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Treaty of Versailles. The Armistice. Armistice signed November 11, 1918, in Foch’s railway carriage. 22 years later Hitler forced France to sign Armistice in Foch’s in the same railway carriage.
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The Armistice • Armistice signed November 11, 1918, in Foch’s railway carriage. • 22 years later Hitler forced France to sign Armistice in Foch’s in the same railway carriage. • Germany must retreat from the Western front, Annul all former peace treaties, and hand over significant amount of weaponry. • Any deviation from armistice would see allies renew hostilities within 48 hours.
Belgium and France • Much of WWI especially along the Western Front was fought in Allied territory. • The homes of 750,000 French people were destroyed. • The infrastructure of this region had also been severely damaged. Roads, coal mines, telegraph poles had all been destroyed and such a loss greatly hindered the area's ability to function normally.
David Lloyd George • The British public was after revenge. • "Hang the Kaiser" and "Make Germany Pay”, were common slogans. • Behind the scenes Lloyd George was far more concerned with the spread of Communism. • Lloyd feared to harsh a punishment may turn Germany to Communism.
Georges Clemenceau • Germany should be brought to its knees so that she could never start a war again. • The north-east corner of France was destroyed. • Both Clemenceau and the public thought alike in the punishment Germany should receive.
Woodrow Wilson • 14 Points: • a) Countries must seek to reduce their weapons and their armed forces. • b) National self-determination. • c) No more secret treaties. • d) All countries should belong to the League of Nations. • Crux of the 14 Points was to avoid future wars.
Germany felt deceived that the 14 points were not part of the Peace Treaty. • Versailles treaty focused more on punity rather than reconciliation. • 440 articles, 26 dealt with the LON’s, and 414 focused on Germany’s punishment. • Germany would pay, economically, militarily, socially, territorially, it was an utter humiliation.
Conditions of the Treaty • Loss of Alsace Lorraine to France. • Loss of Eupen and Malmedy to Belgium. • Northern Schleswig ceded to Denmark. • West Prussia, Posen and Upper Silesia are handed over to Poland. • While other regions were put protected and governed by the League of Nations. • The League also take control of Germany’s overseas colonies.
Military • Army: Reduced to 100,000 men and no tanks were allowed Navy - Germany was only allowed 6 ships and no submarines Airforce - Germany was not allowed an airforce Rhineland - Rhineland area was to be kept free of German military personnel.
The import and export of weapons was prohibited. • Poison gas, armed aircraft, tanks and armoured cars were prohibited. • Blockades on ships were prohibited. • Restrictions on the manufacture of machine guns.
Legal Restrictions • Article 227 Emperor, Wilhelm II with supreme offense against international morality, tried as a war criminal. • Article 231: "War Guilt Clause" lays sole responsibility for the war on Germany and her allies, which is to be accountable for all damage to civilian populations of the Allies.
Reparations • 226 billion Reichsmarks, decided by an Inter-Allied Reparations Commission. In 1921, it was reduced to 132 billion Reichsmarks at that time then $31.4 billion US$ 438 billion in 2010.
War Guilt Clause: Article 231 • “The Allied and Associated Governments affirm, and Germany accepts, theresponsibility of Germany and her Allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associate Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of a war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her Allies."
Role of Canada • Canada position in international relations expands as well as prestige and clout. • Robert Borden insisted Canada have representation under British delegation. • Signed the treaty as a Dominion under Great Britain. • Canada gained separate representation on the assembly of the LON’s.
Allied Death Toll • Britain : 750,000 soldiers killed; 1,500,000 woundedFrance : 1,400,000 soldiers killed; 2,500,000 woundedBelgium : 50,000 soldiers killedItaly : 600,000 soldiers killedRussia : 1,700,000 soldiers killedAmerica : 116,000 soldiers killed
Continental Powers Death Toll • Germany : 2,000,000 soldiers killedAustria-Hungary : 1,200,000 soldiers killedTurkey : 325,000 soldiers killedBulgaria : 100,000 soldiers killed
Post WWI • Germany is isolated and unstable, politically, economically, and socially. • Hyperinflation, causes widespread poverty, high unemployment and, low levels of production. • Imperial conservatives clash with democratic and socialist forces. • Becomes breeding ground for extremism and facism.
The Final Payment • Germany made its final reparations-related payment for the Great War on Oct. 3, nearly 92 years after the country's defeat by the Allies. $94 million payment the final sum owed on bonds that were issued between 1924 and 1930 and sold to foreign investors but then never paid.