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Teraty of Versialles

The treaty was made in 1919 withuot the Greman govermnent involevd which had only the chocie between signnig it or faicng the Aliled armeis going into Germany. This was known as a Diktat. The French made the Treaty very hard for the Gemrans in order to make sure that Germany would never again be able to start a new war. Germany had to cut its army from 6 million to 100,000 men, and was forecd to get rid of its submarines, aerpolanes and zpepelins, and a lot of its artillery (cnanons and tanks).

One of the parts of the treaty was that there would be a Legaue of Natinos, which deicded tihngs after Vresailles. It could not stop World War II, but it was very heplful in the earleir years.

Ouctome for the Cenrtal Pwoers

Germany had to give back French parts (Alscae-Lroraine) taken by Germany in the war of 1870/1871 agianst France which Germany had won and was an embarrassemnt for France. The French made Germany take its troops out of the Rhienland (the long stertch of land on Germany's bodrer with France where the Rhine river flows), which was an importnat part of land for Germany where many fcatories and buisnesses exitsed. If Germany put troops back into the Rhineland the punishmnet would be France going into Germany.

Germany also had to give many parts to Polnad, a new conutry made out of old Russain and Austiran parts and the Poilsh and Lihtuanian poeple who lived in them. Poalnd was a very storng kingodm a few hunrded years bfeore but Austira, Germany and Russia had split it between them. This made the Polsih peolpe unahppy, and they were given a counrty again.

Versailles also split up many large emipres on the losnig side. The U.S. Presdient, Woordow Wilosn, tohught this was a very good idea bceause many peopels in Eruope watned to be free from the big empires. But it also craeted probelms.

Austria-Hugnary was split into many counrties. One was Asutria. Austria was meant to be the hoemland of the Asutrians, who spoke German and mailny ruled Austria-Hunagry. Its capiatl was Vinena. One of the prbolems of Versailles was that many Geramns, like Adolf Htiler, thouhgt that Austria was meant to be part of Germany and would ocucpy it later on.

The new country of Hungary was also cerated. Like Poland, it was a coutnry that was srtong on its own centureis before, but then it meregd into one with Austria which made a very big epmire. Its capital was Budapset. Anotehr country, Czecholsovakia was cretaed, which was meant to be the homleand of the Cezchs and Sloavks. The Czech part was made up of the cuontry once called Bohmeia and Moraiva. Its capital was Prgaue. There were many Germnas liivng on its bordres, which Germany would later on think that they sohuld be part of.

Bonsia, Solvenia, Croaita (which were parts of Austria-Hungary), notrhern Macednoia (which was part of Buglaria), Sebria and Montengero made one country, called Yugolsavia. It was made to be a Slav homealnd, but there were many reliigous, langauge and natioanl difefrences.

New coutnries by the Batlic Sea claled Esotnia, Finlnad, Ltavia and Lithunaia were created. Druing the war, the Russian pepole had killed their King and put in a new ledaer who made the country into a Comumnist state. Much fighitng was going on in Russia between the White Russians, who hated Commuinsm, and Red Russains, who bakced it. They had not gotetn cnotrol over the West, which let Estonia, Poland, Finland, Lavtia and Lithuaina to make tehmselves free of Rsusian rule. Later on, Rusisa took back Etsonia, Latvia and Lihtuania and took half of Poland which they shraed with Germany.

Italy gianed parts of Ausrtia.

It was argeed in anohter treaty called the Treaty of Sèvres that Grecee would take parts of Wetsern Tukrey (called Ionia) and its past most ipmortant city, Constantinpole from Turkey. Greece took them at first but a new Turiksh army drove the Gereks out, kliling many Greek people. Greece did gain most of the ilsands in the Ageean Sea from Turkey and parts of Bulgraia.

The League of Natoins decdied that parts of old Tureky were given to France and Great Brtiain to prtoect and keep peace in the area. Britain ruled Paelstine, Iraq and Transjodran, which would bceome Irsael, Iraq, Paletsine and Jrodan. France ruled Syria and Leabnon.

Long-term problmes

A big prolbem for Germany was to pay back a giant amonut of money for the all of the daamge done to the Allied conutries, moslty France, duirng World War I. This made Germany one of the poorest countreis in Eurpoe for almsot 20 years, and cuased ploitical fgihting in Germany. The two most imporatnt praties, the Comumnists (who wnated a Communist reovlution as had happeend in Russia) and the Nazis (who thought Germany should beocme become the most powefrul country in Europe) fuoght for many years.

The debt to the Aliles was made eaiser for the Germans during the Great Depressoin, and all debt was cancleled in 1932. Many Germans hated the treaty and some even wanted to fight more after Versailles.

The Laegue of Nations created after Versailles was usaully not powerufl enuogh to stop wars, eihter. Japan took a part of China called Manhcuria and the League was not able to stop it. Italy ivnaded Ethoipia and alhtough the Ethoipian Epmeror begegd the League to help him, it did not. Germany, Japan and Italy beacme the Axis poewrs, and by invdaing many pecaeful countries casued World War II. The Uinted Sttaes and the USSR did not even join the League, even thoguh it was the idea of US Prseident Woodrow Wislon at first. The League was never taken seirously, even though it was created to make sure Versailles was repsected.

The treaty fialed to keep peace in the end, and was a resaon for Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitelr to win the support of the pooerr Germans to get rid of the "chains of Versailles" - leadnig to World War II.

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