Treaty Of Versailles Dbq Essay

How did the Treaty of Versailles Help Cause 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.
First Germany lost lots of land bordering Poland, France, and Denmark. East Prussia was still a part of Germany, but was like an island, disconnected from the homeland. This weakened Germany very much, having land be stripped from her. In Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf he says, “No nation can remove the hand from it’s throat except by the sword” (Document A). Hitler is saying in order to stop the unfair treatment, war is inevitable. He said this to help him come to power. He inspired people to not get pushed around by other countries with the Versailles Treaty. Hitler promised redemption and glory if he was put to

power. But war was always on his mind, and when he was in charge, that is exactly what he did, wage war.
In addition to territorial losses, Germany also suffered Military restrictions from the Treaty of Versailles. According to article 160 from the treaty, German troops were allowed a total number of one hundred thousand. Germany was surrounded by other countries with large military troops. France had the largest army of all the nations and they were in control. With such a small army, Germans felt unsafe and scared. This was worrisome to many Germans and another reason they were against the Treaty of Versailles (Document B).
Another important factor that the Treaty of Versailles played on Germany was they made them pay economic or war reparations.

Article 232 of the treaty states “the (Allies)...require, and Germany undertakes, that she will make compensation for all the damage done to civilian population of the Allied and Associated Power and to their property during the period of the belligerency...”(Document C). The payments were to begin May 1, 1921 and they should be finished by May 1, 1951. The reduced amount Germany was required to pay was 112 billion gold marks which is equivalent to 341 billion U.S. dollars. The original reparation was 132 billion gold marks. In the 1920’s, the Germans were angry and didn’t pay any. in 1929, they paid only 2 billion marks, Then finally in 1933 the payments stopped when Hitler took power (Document

C).
Furthermore the Treaty of Versailles made Germany responsible for the war guilt. Germany was blamed for World War I and the people didn’t like this. They felt that the treaty was evil and unfair. “What they knew of the treaty was etched indelibly in their minds and could be abbreviated in a single word: humiliation” (Document D). When Hitler came to power he gave them a restoration of their pride. He was able to get them out of all their war guilt they had. (Document D).
Although the Germans had suffered greatly from the Treaty of Versailles by having territorial losses, military restrictions, economic reparations, and war guilt they were able to overcome all of it. Germans were put through great humiliation because of the Treaty of Versailles. They felt that it was evil and out to get them. When Hitler came to power he was able to stop all these restrictions on them, and bring them to power. This made Germans feel at peace and gain their pride back.