Camryn Lewis

Treaty of Versailles D.B.Q.

Wes Civ Per 4
Britain: 423,600 soldiers, France: 2.2 million soldiers, Belgium: 88,000 soldiers, Italy: 454,600
soldiers, Russia: 700,000, and America: 420,000 soldiers as stated in (World War II Casualties. (2014,
April 5). These are not the amounts of soldiers the countries began with; these are the amounts of
soldiers that were harmed as a result of World War II. An even more staggering figure was the amount
devastation of casualties inflicted on the civilian populations due to the policy of total warfare used in
World War II. World War II could have been prevented if not for the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of
Versailles was a treaty that put the blame and responsibility for all war reparations on Germany, as well as
leaving the other involved countries unaccountable for their actions. The Treaty of Versailles assisted in
the cause of World War II in territorial losses in Germany, extreme limitations in military actions and size,
unreasonable economic reparations and the War-Guilt clause which put all blame on Germany for the
war.
To begin with, the Treaty of Versailles states, the treaty in turn will territorial losses between
countries which caused Germany to begin to fall to the ground as it all stability (Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf,
1924). Hitler came to power as a result of the devastation in Germany falling out. New rulers came to
power because the Treaty of Versailles caused the economy and government to be severely unstable.
The countries were beginning to argue over the open land that was unable to be obtained by the
countries that are unstable in its government and have no control over who or what takes part in their
countries because they do not have a voice in anything that happens. The Treaty of Versailles mentioned
nothing about land that had to be given up (Doc A). Overall, the Treaty of Versailles fails to mention
anything about the territorial losses, however the broken alliances and harmed casualties cause there to
be a feud between countries.
Soon following, the Treaty of Versailles stated that the German army could not exceed one
hundred thousand soldiers and could only be devoted to the territory Germany possessed. Over all of the
countries, France is allotted with the most soldiers and officers(Doc B). The Treaty of Versailles puts all
military restoration in the hands of Germany and how they will fix their military to help maneuver their
economy that can bring up their standings. The power of broken alliances and deprivation could have
caused Germany to feel weak and insecure about how their military stands against others. As opposed to
France and the U.S., Germany is left with the responsibility of all war reparations and the damage control
as stated in the Treaty of Versailles.
As a result, economic restorations are left to Germany and large consequences are to be fulfilled
if the reparations are not made (Doc C). The Treaty of Versailles states ...Germany undertakes, and she
will make compensation for all damage done to the civilian population (Doc C). Which means, that
Germany must take all responsibility for any damage done during or as a result of the war. In reaction to
this, Germany is not even the slightest bit intrigued. However, Germany has 30 years to pay the

reparations,effective beginning May 1, 1921, and if that is not fulfilled, then the reparations will be handled
in another way by the Allied and Associated Governments or applied to a further payment (Doc C).
Germany is left with little to nothing of their dignity or their pride because what was left was just scratched
away by the Treaty of Versailles and the enforcers. In the end, the Germans are left with all economic
reparations and responsibilities of completing the payment in thirty years.
Lastly, Germany agrees to the Treaty of Versailles and that everything is their fault including all
losses and damages, including their own (Doc D). The Germans finally begin to speak up when they
realize what an injustice and atrocity it is to put all the blame on them when it was not entirely their fault.
The Treaty of Versailles had engraved the lifestyle of humiliation into the Germans brains (Doc D).
Therefore the Treaty of Versailles may have helped push the dictators to arise because the countries
were trying to recover both economically and mentally from the world. The War- Guilt clause was not
accepted by Germany because they began to understand what was going on and the accusations being
presumed. Overall, the War- Guilt clause, caused by the Treaty of Versailles, turns Germany around into
an angry, and now dictated country.
All in All, the Treaty of Versailles helped cause World War II through territorial losses, military
restoration, economic reparations, and the War- Guilt clause, and although Germany suffered a great deal
from this, all of the countries learn how to stand on their own as well as manage their countries properly
as they are recovering from World War II.

Works Cited

Mein Kampf. Adolf Hitler. (1924)

Treaty of Versailles.(1919). Article 160.
World War II Casualties. (2014, April 5)
The Economic Consequences of the Peace. Maynard Keynes (1920).
Charles Mee, The End of Order: Versailles, (1919).
Laurence V. Moyer, Victory Must Be Ours: Germany in the Great War (1914-18), 1995.
Treaty of Versailles. (1919). Article 231.
Treaty of Versailles. (1919). Article 232-233.
Daniel Fitzpatrick, St.Louis Post-Dispatch, (1930).