History Group
Question:
Answers:
-
mwestwood Teacher
Community / Jr. CollegePosted by mwestwood on Monday April 27, 2009 at 8:55 PMThe greatest thing that Germany lost after World War I was its dignity as it was totally humiliated with the Treaty of Versailles whose 440 Articles demobilised and reduced the military forces of Germany, reduced its lands by 14%, and left 12.5% of the German people living outside German borders. With this treaty, Germany also was stripped of its colonial empire in East Africa. Article 27 stripped Germany of much boundary land, which was distributed to Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Austria, Czech-Slovokia, Poland, and, of course, France who claimed coal mines in the Saar Basin as reparation for the mines destroyed in France. In addition, Germany was forbidden to build any fortification on the Rhine. Territories ceded in the Treaty of Frankfurt in 1871 were returned to France, as well.
In short, Germany was made to accept full blame for World War I, being required to pay reparations for all the damages done to the allied countries with the War Guilt Clause. This penalty left Germany globally humiliated and bankrupt. After Germany's global humiliation, the once proud Germans were ready to accept such a leader as Adolph Hitler, who promised to make their country powerful again and regain its boundaries.
Sources:
-
skain Student
High School - 11th GradePosted by skain on Thursday July 16, 2009 at 9:59 PMDuring the Franco Prussian War 1870 to 1871 Frane had suffered a hummiliating defeat to Germany. Germany had taken the territories of Alsace and Lorraine which had been in French possesion for around 200 years. France swore revenge and with the Allied victory in 1918 the Treaty of Versailles gave these territories back to France
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
