According to the harsh terms of the treaty, Germany had to hand over many of its richest industrial territories to the victors, and was made to pay reparations to the Allied countries it devastated during the war. Germany lost its pride, prestige, wealth, power, and the status of being one of Europe's greatest nations. (Resnick p. 15)
The Treaty of Versailles did not just end World War I, but it also changed the world. From it changing every countries view on Germany, to changing Germany itself. It contained many conditions, which led to the countless numbers of results. This treaty created a completely different outlook on the world.
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the factors that led to the inevitability of World War Two. The Treaty of Versailles was a peace treaty that occurred as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that was held after Germany was defeated in World War One. The Treaty was put into action and required that Germany should accept responsibility for the war; of course Germany was humiliated by this. They were required to pay colossal war reparation payments. This was one of the main reasons the treaty had a severe impact on Germany; it crippled the German economy and critically reduced the living standards of the people. This made it virtually impossible for the German economy to function productively. The effects that the treaty had on Germany directly led to the rise of Hitler who he capitalised on German resentment at their treatment. He provided a focus for the German people and their desire to take back what they once had, and to restore their pride once again becoming a glorious nation.
The Treaty of Versailles was a treaty created at the end of World War I, in hopes of establishing peace among nations. Although it sought after harmony, the United States’ Senate refused to ratify the treaty due to the distasteful idea of the United States’ involvement in the League of Nations, and Woodrow Wilson’s unwillingness to compromise with Henry Cabot Lodge’s revisions of The Treaty of Versailles.
As many people are aware that World War 1 initiated after the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and that it was also known as The War to End All Wars, they may not be unaware of the causes that led to it. The Treaty of Versailles was an accordance document signed by Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States and by Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles helped cause World War 1 by destroying Germany’s pride, reducing their territory, and putting a limit to Germany’s military. As all three of these causes are acceptable, the damage of Germany’s pride is most likely the main reason for WW1.